Children's home run by Tutelage Care Barking Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2662453 1 Registered provider: Tutelage Care Barking 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 five children with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 19 January 2022. This is the home’s first inspection.

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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: 2662453 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed sensitively into the home. Leaders and managers work closely with children’s professional networks to ensure that each child has their own individual transition plan. This ensures that children know what their home will look like and who will be looking after them. This helps to reduce children’s anxieties and helps them to have a positive beginning when they move into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage well in education and make good progress. Staff work effectively with teachers and ensure that they use the same methods of communicating with children as they do at school. This supports children to meet their targets and make progress from their individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood and consistently met. Staff work closely with health agencies to ensure that children receive the appropriate support. As a result, children’s health and well-being improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in developing their independence skills. Staff help children to learn how to manage their personal hygiene and toileting. As a result, children can use the toilet independently and maintain a good level of personal care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain positive relationships with people who are important to them. Leaders and managers recognise the importance of children’s relationships with their families and advocate for them to spend more time with their family when this is beneficial for children. This helps children to rebuild, develop and maintain important family relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are regularly sought. Staff are creative and use a range of resources to enable children to express themselves. This helps children to feel heard and play an active role in their own care.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood by staff. There is a strong and proactive response to risk. Despite this, on two occasions, one child was able to leave the home while being under a high level of staff supervision. Although the child returned to the home safely, they were placed at risk of harm in the community.

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improvement to be good

Staffing levels are not always safe. Leaders and managers have failed to assess safe staffing levels as outlined in the home’s lone working policy. Leaders and managers have not considered all the potential risks to children and staff. This potentially places children at risk. Inspection report children’s home: 2662453 3 Leaders and managers do not consistently notify Ofsted of all significant incidents as required. This failure to report serious incidents compromises the regulator’s external oversight of the home. Furthermore, this has limited the preparation for this inspection.

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improvement to be good

Staff’s response to managing risk is variable. Although children’s risk assessments include clear plans, staff do not consistently take the appropriate action to manage and reduce risk. For example, bedroom searches are not carried out thoroughly or regularly when there is a concern that a child may be at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Key-work sessions focus on children’s individual needs and are in line with their plans. Frequent key-work sessions ensure that they are relevant to children and what is happening in their lives. This strengthens relationships and helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management structure of the home is strong. The home has a suitably qualified and registered manager, who is supported by a deputy manager. Leaders and managers know the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers make child-centred decisions about children moving into the home. They carry out thorough assessments that consider the potential impact on children already living in the home. This ensures that children have positive experiences and provides stability for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are comprehensive and reflect their everyday lives. Children’s care plans are written from the child’s perspective, which gives them more meaning and brings them to life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision focuses on children’s needs, experiences and plans. Safeguarding issues are discussed, as well as staff’s development needs. This demonstrates effective management oversight of staff’s practice and development and the progress children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is insufficient. They do not receive training that is specific to the needs of the children in their care, such as children with a learning disability. This compromises staff’s ability to fully understand and respond to children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s physical environment is well maintained and safe for children. The home is warm and welcoming. Children are supported to personalise and decorate their bedrooms. This helps children to feel comfortable in their home. Inspection report children’s home: 2662453 4

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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;

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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)(i)(b)) 21 October 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

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

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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)(c)(e)) 21 October 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; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 18 November Inspection report children’s home: 2662453 5 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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) (2)(a)(c))

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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: 2662453 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Tutelage Care Barking Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ability house, 121 Brooker Road, Waltham Abbey EN9 1JH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Olabode Martins-Yedenu

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Billie-Jean Lockhart

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Inspector

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2662453 7 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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