Children's home run by Solace Care Partners Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2503143 1 Registered provider: Solace Care Partners Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home. The statement of purpose states that the home provides care for up to four children with social and/or emotional difficulties. The provider runs another children’s home which is located next door. The registered manager is the manager for both homes.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children resident at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection date: 11 January 2022

Date of last inspection: 13 September 2021

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Inspection date: 11 January 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 11 January 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2503143 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers recognise that there is still more work to be done. Nevertheless, good progress has been made against the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection. As a result, children are making good progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is determined to make improvements to ensure the needs of children are met. The home is welcoming, well cared for and has the necessary equipment and facilities to meet the children’s needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child has left the home since the last inspection. A learning review was conducted relating to the circumstances of the ending of this child’s placement. The review identified some gaps in terms of identifying local area risks and the impact on individual children prior to a decision being made for them to move into the home. Managers have used this review to help them to improve practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have made active efforts to try and secure a child a new school placement. However, despite these efforts, staff do not have a clear structured plan for the days when the child should be in school. This creates a missed opportunity to prepare children for the return to education.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children give positive feedback about their experience of living at the home and recognise that the home is a calmer place to live than it was six months ago. There has been a marked reduction in the number of significant incidents and there have been no incidents involving physical restraint over this period. The registered manager has worked hard to introduce a greater sense of stability within the home, and this is starting to have some impact.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The number of times children have gone missing from the home has reduced and when such incidents occur the records show a chronology of events and actions taken by staff. However, staff are too slow in trying to understand the reasons why children go missing, particularly when children are reluctant to engage in return home interviews. This creates a missed opportunity to help children to make safe decisions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers do not always challenge other professionals to advocate for children. For example, not enough challenge is given to placing local authorities that do not offer return home interviews or provide the home with relevant information or documentation concerning children. This missed opportunity means that children miss out on getting the right support at the right time. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503143 3 Managers have made good progress in improving the quality of children’s care plans and risk assessments. These changes are beginning to help the staff to identify the needs of children and their presenting risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503143 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2503143 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3 (14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of incidents of children going missing should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence

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Recommendations

of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, the expected completion dates for strategies identified to reduce risks to children should be clearly recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff regularly consult with children to obtain their views and ensure that children have a clear understanding of the plans for them and the actions staff will take to keep them safe. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph

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Recommendations

4.11)  The registered person should ensure that where children placed in the home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, that staff work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15) Inspection report for children’s home: 2503143 6

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 for children’s home: 2503143 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solace Care Partners Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2A, 420 Eastern Avenue, Ilford IG2 6NQ

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Inspector

Andy Whippey, HMI Inspection report for children’s home: 2503143 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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