Children's Home run by Blandford House (UK) Limited in Hillingdon

Inspection report for children’s home: SC484912 1 SC484912 Registered provider: Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home that can provide care for up to 10 children with autism spectrum disorders and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children and one young person aged 18 years of age were living at the home.

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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: 16 November 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC484912 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2021 Full Good 09/12/2019 Full Good 17/12/2018 Full Good 21/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC484912 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff quickly form warm and caring relationships with the children and young people. There is a strong emphasis on individualised care to enable every child or young person to be able to thrive physically, emotionally and mentally.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people’s needs are at the centre of staff practice. Staff are skilled in communicating with the children and young people and use several communication methods, including Picture Exchange Communication System, body/facial expressions, signs, objects and verbal communication. As a result, children and young people feel valued and listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people benefit from a wide range of enriching experiences. For example, the children and young people have recently enjoyed a holiday to Devon. One child told the inspector all about their amazing trip to the Winter Wonderland.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff work closely with schools and colleges to ensure that children and young people can achieve their individualised targets. However, despite the efforts of managers and staff, two children are not yet in formal education and receive tuition through the virtual school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people’s health needs are supported by staff through careful planning and strong communication with external health professionals. This close partnership working has enabled children and young people to receive essential treatments without becoming overwhelmed and distressed.

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

Staff are skilled at building positive and trusting relationships with the children and young people. Staff understand every child and young person’s safety plan and the importance of maintaining close supervision.

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

Staff are adept at noticing changes in the children and young people’s presentation and behaviour, and follow clear behaviour support plans to recognise when children and young people need additional support.

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

When incidents occur, staff use calming approaches and the sensory environment to help the children and young people become calmer.

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

When internal investigations are necessary, these are dealt with quickly. This includes carrying out learning reviews to reflect and implement improvements to practice.

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

Managers ensure that staff are extra vigilant at night, when one child can be particularly vulnerable. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484912 4 Managers and staff maintain a safe living environment for the children and young people. The home is clean and tidy, and any identified repairs are promptly fixed. However, the review of the safety of the home’s location does not include consultation with the relevant agencies. This is an ongoing shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are ambitious to provide a good quality of care to children and young people. However, managers have not yet managed to develop an effective quality of care review system.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are clear about the progress that children and young people are making. They work closely with other professionals and act swiftly when plans need to change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported. Supervision sessions take place regularly and cover key issues related to day-to-day practice. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that annual appraisals take place at agreed timescales set by the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are skilled and knowledgeable about the children and young people in their care. Training is ongoing with new courses being introduced to make sure that staff learning is up to date and current.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight of recording is generally good, and some staff are being supported to develop their recording skills. However, the language used by some members of staff in records and in meeting minutes can place the blame on the individual child or young person rather than understanding the presenting need. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484912 5

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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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that children’s local authority care plans, EHCP and other statutory plans are present on children’s files and are up to date. 28 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 3 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC484912 6 The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(5))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that the review of the quality of care provided for children evaluates the quality of that care and identifies any actions needed to improve or maintain the quality of care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that consultation with relevant persons takes place when reviewing the suitability of the location.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 February 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually, and that appraisal reports are signed by staff and managers. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC484912 7

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Inspectors

Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Lisa Mulcahy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC484912 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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