Children's Home run by Family First Care Services Ltd in Haringey

Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 1 Registered provider: Family First Care Services Ltd Full 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 three children. In its statement of purpose, the provider states that care is provided for children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 9 July 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This inspection was conducted on site, and involved meetings with children, staff and managers. Email and telephone contact took place with family members and placing authority social workers.

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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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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 requires improvement to be 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: none Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive and trusting relationships with staff. This enables children to talk to staff openly about their thoughts and feelings, and issues that are concerning them. This ensures that children feel cared for, and that they are happy in their home. One child said, ‘I love the staff’s energy, they listen to me, they understand me, they help me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s voices are listened to. Leaders and managers give children lots of opportunities to share their wishes and feelings through weekly house meetings and child-focused consultations. Leaders and managers let children know that they have taken their views on board by using ‘you said it we did it’ forms. This promotes an open culture in the home, which allows children to share their thoughts and feelings with others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities. One child enjoys horse riding and gymnastics, which she does with the support of staff at weekends. Activities also take place in the home, such as baking and pamper nights. Staff encourage children and promote their interests and talents, such as arts and crafts. This helps children to thrive and ensures that they are continuously learning and developing their skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood and supported by staff. Leaders and managers have worked closely with medical professionals to safely reduce one child’s medication. One child has been referred for support from a specialist nurse to ensure that the child’s specific health needs are met. This ensures that children make progress and their overall health and well-being improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in education and make good progress from their individual starting points. One child is now attending college after being out of education for some time. As a result of the support from staff, the child now receives additional support in difficult subjects and is now able to ask for help.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

L eaders and managers are committed to improving the children’s well-being. They have identified a therapist who will be commissioned to support the children. The therapist will also work with staff to ensure that they are able to meet the children’s specific needs.

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improvement to be good

One child’s liberty is restricted by the conditions of a deprivation of liberty order for another child. Leaders and managers discussed the implications of the court order with the child, but failed to inform or discuss this with the placing authority. The impact of the restrictions on the child who is not subject to the court order has not been fully assessed. Additionally, the placing authority that has parental Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 4 responsibility for the child has not been part of the care planning. As a result, the child’s liberty and freedom are restricted without authorisation.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments do not cover all known and potential risks based on children’s experiences and vulnerabilities. Poor risk assessments and an insufficient understanding of children’s risks compromise the ability of staff to keep children safe. Incidents are not consistently recorded as required. This means that managers and staff are unclear as to what incidents have occurred, and the actions required to manage such incidents and keep children safe. This results in ineffective behaviour management, and means that sufficient safeguards are not being identified and put in place to protect children

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improvement to be good

Key-work sessions help children to understand their feelings and how to keep themselves safe. Positive relationships between staff and children allow key-work sessions to be meaningful and beneficial for children.

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improvement to be good

Staff recognise when children are struggling. Staff are alert to key behaviour indicators, such as changes in mood, and understand children’s individual triggers. Staff speak to children calmly and suggest alternative strategies, such as writing feelings down on paper. This helps children to self-regulate their behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Staff are proactive when children go missing from the home. Staff locate children and safely return them to the home. Leaders and managers ensure that children receive a return to care interview. This helps to reduce further incidents of children going missing from home, by identifying any triggers for the missing incident and any risks that the child was exposed to. Furthermore, this helps children to feel supported at a vulnerable time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. Leaders and managers take on board feedback from others to improve the care offered to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers make child-centred decisions when considering new admissions to the home. The registered manager completes a thorough matching and impact risk assessment prior to new children moving into the home. This ensures that children are suitably placed and matched. This provides stability in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The physical environment of the home is well maintained and safe for children. The home is warm and welcoming, and has a family atmosphere. Children are supported to decorate their bedrooms in their own style. This helps children to feel happy and comfortable in their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are clear and reflect their everyday lives. Positive behaviour support plans and care plans give good insight into the children’s needs and personalities. This helps staff to provide appropriate care and support for children. Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 5 Staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision focuses on children’s needs, experiences and plans. Safeguarding issues are discussed, as well as staff development needs. This ensures that managers have effective oversight of the progress children make and staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are offered a wide range of training opportunities that are specific to the needs of the children in their care. However, not all staff have completed the required mandatory training. This limits the staff’s ability to recognise key signs of when children need additional support. Leaders and managers are aware of this shortfall and have begun to address this with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is no workforce development plan in place. This limits the manager’s evaluation of the training and development needs of staff. Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 6

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s risk assessments include all known risks and are up to date, to help staff to manage risks effectively. 8 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that placing authorities are informed of circumstances which impact on children and are involved in care planning for children. 8 April 2022

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 8 April 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 7 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff complete all training relevant to meet the needs of the children they care for.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2636743 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Family First Care Services Ltd

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Inspector

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2636743 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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