Children's home run by Champion Children (NW London) Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2567267 1 Registered provider: Champion Children (NW London) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home cares for up to four children with emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered by Ofsted in March 2020. The manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 23 November 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2567267 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report children's home: 2567267 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. There was a significant fire at the home in August 2021. This led to children having to move out of the registered premises into temporary accommodation while the circumstances of the fire were investigated and the home was renovated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children had made strong and steady progress prior to the fire. However, children have since experienced some setbacks, feeling unsettled and uprooted. Leaders and managers have acted swiftly to reduce any negative impact on children and to provide additional support where necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers place great emphasis on helping children to move into the home and preparing children to move on from the home. This helps children moving into the home to quickly settle in and to start to make progress physically, emotionally, socially and educationally. Children who leave the home continue to stay in regular contact with staff and managers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff strive to help children achieve academic success. Children who struggle to engage are consistently encouraged and supported to attend school. Staff maintain daily contact with schools and advocate strongly on behalf of children. As a result, children feel supported with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff forge strong relationships with children. These relationships have played a vital part in supporting children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, staff promoted children’s health and well-being despite the many restrictions. However, medication administered to children is not always accurately recorded. This compromises management oversight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders, managers and staff champion culture and diversity. They support children to have a sense of their own identity as well as celebrate and learn about other cultures. This helps children develop a positive self-view and a sense of respect for others.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff focus their efforts on building positive and meaningful relationships with children. This child-centred care helps children to feel safe and know that people care about them. One child said to his social worker, ‘Staff here are kind. I am happy here.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand children’s individual needs, risks and vulnerabilities. Staff use this informed knowledge to help children to make safe decisions. As a result, children’s episodes of going missing from home significantly reduce. However, staff do not always keep good records of information from return home interviews. This is a Inspection report children's home: 2567267 4 missed opportunity to evaluate themes and patterns related to episodes of children going missing.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff only use physical restraint when it is necessary to safeguard children and others. Following incidents, children receive good support which enables them to reflect on their emotions.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders and managers have fully renovated the home to a high standard following the fire. However, fire drills are not always accurately recorded or sufficiently detailed. This compromises management oversight.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Allegations against staff are managed well. However, not all staff demonstrate good knowledge of the policies and procedures relating to the management of allegations against senior staff. One staff member did not know how to raise whistle-blowing concerns. This does not help staff to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. Since the monitoring visit in November 2020, the manager has focused strongly on improving staff culture and developing the staff’s skills. As a result, the home is staffed by a suitably skilled and diverse staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have high aspirations for children. They have consistently prioritised the needs of children. This has helped children to feel valued and given them a sense of belonging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported. They benefit from regular supervision, appraisals and team meetings. However, supervision and appraisal records are not always sufficiently detailed. This compromises the oversight of staff practice and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work very well with other agencies and carers to support the day-to-day care of children. However, leaders and managers have failed to consult with safeguarding partners when updating the location risk assessment. This does not equip leaders to respond effectively to risks related to the location of the children’s home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers actively and regularly monitor the quality of care provided to children. External monitoring of the home has improved in recent months. This has helped leaders and managers to continue to make improvements. Inspection report children's home: 2567267 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand what action to take in the event of a child making an allegation against a senior member of the staff team. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death;

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Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and 30 November Inspection report children's home: 2567267 6 in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

ensuring that accurate records are kept for the handling and storage of medication;

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Requirement Due date

ensuring that information from return home interviews is routinely recorded;

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Requirement Due date

ensuring that fire drill records are accurate and details any actions taken.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) 30 November

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions and appraisals are kept and that both the person giving the supervision/appraisal and staff member have a copy of the record. Specifically, this relates to ensuring that good records of the content of supervision and appraisals are maintained for the purposes of staff development. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children's home: 2567267 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Champion Children (NW London) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Moran House, Unit 7-8, 449-451 High Road, London NW10 2JJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Wakeling

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2567267 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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