Children's Home run by Caring Feathers Ltd in Brent

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 1 Registered provider: Caring Feathers Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private children’s home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2022. The registered manager post has been vacant since March 2022. A new manager has been appointed and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 6 September 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children develop trusting relationships with staff. Children are encouraged to make decisions about their lives through regular consultation and house meetings. One child spoken to stated that they have good relationships with staff and feel listened to. This helps children to settle and develop a sense of belonging in the home.

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The care of children

Children can share their views in weekly house meetings and with their key workers. Children’s complaints and requests are recorded and responded to appropriately.

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The care of children

Communication between the manager, staff and external professionals is good. One placing authority manager reported that they do not have any concerns about the home and that staff have positive relationships with children and look after children well.

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The care of children

Staff identify children’s needs and take action to ensure they are met well. They ensure that children have access to appropriate health services and support. Children receive support from an in-house psychotherapist as required to help them manage their emotional well-being and feelings. Staff discuss children’s individual health needs and plans in key-work sessions. As a result, children are supported to improve their overall health and well-being.

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The care of children

The manager and staff take effective action when children are not attending school. They talk with education professionals and provide children with educational activities at home. The home has a study room equipped with educational materials and books to help children to learn at home . Staff set targets and monitor the children’s educational progress.

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The safety of children

Children say that they feel safe living at the home. One child spoke positively about their key worker and said that they can talk to staff if they have any worries or concerns.

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The safety of children

Staff are proactive when children are missing from the home. They contact children and work with other agencies to ensure that strategies are in place to help to keep children are safe. Records of missing-from-home incidents are detailed and thoroughly reviewed by the manager. Debriefs are completed with staff and children. This ensures that staff continually reflect on their practice, which helps to reduce the risks to children. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 3 Safeguarding practice is strong. Staff have a good understanding of whistle-blowing procedures. Leaders and managers take allegations of harm seriously and act promptly when issues arise. This ensures that children are safe in their home.

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The safety of children

Key-work sessions focus on children’s individual needs.to ensure that they are relevant to the children and what is happening in their lives. This strengthens relationships and helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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The safety of children

Children are supported to manage their behaviour through an incentive and reward system. Children and staff agree on achievable targets to help children to focus on more positive behaviour. The reward and incentive system helps children to make positive choices and reduces difficult or challenging behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The new manager provides stability in the leadership and management of the home. Leaders and managers know the strengths and areas for development of the home and have introduced new systems to help them to review the quality of care provided to children. Five of the six requirements raised at the previous inspection have been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers take on board feedback from parents and children’s social workers and make changes to improve the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since the last inspection, staff have benefited from attending a wide range of training courses, online and face to face. The training provided covers important aspects of staff practice, such as safeguarding, child sexual exploitation and missing- from-home protocols. This training gives staff the knowledge and skills to help them to provide tailored support and care to children. However, the training records are not regularly updated to reflect the training that staff have undertaken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff morale and retention are good. Staff report that they are managed and supported effectively. They value the regular and effective supervision with the manager. This provides ongoing management oversight of practice and staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The admissions process for new children moving into the home is not sufficiently robust. Records do not demonstrate that consideration has been given to all aspects of children’s needs. This limits the manager’s ability to carry out a full assessment of a child’s suitability to live in the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 4 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 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 registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider—

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated from the last inspection. 29 April 2023

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that full consideration is given to whether they can meet the individual needs of children before they move into the home. They must take into account staff skills, the potential impact 28 February 2023 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 6 on any children currently living in the home and known risks in the community.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. In particular, the provider must ensure that all staff training is consistently recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Caring Feathers Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 10 Cornmow Drive, London NW10 1BA

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Inspector

Dorothy Thompstone, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2653894 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 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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Inspector

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