Children's home run by The Qalb Short Break Services Ltd in Tower Hamlets

Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 1 SC389781 Registered provider: The Qalb Short Break Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A limited company owns and runs this short-breaks service. The home provides residential short breaks, day care and after-school club services for children with learning and physical disabilities. The organisation has a service level agreement with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

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Information about this children’s home

The home can provide short breaks for up to eight children at any time. The statement of purpose states that it provides a service for children with disabilities and/or special educational needs, including autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in January 2009. The manager is suitably qualified.

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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 inadequate

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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

Date of last inspection: 2 December 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/12/2021 Full Outstanding 05/03/2020 Full Outstanding 07/02/2019 Full Outstanding 26/07/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 3

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improvement to be good

Weaknesses in leadership and management undermine some children’s outcomes and experiences. The registered manager does not ensure that children’s short- break care is regularly reviewed. Furthermore, ineffective challenge of placing authorities has resulted in staff not having access to all relevant documents, such as children’s updated education, health and care plans.

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improvement to be good

Effective communication with health professionals ensures that the staff have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the children’s health and medical needs. However, the staff’s ability to administer medication safely is compromised by the unsuitable location of the medication cabinet.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with staff. Warm, playful interactions were observed between children and staff during the inspection. Staff are knowledgeable about the children’s individual interests. They have the necessary skills to communicate with children and use various communication methods, including non- verbal ones.

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improvement to be good

Children have access to a wide range of activities in the home, such as the well- equipped sensory room, baking with staff and playing games. Some parents said that they would like more community-based activities when their children visit the home. Leaders and managers acknowledge this and have plans to develop this.

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improvement to be good

Although safeguarding concerns are infrequent, not all serious incidents are managed appropriately. For example, social workers and the local authority designated officer had not been informed of allegations made against staff. This prevented a swift and thorough investigation into the allegations.

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improvement to be good

Some behaviour management techniques used by staff are restrictive and do not promote children’s dignity. Furthermore, the use of measures of discipline and control is not recorded as required. This undermines leaders’ and managers’ oversight and scrutiny of the behaviour management techniques used in the home.

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls were found in the recording of serious incidents. For example, the records sampled did not provide a clear chronology of the action taken by staff following the incident. Additionally, children’s case records are not always locked away securely in the home.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are detailed and identify known risks well. However, not all assessments adequately address potential risk or reflect changes in the children’s Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 4 needs. For example, there is no assessment of potential risk when young adults stay at the home with children.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand when children are not happy and respond swiftly. As a result, the children feel listened to, which improves their welfare and safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is led by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager. However, he does not demonstrate an adequate understanding of current legislation and statutory guidance relevant to children’s residential care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not ensure that all serious incidents and allegations made against staff are notified to Ofsted as required. Shortfalls in communication with the home’s regulator prevent external scrutiny of serious incidents involving children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all areas of the home are well maintained. There was broken bedroom furniture and some areas of the home looked worn and in need of repainting. Some areas of the home look institutional rather than homely, for example, the children’s bedroom windows are secured with chains and padlocks to restrict the opening of the window.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the use of CCTV monitoring in the home is proportionate and regularly reviewed to assess if it is necessary. The use of surveillance in the home undermines children’s privacy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The team consists of permanent staff, sessional workers, students and volunteers who all receive regular supervision. Management oversight of staff training and development is strong and children receive sensitive care from a stable, skilled and experienced staff team. Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff question and challenge practice that does not promote children’s dignity. Additionally, ensure that all relevant documents from the placing authority are obtained and children’s short-break arrangements are regularly reviewed. 13 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare; 13 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 6 treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(ix)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that all measures of control used in the home promote children’s dignity and freedom as much as possible. Also, to ensuring that broken furniture is repaired or replaced swiftly.

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(e)) 13 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 7 This relates to ensuring that all serious incidents are reported to the relevant agencies, and records of all incidents are sufficiently detailed. All potential risks should be thoroughly assessed and planned for.

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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

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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring the manager has an adequate understanding of all relevant legislation and statutory guidance relevant to children’s residential care and complies with it consistently. 13 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the medication cabinet being placed in a suitable location. 13 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; 13 March 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 8 so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the use of monitoring or surveillance equipment in the home is continuously assessed and used only when necessary to safeguard children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

Include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child.

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a) (2)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring children’s case records are securely stored in the home at all times. 13 March 2023

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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) 13 March 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are appropriately recorded and subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and proportionate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36) Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 9

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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: SC389781 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Qalb Short Break Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 35 Beaufort Court, Admirals Way, South Quay Waterside, London E14 9XL

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Inspectors

Melvin Davies, Social Care Inspector Marina Tully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC389781 11 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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