Children's home run by Restoring Lives Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2664175 1 Registered provider: Restoring Lives Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to three children. The provider states in their statement of purpose that they provide care for children who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager were registered with Ofsted in December 2021. The manager is suitably qualified to manage a children’s home. This is the home’s first full inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of this 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 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 for children’s home: 2664175 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2664175 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care that meets their needs. This means that children have good experiences and make steady progress. Children and staff have positive relationships with each other. Children say they are happy and settled in the home. They are at ease with the staff team and feel that staff invest in helping them to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children form positive relationships with staff and respond to the child-centred approach from staff. This approach invests in relationships, rewards positive behaviours and seeks to use reparation and understanding to change unwanted responses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When new children move into the home, staff manage the transition sensitively. Introductions are conducted at the child’s pace and can include a number of visits if this is in the child’s best interests. As appropriate, parents are involved, and children keenly contribute to the plans for their move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good opportunities to share their wishes and feelings about the home and how it is run. Staff encourage children to make day-to-day choices. For example, children choose the meals that they prefer and their leisure activities, and they are consulted about how the home is furnished and decorated. Children’s meetings and key-work sessions ensure that children contribute to shaping the way the home is run.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s learning outcomes are variable. In recent months, some children have engaged in their education, others have not. Staff have supported children’s learning. Children enjoy celebrating their achievements and staff encourage this ethos. One social worker said, ‘They were persistent and proactive in trying to get [name of child] to do the football trials.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to lead healthy lives. Staff encourage children to take responsibility for their own healthcare and support their attendance at health appointments. Healthcare plans identify children’s health and medical needs and how these are to be addressed. However, records relating to children self-harming are not sufficiently detailed in actions or description. This is something the manager is working on improving.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff and manager’s responses when children go missing from the home are consistent. Staff manage risks around self-harming, substance misuse and exploitation well. Children’s safety and well-being are at the centre of practice at the home. Children feel safe, and staff protect them from neglect, harm and abuse. One family member said, ‘Of all the places, I would say this is the best. Staff interact Inspection report for children’s home: 2664175 4 with [name of child] very well, they interact with myself and the child’s family very well, they do what is required to ensure that [name of child] is safe.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff help children to understand the safety risks posed by some of the choices they make. Staff use key-work sessions, children’s meetings and group discussions to help children reflect on the potential risks they face. This helps children make safer choices.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff set clear and consistent boundaries for children. Behaviour management support plans are individualised. These plans provide staff with effective strategies to help to manage children’s complex behaviours and to promote appropriate behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children know how to make a complaint and do so occasionally when they feel it necessary. Complaints against staff are taken seriously by leaders and managers, and investigations into any concerns about staff are thorough. However, leaders and managers did not keep a full record of all the actions they took to resolve one low- level concern about staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff recruitment and vetting practices are thorough and all required checks are in place. This confirms that all staff are suitable to work with vulnerable children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no allegations made by children living at the home. However, not all staff demonstrate good knowledge of the policies and procedures relating to the management of allegations against senior staff. Two staff members did not demonstrate a good understanding of whistle-blowing procedures. This does not help them to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager and there is a permanent, skilled staff team. The manager plans shifts well and uses regular bank staff to provide consistent care while recruiting for permanent staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff share good working relationships with other professionals and parents. This ensures that all parties are aware of emerging concerns and developments. The home is meeting the aims and objectives in its statement of purpose. Consequently, children make steady progress and have positive experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A strength of this home is the quality of relationships with external professionals and safeguarding partners. Very positive feedback was received about the level of communication and the regular updates that keep professionals informed of how children are progressing and how staff are supporting care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and benefit from regular team meetings. This provides ongoing oversight of practice and staff development. The registered manager keeps an up-to-date workforce development plan and has clear goals for Inspection report for children’s home: 2664175 5 the service. Leaders and managers are reviewing how best to support staff through the cost-of-living crisis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This a new home, and leaders and managers are still developing effective partnerships in their local area. For example, leaders and managers are yet to develop links with preventative services for child sexual and criminal exploitation. Inspection report for children’s home: 2664175 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this specifically relates to ensuring that all staff know what action to take in relation to whistle-blowing procedures. 22 November

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful and clear recording. In particular, the registered person should ensure that records are specific about what staff have seen and done in response to self-harm incidents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. In particular, ensure staff have training on children going missing from the home and local missing-from-home protocols. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Inspection report for children’s home: 2664175 7

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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: 2664175 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Restoring Lives Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8 Chestnut Avenue, Hornchurch RM12 4HW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christina Addison

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2664175 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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