Children's home run by Blossom Children’s Homes Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2612063 1 Registered provider: Blossom Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There are currently three children living in the home and one young person over the age of 18.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2020 when the home registered.

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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: 7 December 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: 2612063 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2612063 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individual care that enables them to thrive physically, socially and emotionally. Staff understand children’s routines well and why these are important to each child, especially in being able to stay calm and settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to form positive relationships with each child and to provide them with the appropriate level of affection to help them to know people care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most staff are skilled in using communication aids that help the children to be able to express their views and feelings. However, there are a few members of staff who have not received this essential training. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that every member of staff is sufficiently skilled in communication techniques that are used by children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with health professionals to ensure that children have access to the right support and advice in relation to their physical and emotional health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children have lots of opportunities to participate in a range of social and recreational activities. For example, children enjoy going on walks and playing on the trampoline. Children also have access to a well-equipped sensory room and games room where they can have hours of fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend school and to make academic progress. One child is currently not in education. The child’s social worker has been impressed by the way the staff have responded. This has included ensuring that the child has a good daily timetable of activities while a school placement is found.

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

Staff understand children’s specific vulnerabilities and the importance of maintaining close supervision in the home and in the community.

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

Staff understand children’s individual risk assessments. These documents are detailed and provide staff with clear guidance. As a result, staff are equipped with the essential information on control measures that are aimed at keeping children safe.

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

Staff are trained in de-escalation and restraint techniques. When incidents occur, these are evaluated to ensure that learning takes place and action is taken to minimise further incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612063 4 Managers and staff are sensitive to the smallest of changes in children’s behaviour and recognise this as a form of communication.

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

Staff are clear regarding their responsibilities as adults to protect children and how they should report concerns. Although managers respond appropriately to concerns raised, some members of staff have not always been clear about the outcome of a concern.

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

Staff ensure that the environment is free from hazards and potential risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and leadership team are ambitious and passionate about providing high-quality care to the children. They all work closely with professionals, and feedback is positive. These close working partnerships result in the children being protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are working hard to develop appropriate systems to measure and show the difference that is being made to children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager holds monthly meetings with the staff. These meetings consider the individual needs of the children and provide staff with the opportunity to learn from each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite the positive aspects of care, there are some inconsistencies in staff practice. Leaders and managers are aware of these shortfalls and are actively addressing these issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision and support. However, staff appraisals are not available on some staff files. These missing records make it difficult to determine whether staff’s learning and development are being identified and what action is taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that systems for day-to-day monitoring and management oversight are in place. However, not enough thought has been given to how the child’s voice is captured in the home’s quality of care review. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612063 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 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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that staff receive appropriate training in communication with children and work together as a team. Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that effective systems are in place to measure the impact of care on children’s outcomes. 1 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2612063 6 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 feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that children’s views are reflected in the quality of care review reports. 1 March 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have an annual appraisal. This appraisal should consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. The appraisal should clearly outline the timescales for progressing development identified and how this will be achieved. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that when staff raise whistle-blowing concerns, the outcome of the investigation into those concerns is communicated appropriately to those staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15)

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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: 2612063 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blossom Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Private Client, Units 7 and 8, Moran House, 449 to 451 High Road, London NW10 2JJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Wakeling

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Inspector

Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2612063 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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