Children's Home run by Jamores Limited in Bexley

Inspection report for children's home: 2562430 1 `

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Registered provider: Jamores Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to three children. The provider states in their statement of purpose that they can ‘accommodate looked after children and young people aged between seven and fourteen years of either gender for short, medium- or long-term placements’.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home registered with Ofsted in February 2020. The manager registered in January 2022. This is the home’s first full inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 2 February 2021 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 for children's home: 2562430 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making good progress from their starting point. Staff ensure that the child is at the centre of all their decision-making. For example, the child helps to choose their own ‘smart targets’. These targets help the child to improve their social skills. As a result, the child has gained the confidence to attend a community youth club. Targets also include independence skills, such as making their own bed, washing up, budgeting and learning to use public transport. Staff are very proud that the child can now count their own pocket money and buy presents for family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work tirelessly to advocate for the child’s education. This ensures that the child has access to a suitable school place and the necessary support to engage in full- time education. Staff collaborate with school staff effectively. They make very good use of school resources in the home. Role-play cards and shared reading books in the home enhance the child’s educational progress. Staff celebrate the child’s regular student of week certificates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s ethos of positive behaviour incentives is successful. This is demonstrated in the reduction in challenging behaviours that the child is rewarded for. The child enjoys staff applause, a new favourite comic or a small financial reward.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys a wealth of activities with staff. The child contributes to their pictorial weekly activity planner. They take part in cultural festivals, swimming and bowling. The child also takes part in trips to museums, activity centres and the home’s annual summer holiday. Staff undertake detailed risk assessments for every activity. This includes details such as taking the child’s favourite soft toy and playing their favourite music in the car to help the child to remain settled and safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use technology and other resources creatively. For example, staff use videos to help prepare the child for community activities. This helps to reduce the child’s anxiety. Staff model brushing their teeth alongside the child. This encourages improved personal care. The child and staff use a ‘healthy plate divider’ at mealtimes. This supports the child’s improved healthy balanced diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child said, ‘I feel safe here and the home is fantastic.’ A member of staff said, ‘I enjoy being part of a team that is making a positive impact on [X]’s life.’

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

The staff team sensitively helps the child to understand the structures and boundaries in the home. Positive behaviour support plans set out complex behaviours that may be challenging and the strategies for staff to support and de- escalate these. The strategies are effective, and challenging behaviours reduce. Inspection report for children's home: 2562430 3 Staff help the child to understand their experiences. Staff take time to support the child to reflect during informal and targeted key-work sessions. The child is encouraged to identify their feelings using the home’s bespoke ‘traffic light system’ alongside setting out their ‘joys, worries and wishes’. This helps staff to respond to the child’s changing needs.

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

The registered manager and staff team are child-centred and work extensively with the other professionals who support the child. The home’s in-house therapist provides advice to the staff team. Alongside collaboration with medical practitioners, best practice guidance and appropriate therapeutic approaches, staff ensure that the child receives timely health and care interventions.

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

Staff ensure that the child spends important time with their family members. Staff help the child and their family to enjoy family time in the community. Where there have been COVID-19 restrictions in place, the adaptable staff team has maintained the child’s family time using face-time technology.

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

Staff develop genuine and trusting relationships with the child. This helps to create a settled home environment. The child said, ‘I can talk to anyone here.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The newly registered manager has a wealth of knowledge and skills. He brings his experience of managing children’s homes and his wider practice in quality assurance and training to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong advocate for staff’s continuing professional development. With his education and training qualification, he provides informal and formal training workshops both in-house and to staff in the provider’s other children’s homes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff undertake a wide range of core training, which ensures that they can meet the needs of the child living in the home. The home’s in-house therapist provides additional therapeutic training. Staff are proud to be the current holders of the company’s annual in-house therapeutic care competition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff have a suitable residential children’s home qualification or are enrolled to undertake the qualification. However, one member of staff’s qualification may not be the required equivalent as set out in regulation. The registered manager reported that he will review this. Inspection report for children's home: 2562430 4

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Recommendation

 The registered person should reassure themselves that staff hold qualifications that are equivalent to residential children’s home qualifications. The term ‘equivalent’ as used in the Regulations in relation to qualifications will be a judgement for the registered person based on whether the content of any qualifications held by the individual closely corresponds with the qualifications set out in regulation (32)(4) (for those in a care role). (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.13)

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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: 2562430 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Thames Innovation Centre, Studio 52, Veridion Way, Erith DA18 4AL

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2562430 6 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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