Children's Home run by Momentum Residential Care Home Ltd in Essex

Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 1 Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited 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 four children who may have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since September 2021.

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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: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted served a notice restricting accommodation and a compliance notice in respect of the leadership and management of the home on 26 April 2022. On 8 June 2022, Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit. The visit found that the provider had adhered to the restriction of accommodation. However, the visit identified that the provider had not met the steps set out in the compliance notice. The restriction of accommodation remained in place. Ofsted served a further compliance notice in respect of the help and protection of children. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/04/2022 Full Inadequate 20/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. One child has recently moved on from the home.

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improvement to be good

The restriction of accommodation issued on 26 April 2022 has been lifted. The provider has addressed all the steps that were set out in the two compliance notices. Measured progress has been made in a short space of time and the quality of care is beginning to improve. However, several shortfalls remain and further improvement is necessary to enhance children’s experiences and progress.

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improvement to be good

The children’s guide includes inaccurate information relating to the house rules and contradictions regarding staff’s approach to behaviour management. This fails to help children understand how their day-to-day care needs will be supported and it is not fit for purpose.

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improvement to be good

Staff support and encourage children to engage in education. One child has successfully moved to a local school. Another child has made progress with a home tutor to the extent that he can return to school. Staff have maintained positive routines and encouraged educational activities at the home. This has helped children’s reintroduction to school.

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improvement to be good

The staff support a range of experiences that reflect the children’s interests and hobbies. These include recent trips to an aqua park and an amusement arcade and swimming at a local leisure centre. One child regularly enjoys bike rides with staff and attends a local drama club. This range of varied activities helps children to develop their friendship networks and increases their well-being.

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improvement to be good

The home has recently been redecorated to a good standard. Memorabilia and records of achievements are creatively displayed. One child is supported to care for her own pets, which has increased her sense of responsibility and self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

The children provided positive feedback about staff and say that they enjoy spending time with them.

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improvement to be good

The recruitment processes for staff are not consistently followed. The checks for one staff member do not fully meet requirements. A clear account of the employment history and any gaps in employment have not been checked prior to employment. These processes do not adequately reduce the potential for unsuitable people to work at the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 4 Fire prevention equipment is in place and the staff ensure that the children know how to safely evacuate the house. However, there has been a delay in compiling a suitable fire risk assessment. This has not been reviewed by a competent person within the required timeframes. This is despite material changes and circumstances which should prompt a review. Therefore, the managers cannot be reassured that all potential risks to children and staff in the event of a fire are reduced.

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improvement to be good

The physical intervention policy contains misleading information and does not clearly outline the criteria for physical interventions. Incidents of physical intervention are rare. The supporting records have improved and evidence that use of intervention is proportionate. However, the lack of clear guidance may lead to staff implementing practices which are not appropriate.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments and behaviour management plans have improved in quality and detail. There are clearer strategies identified to support the staff to manage risks. The staff have managed recent incidents well. However, there are inaccuracies in one child’s risk assessment in regard to checks of their mobile phone. This may lead to inconsistencies in staff’s practice.

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improvement to be good

The management team has revised responses to safeguarding concerns, including allegations. The procedures have been emphasised in team meetings and staff supervision meetings. Recording systems have been adapted to ensure monitoring of safeguarding concerns and that actions are effective. This provides assurances that more suitable systems are in place to safeguard children.

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good

There has been no registered manager since September 2021. In April 2022, a new manager was appointed. However, they left the home without registering with Ofsted. Recruitment is underway to find a permanent manager. In the interim, the deputy manager has been appointed to manage the home.

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good

Social workers provided positive feedback about their confidence in the new management arrangements.

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good

External monitoring has not improved sufficiently. Since the last inspection, the independent person has failed to provide information to say what information has informed their view of the quality of the care provided. One external monitoring report was not submitted to Ofsted within reasonable timescales. The management team has identified this shortfall and appointed a new independent person. The most recent visit has demonstrated some improvement. However, the independent person’s view of the safeguarding and well-being of children was not included. Overall, the safeguarding assurances intended by these visits have not been provided and a requirement has been restated.

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good

Managers have demonstrated a commitment to improve the quality of training and support to staff. Staff have recently attended a course in understanding autism Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 5 spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A suitable number of staff have completed a paediatric first-aid course. However, several staff have not attended training in managing self-harm risks for children. Most staff are inexperienced in residential childcare. Therefore, this training deficit does not ensure that all staff have the necessary skills and confidence to understand and safely respond to all the children’s needs.

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good

Staff receive reflective supervisions that focus on children’s needs. However, there has been a recent delay in staff receiving supervisions in line with the supervision policy. Furthermore, the staff’s performance objectives are not clear or measurable. A high proportion of staff are in their probationary period. Current practice does not ensure that staff have the necessary support and guidance that they need during an important time in their development.

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good

There has been a recent drive to address the concerns raised at the last inspection and the monitoring visit. There have been some improvements in the manager’s oversight and monitoring of the care and support for children. Management roles have been reviewed and there are clearer lines of accountability. Children’s case records have been reorganised and daily recording systems have improved.

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good

The management team understands the shortfalls identified at this inspection and has plans in place to address them. Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c)) 19 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the physical intervention policy must be reviewed to clearly guide staff. 5 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home— 26 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 7 the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure a suitable fire risk assessment is completed and reviewed by a competent person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that recruitment records include a clear employment history and that any gaps in employment are identified. 26 August 2022

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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

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 (2) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 26 August 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child. In particular, ensure risk assessments contain accurate information in regard to current risk-reduction measures for children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that all staff can access suitable resources to support their training needs. In particular, provide good-quality training in reducing self-harm risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that supervision minimises potential risks. In particular, ensure supervision is regular and clearly identifies objectives in relation to the development of staff’s practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2621215 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Momentum Residential Care Home Limited

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2621215 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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