Children's home run by ERA Care Limited in Epping Forest

Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 1 SC462951 Registered provider: ERA Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by an independent provider. It provides care for up to three children aged between 11 and 18 with social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since April 2022.

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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

Date of last inspection: 15 February 2022

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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 for children’s home: SC462951 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2022 Full Good 17/12/2019 Full Good 07/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have lived at the home. One child moved out because managers felt that they were unable to meet the child’s needs. Notice has also been served on the other child’s placement, as managers again feel that they are unable to meet this child’s needs. Progress for children has therefore been limited. This had been affected by the shortfalls that have been identified in help and protection and leadership and management.

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improvement to be good

Educational outcomes for children have been mixed. One child had one-to-one tuition in place. Staff were supportive of this and encouraged and prioritised the child’s engagement. However, for the other child, no education provision is in place. Managers have failed to challenge the child’s placing authority effectively to ensure that a provision is identified for them. A failure to advocate effectively for the child has meant that this shortfall has not been adequately addressed.

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improvement to be good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs and build positive relationships with them. They provide good support for children when they move to the home. One child said that they felt welcomed by all of the staff when they moved in and that they feel able to talk to staff if they have any worries.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views are actively sought and responded to. Regular children’s meetings and key-work sessions ensure that different aspects of children’s care are discussed with them. This helps children feel listened to and involved in the care that they receive.

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improvement to be good

Children are offered a good range of activities. For one child, who needed a high level of staff interaction, staff understood that providing different opportunities to engage in activities helped them to be more settled.

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improvement to be good

Two complaints have been received since the last inspection, both relating to children’s behaviour in the locality of the home. Managers have responded appropriately and ensured that the issues raised were discussed with children. This had a positive effect on children’s behaviour in the community.

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improvement to be good

Assessments made by managers in advance of children moving into the home are of poor quality. A lack of curiosity about some known risks has meant that these risks have not been adequately explored and understood. Assessments have failed to consider risks to children in the home’s location. In addition, a placement planning meeting for one child did not happen for nearly two weeks. Consequently, information about the child which was not included in the referral paperwork was Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 4 not all known until the meeting took place. This information has subsequently affected managers’ views on whether the home can meet the child’s needs, leading to notice being given on the child’s placement. Poor-quality assessments and a failure to understand risks has had an impact on children’s care and led to further disruption for them.

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improvement to be good

There have been significant and ongoing concerns related to missing-from-home episodes, substance misuse and, for one child, possible exploitation. The child’s risk assessment covers the known risks and includes strategies for staff to help reduce these. Staff respond to missing-from-home episodes in line with the child’s plans and are proactive in looking for the child. However, only one return home interview has been offered to the child by their placing authority. This means that, for most incidents, there has not been proper exploration of where the child has been and any risks that they may have been subject to. Managers have failed to work with the placing authority to ensure that they offer return home interviews. A failure to effectively respond to missing-from-home episodes alongside other professionals has meant that the related risks are not properly understood.

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improvement to be good

Staff have responded to some high levels of unwanted behaviour and managed such incidents well, working in line with the child’s plans. The staff used different strategies to help the child at times of distress. Police support has been requested on some occasions, but only as a last resort to keep people safe.

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improvement to be good

Use of restraint is rare. When restraint has been used, it has been done so appropriately and the records are clear. Debriefs have taken place with the child and staff, which have enabled learning from incidents.

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good

The previous manager, who is also a director of the organisation, is still in day-to- day charge, after the person who planned to apply for registration left the organisation. The previous manager intends to reapply for registration.

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good

External monitoring is of poor quality. Since the last inspection, there have only been two visits from the independent person, with two visits being missed. Only one report has been sent to Ofsted during this time. This report contained no feedback from children or others and it did not give a view as to whether children are safeguarded effectively and their well-being promoted. Managers have failed to identify the shortfalls in external monitoring. Poor-quality external monitoring has affected managers’ ability to recognise shortfalls and make improvements.

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good

Staff said that they feel well supported and that managers are available to them. However, staff supervisions have not taken place regularly. There have been significant challenges relating to how children’s needs are being met. There has been a failure to offer the individualised support that supervision provides. Consequently, opportunities to consider how effectively staff are working with children and reflect on this have been missed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 5 Internal monitoring is ineffective. Managers have failed to identify and address shortfalls in relation to ensuring that staff have up-to-date paperwork from children’s placing authorities, the supervision of staff and external monitoring. This has meant that improvements in these areas have not been made.

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good

Information about children is appropriately shared with external professionals, including concerns about risks that children are subject to. However, managers have failed to address concerns about the service that one child is receiving from their placing authority. Concerns relating to inaccurate paperwork, a lack of education provision and delays in arranging important meetings have not been escalated. A failure to challenge and escalate these concerns has meant improvements to the service the child is receiving have not happened.

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good

Most staff hold a relevant level 3 diploma, and those who are not are working towards it. Staff undertake a wide range of training and can identify how this has benefited them in their roles. Good training helps to ensure that staff are properly equipped for their roles.

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good

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. These provide staff with the opportunity to discuss how they are working with children and share ideas about how they can do so more effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 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

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

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 1 August 2022

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that pre-admission assessments for children appropriately explore all known risks, including those relating to the area where the home is located, and consider how these will be managed;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that when children are not offered return home interviews after incidents of going missing, this is appropriately escalated with the child’s placing local authority to ensure that risks relating to such incidents are fully understood. 18 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 7 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 1 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 1 August 2022

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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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a)) 1 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 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 for children’s home: SC462951 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3a, The Maltings, Station Road, Sawbridgeworth CM21 9JX

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Inspector

Joe Cox, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC462951 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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