Children's Home run by Stonelake London Limited in Brent

Inspection report children's home: 1264048 1 Registered provider: Stonelake London 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 is a therapeutic home that provides specialist programmes of care and support for children aged 10 to 17 years who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Inspection date: 2 February 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 2 February 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1264048 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 declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been some progress in terms of the requirements and recommendations since the last inspection. However, there is more work to do to ensure that they are fully met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living at the home, with one due to leave the following day. There have been two placements since the last inspection, both of short duration. These placements have ended due to concerns about the home's capacity to meet the needs of these children. When making decisions to admit children, consideration of all the related factors is insufficient. These decisions do not fully assess the staff team's ability to meet children's needs, the dangers in the physical location, or the potential effects on the children who are currently living at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The physical condition of the home requires significant improvement. Some of the deficiencies in the physical environment of the home compromise the safety of children. The fencing at the side of the home, leading onto the street, is in complete disrepair, allowing free access to the rear of the property. Rubbish and discarded items at the front of the house constitute a hazard to children, and the fire blanket in the kitchen is not in place. All these issues create unnecessary and significant risks to children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager recently left at very short notice. The experienced deputy manager has been asked to act as interim manager. He has an appropriate understanding of the work required and a commitment to undertake this. There is a need for a clear development plan to enable the manager to develop the necessary skills to manage the home effectively.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When any significant incidents occur, incident forms are completed. However, there is insufficient management oversight of these incidents to determine appropriate learning. There is also an absence of any further actions to keep children safe and enhance their well-being. Consistent and effective management oversight of care planning for children is not evident.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Concerns in relation to bullying have not been sufficiently addressed. One child’s concerns about bullying were not followed up with the child for several days. The home has a zero-tolerance policy to bullying. However, there is a lack of clarity in relation to any sanctions, consequences and actions in relation to any such incidents. The impact for children is that they do not always feel safe. Inspection report children's home: 1264048 3 Communication with parents is inconsistent. Parents are not always informed immediately in relation to all important information and incidents concerning their children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Missing-from-home incidents are few in number. However, when children have been missing from the home, there has been insufficient follow-up action with local authorities to ensure return home interviews take place. The efforts made to establish where children have been and any risks that they may have been exposed to are also insufficient. This means that important information is not always gathered to help keep children safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Generally, children have good relationships with staff. Children were observed acting freely and comfortably in the home. The recent introduction of a skilled art therapist to the staff team has helped provide the opportunity for children to freely express their emotions. Work to integrate this important work into other aspects of planning for children is still evolving. Additionally, a lack of staff training limits the quality of care provided to children. Inspection report children's home: 1264048 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/12/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/09/2019 Full Good 18/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: 1264048 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

that the homes day-to-day care is arranged and delivered as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards for the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this relates to keeping the home in a good decorative order and ensuring the external perimeters of the home are secure. This also relates to ensuring items which are no longer in use and may be a hazard to children are disposed of quickly and not kept in a location which children can access. 1 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b)) 1 March 2022 Inspection report children's home: 1264048 6 Specifically, this is in relation to demonstrating the targeted work done to help children, after racist and other types of intimidation and bullying incidents between them.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this is in relation to having clear, evaluative oversight of occurrences and practices within the home. 1 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 1 March 2022 Inspection report children's home: 1264048 7 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this relates to a proactive use of an impact risk assessment (‘matching’ document) before admitting a child, to ensure that the home can meet the child’s specific needs. Additionally, the assessment must take into account locality risks and the potential impact on any children currently living there.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the missing child policy") setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff ensure the safe return of the child to care after the missing child has been found. Additionally, they must make determined efforts to engage with children to ascertain the circumstances when children have been missing. 1 March 2022

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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) Inspection report children's home: 1264048 8 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report children's home: 1264048 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stonelake London Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinckot House, 211b, Station Road, Harrow HA1 2TP

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Inspector

Andy Whippey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1264048 10 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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