Children's home run by The Beeches UK limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 1 Registered provider: The Beeches UK 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 with a diagnosed learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2021.

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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

Date of last inspection: 29 October 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are four children living at the home. Children said that they would not change anything about the home or staff. One social worker said that the staff are very child-focused and ‘go the extra mile’ for the children. Children are content, happy and able to flourish at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with people who are important to them. Parents said that they cannot fault the care that their children receive. One parent said the difference in her son is ‘amazing’ and it is the best she has ever seen him. Another parent said, ‘My child is glowing and the staff are like a second family.’ Parents feel confident and reassured that children are cared for very well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have built trusting relationships with children. The children enjoy spending time with staff and can talk to them if they are worried or upset. One member of staff said, ‘I know when the children are down or sad and exactly how to help them.’ This in-depth knowledge helps children to feel valued and well-cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a wide variety of activities. Children enjoy going to theme parks, swimming, walking and on holidays. Children celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee and took part in a fundraising walk. These enriching activities increase children’s self- esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff use a personalised reward system to reinforce positive behaviour. Children can earn activities and day trips of their choice. Children invest in these incentives, with a notable decrease in challenging behaviours. This gives children a sense of pride and achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children benefit from a homely and safe environment. The home is well decorated and children’s bedrooms are personalised. Children have ample space, with a variety of communal rooms, including a sensory room and games room, and a large garden.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two of the children attend school. One child has a bespoke education plan that includes home tutoring and is due to return to school. One child’s education, health and care plan has not been reviewed within a reasonable timeframe. Two other children do not have current education, health and care plans. This means there is a lack of current information to support children to achieve their education targets.

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

Children said that they feel safe at the home. Parents and social workers are confident in the manager and staff to safeguard children. Staff have appropriate safeguarding training and understand and implement the safeguarding procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 4 Children have detailed and individualised behaviour support plans. These plans guide staff in how to help children. Children contribute to their plans. They are supported with strategies that help them to manage difficult feelings and emotions safely.

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

The manager takes allegations seriously and takes prompt and effective action to keep children safe. The manager works closely with external professionals to ensure investigations are managed transparently.

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

One child has a detailed safety plan agreed by managers, healthcare professionals and social workers. This combined approach means that risk-reducing strategies are considered carefully and implemented to keep the child safe.

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

There have been some incidents of children going missing from the home, although these have reduced. Staff manage these incidents well, keep children in sight and encourage them to return to the home. Children are offered independent return home interviews. The information from these interviews helps staff to understand why children leave.

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

There have been a high number of physical interventions, although these have recently decreased. The physical interventions are appropriate, proportionate and necessary in keeping the children and staff safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and has a level 5 qualification. She is supported by a deputy manager. The manager is patient and nurturing with the children and a good role model for staff. Staff said that the children love the manager, and that children and staff find her very approachable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have a range of training to meet the needs of the children. All of the required staff have a relevant level 3 diploma. Other staff are working towards this qualification within the agreed timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Social workers speak highly of the manager, the staff and the quality of care given to children. One social worker said the true indication of the progress one child has made is that the child’s previous behaviours are now non-existent. Making positive changes helps children to feel stable and secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff have a well-planned induction. This includes shadowing experienced staff, to help them learn the role. Staff have regular supervision and feel well supported. The staff team is stable and provides consistent care for children. Staff morale is good and they feel valued and appreciated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person visits the home monthly and produces a report. The report is of good quality and includes feedback from parents, professionals and children. The independent person makes recommendations to help the manager improve the quality of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 5 The manager’s review of care is detailed, however, the manager has not evaluated feedback from others. The manager’s review identified themes that prompt action, however, it is unclear how actions are progressed or measured. This fails to show how the report is used to drive improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager generally monitors and reviews incidents. However, there are some inaccuracies in the children’s records and some information is missing. Following one incident, the manager failed to identify that a member of staff had taken a punitive approach. There has been no learning from the incident and the staff practice has not been addressed. This did not acknowledge the child’s feelings. The monitoring of the incident was poor and did not help staff to develop their practice. A lack of oversight of children’s records may result in children’s records being inaccurate. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have relevant education reviews and up-to-date plans, to help children work towards their education targets. 30 November

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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

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that incidents are monitored and reviewed, that all children’s records are accurate, staff practice is addressed and children’s views are taken into account. 28 October 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. The report should evaluate feedback from others and targets should be measured for progress and impact. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.2)

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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: 2594875 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Beeches UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Ouellani

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2594875 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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