Children's Home run by Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd in Newham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 1 SC060545 Registered provider: Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to eight children and young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home cares for children and young people with emotional and/or social difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since 17 January 2019.

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Inspection date: 26 January 2022

Date of last inspection: 20 and 21 October 2021

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Inspection date: 26 January 2022

Judgement at last inspection requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 January 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 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 judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. There have been no new admissions since the full inspection in October 2021. The manager recognises children’s vulnerabilities and is careful that their need for safety is not compromised.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children receive warm and caring interactions from the staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most requirements and recommendations from the full inspection are either met or being implemented.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s outings have been limited. However, as restrictions have been lifted, children are now beginning to participate in activities they enjoy, such as going to the cinema, going shopping with the staff and being supported to see their family.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the full inspection, four permanent members of staff and a highly motivated deputy manager have been successfully recruited, which is intended to bring continuity and consistency for children. All new staff have an induction and development plan. However, these plans are recent, so it is too soon to evaluate the impact. Training has started to return to face to face, and training on fire safety and the safe administration of medication is planned for staff to attend. Supervision sessions and team meetings take place monthly and are recorded.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Additional management capacity is injecting energy into driving improvements. For example, new structures and systems are bringing clarity on expected standards, but these requisite changes cannot be reliant on one person. The director and registered manager accept that they require a holistic and consistent approach at all levels of management.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s individual paper-based files contain hundreds of records without a contents page. It is difficult to navigate and to access important information about children’s plans, reviews and progress. One child does not have an up-to-date care plan or the most recent statutory review minutes. Consequently, it is not possible to track the child’s progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no missing-from-home episodes or serious incident notifications since the full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 3 The quality of decoration in parts of the home is poor. The regulation 44 independent visitor has detailed this in previous reports. Actions arising from these reports are not systematically completed. The home is a large property and parts are not conducive with offering children a homely environment. Managers accept that it feels institutionalised in places. Several communal rooms are kept locked, including the games activity room and the computer room. The living room is uninviting and lacks a homely feel. The sofas are worn and tired looking, and there are no pictures on the walls or soft furnishings, which adds to the feeling of neglect. Plans to paint the rooms and develop additional space where children can meet with family members need to accelerate. The director accepts this and has advised that

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

changes will be made quickly. Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 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 leadership and management standard are 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

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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to leaders and managers ensuring that systems are in place to actively progress longer-term plans to meet the complex needs of these children. 30 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 6 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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the poor quality of decoration in parts of the home. 30 April 2022

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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 Scheduled 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the home has copies of all plans and reports relating to the child. 30 April 2022

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Recommendations

 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. They should develop more consistent recording processes to promote decisive and effective practice. In particular, the home should not give an institutional impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. Children’s homes will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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 for children’s home: SC007290 7 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 8

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Inspector

Brenda Mclaughlin, Her Majesty’s Inspector, Social Care Inspection report for children’s home: SC007290 9 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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