Children's Home run by S P Homes Limited in Lambeth

Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 1 SC065535 Registered provider: S P Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to six children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that the home cares for children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2021 Full Good 04/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/08/2018 Full Good 08/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the overall experiences of children living in the home have been mixed. Some children have been helped to successfully return to their families or move on to semi-independent accommodation. However, other children have experienced unplanned moves from the home. Leaders and managers reported that limited placing authority referral information has resulted in some children’s needs not being compatible with the home’s ethos. However, the responsible individual reported that the referral process is now more robust to ensure that they receive all relevant information about children.

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improvement to be good

Children’s educational outcomes are mixed. With staff encouragement, some children attend their school or college, or they engage in online education while waiting for a school place. However, other children, despite staff’s best efforts, refuse to attend or engage in their education.

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improvement to be good

Some children living in the home have specific health needs. These health needs are poorly recorded, and healthcare records are disorganised and unclear. For example, one child’s healthcare plan does not include an allergy record. Health risk assessments and prescriptions are out of date. The medication administration records are disorganised, and some staff signatures and dates missing. Furthermore, the records do not always demonstrate when children have refused to take their medication. At the time of the inspection, these shortfalls had not impacted directly on the children’s health and well-being. However, improvement is required to avoid staff confusion as this could result in children being at risk and their health needs not being met.

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improvement to be good

The home’s statement of purpose does not provide an accurate reflection of the current services that the home offers to children. Furthermore, the home’s website does not include up-to-date information. The responsible individual reported that she is in the process of updating this information.

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improvement to be good

The large double-fronted six-bedroomed home has ample communal space downstairs and a large garden where children can enjoy basketball and other outdoor activities. The registered manager emphasises the nurturing, calm, family environment in the home. However, the home’s policy of locking the kitchen door and the two lounge doors at night detracts from the homely environment. The registered manager reported that the locking of doors at night is done to safeguard children and to allow the night staff to attend to their administration duties.

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improvement to be good

The inspector found that one child sleeps on a bed mattress which is still covered in the plastic packaging that it had been delivered in. This type of mattress protector does not respect the child’s dignity. The manager reported that the plastic covering helps to protect the mattress. However, a new mattress protector has been ordered. Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 4 Children enjoy engaging in their preferred activities in the home and in the community. A social worker praised staff’s creativity and the support that they offer to children to enable them to participate in activities. Children’s individualised planners set out their chosen activities. These include go-karting, trips to London landmarks, a local funfair, youth clubs, a trip to a local recording studio and an Easter college sports course. However, one child’s planner does not accurately reflect their weekly timetable as it contains contradictory wake-up times.

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improvement to be good

Some children make good progress while living in the home. The manager described examples of children’s progress and notable achievements, such as attending an optional sports event at college, attending all their important appointments, and learning to better manage their health conditions.

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improvement to be good

The manager completes children’s impact risk assessments and carries out a matching process when considering referrals for children to move into the home. Despite the manager conducting monthly quality assurance audits, risk assessments are not kept up to date and children’s identified risks are not consistently recorded in their care records. This limits staff’s knowledge of the children’s vulnerabilities and the actions that they should take to minimise the risks.

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improvement to be good

Despite the manager’s assurance that children receive weekly key-work sessions to help and support them, there is no evidence to demonstrate this. For example, one child has not received key-work support to address their antisocial behaviour in the home.

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improvement to be good

The children’s guide is not up to date. The guide still includes information relating to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, such as no visitors allowed in the home and no community activities taking place. The guide does not help children to understand why the home’s communal areas are locked at night.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from the home, staff follow the missing-from-care procedures. Children’s care plans outline when the police should be informed that the child is missing. However, the reports that staff complete as part of the online police reporting system are not always comprehensive and do not include all known risks to children. This potentially impacts on the police response and compromises children’s safety and well-being.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide nurturing care to children, which helps them to build positive relationships with children. Consequently, this reduces incidents where children present with challenging behaviour. There have been no police call outs or episodes of restraint since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

The inspector spoke with every child living in the home. They all said that that they feel safe. Children say that the home-cooked food is very good and that they know Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 5 how to make a complaint if they need to. There have been no recorded complaints since the last inspection.

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good

The manager did not demonstrate to the inspector that the requirement and recommendations raised at the previous inspection had been considered or met. Consequently, these are all repeated at this inspection.

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good

The independent person visits the home and produces a monthly report. However, Ofsted does not receive these reports in a timely manner. The independent person spends limited time in the home and the quality of the reports is poor. As a result, Ofsted’s oversight of the home is limited.

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good

Most staff have a suitable children’s residential care qualification or are currently undertaking this. The manager explained that new staff are enrolled on the course after they successfully complete their probation. However, the record of staff training shows that some staff do not have the necessary skills and expertise to meet the individual needs of the children in their care. This includes key skills and knowledge in relation to safeguarding children, medication administration and children going missing from care.

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good

The home’s children’s register is not completed in line with regulatory requirements. Additionally, Ofsted was not notified of a serious safeguarding concern as required.

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good

Professionals report that staff communication is good. They describe staff as ‘professional in their role’ and say that they provide regular communication and updates. Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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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

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home must ensure that children contribute to the development of their own risk management and behaviour support plans.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children receive advice regarding the consequences and impact of stealing from peers in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children contribute to the development of their own risk management and behavioural support plans.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 30 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 May 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 7 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are provided with suitable mattress protectors that meet their needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s medication administration matches the child’s individual prescriptions.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that a record is kept if a child refuses to take their medication. 30 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

If a home has a website, the registered person must ensure that a copy of the statement of purpose is published on that website unless the registered person considers that such publication would prejudice the welfare of children in the home. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b) (4)) 30 May 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 8 In particular, the home’s website and statement of purpose must be kept up to date.

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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 Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must sign and date children’s records.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must complete children’s missing-from- care report records in line with police requirements. 30 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should not lock the kitchen and lounge doors at night unless the rationale for this is clear in order to safeguard children. 30 May 2022

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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

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7 (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must update the children’s guide in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and 30 May 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 9 set out any access limitations within the home and the reasons for those limitations.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that HMCI receives the independent person’s monthly reports in a timely manner and that the reports provide a robust oversight to demonstrate that children are safeguarded effectively and their well-being is promoted. 30 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 30 May 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— 30 May 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 10 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff receive training to meet the needs of the children in their care.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)) 30 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff take account of information provided by return home interviews following episodes when a child has been missing from care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that the management monitoring report clearly identifies any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. In particular, the registered person should ensure that the improvement plan contains details and specific timescales with regards to when progress will be reviewed and measured. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.4)  The registered person should ensure that any placing authority is challenged to provide a complete and current relevant plan. In particular, the home should

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Recommendations

ensure that case files contain up-to-date care plans and personal education plans from the placing authority. This will inform care planning for the children concerned. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5) Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 11  The registered person should ensure that performance appraisals consider the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and the views of the children in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least annually. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor

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Recommendations

behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that staff challenge the child’s education or training provider if the child does not receive sufficient support to progress as outlined in their relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 27, paragraph 5.12)

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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: SC065535 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 163 Manor Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 1JT

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC065535 13 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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