Children's Home run by Ownlife Residential Limited in Lewisham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC025664 1 SC025664

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home. The home’s statement of purpose states that it cares for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in 2001. The home has not had a registered manager since May 2022. A new manager has been appointed but has not submitted a full application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspection was facilitated by the deputy manager and care director.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 15 November 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. Inspectors have 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: SC025664 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

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. One child recently moved on from the home. The inspector considered the experiences of both children that have lived in the home since the full inspection in November 2022. Children have good relationships with staff. One child told the inspector that he thinks this home is good, and he feels like staff respect him. The child that left the home has maintained contact with the home since leaving.

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The care of children

Children have made slow progress from their starting points. Staff encourage them to engage in education and life skills courses. However, not all children engage. Staff have persevered and tried to be creative and engage them in different ways to build their self-esteem and confidence.

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The care of children

Staff regularly speak to children about their emotional state and how they can best support them to develop a positive outlook. Staff understand children’s mental health support needs, such as low mood. For example, children have enjoyed baking with staff. This time together has helped one child talk through a difficult life experience. However, staff do not always record children’s views.

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The care of children

Children know how to complain. When they do, staff take their concerns seriously and deal sensitively with the issues raised. However, staff do not consistently record the outcome of complaints.

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The care of children

Children’s rights are respected. Staff have ensured that the terms of a deprivation of liberty order for one child did not impact on the other child living in the home. However, children’s views and their consent to room searches are not constantly recorded.

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The safety of children

Historically, there has been an extremely high incidence of children going missing from the home. When this occurs, staff take prompt and effective action. This is in line with local missing persons protocols. Staff ensure that key professionals and parents are kept updated with developments. Staff maintain clear records of the action they take when children go missing from home, including keeping in regular contact with children when they are away. Children understand these protocols and respond to staff’s attempts to contact them. This supports children’s safe return home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC025664 3 Staff’s use of restraint is rare. Restraint is used as a last resort in order to protect children and others from harm. However, one record of restraint did not include the full record of discussion, and the information was not accurate.

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The safety of children

Staff identify and assess risks posed to children. For example, there was good evidence of direct work undertaken to minimise the risks associated with driving a moped. However, this risk was not updated on the child’s risk assessment. This has the potential to impact on safeguarding if all staff do not have access to an up-to- date assessment of risk.

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The safety of children

Behaviour support plans do not provide staff with the strategies to help them proactively manage children’s behaviour. For example, staff effectively managed the risk of a child bringing a knife into the home. However, behaviour support plans did not set out the strategies staff should use to prevent this from happening again.

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The safety of children

Ofsted was not notified of a serious incident involving a child running out of the home with a knife and subsequently going missing from the home. This incident was managed well. However, the breach in regulations limits the regulator’s oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The delay in the current manager submitting an application to register with Ofsted has prevented the regulator from assessing the suitability of the manager. The home is fully staffed and there have been no staff recruited since the last inspection. Leaders and the manager have been proactive and engaged in a safer recruitment course.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Management arrangements have been strengthened in the home. The manager is supported by the deputy manager and care director. Leaders and managers have improved monitoring systems. The management oversight and evaluation of serious incidents are better demonstrated. However, the quality of some records requires further improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff now benefit from regular supervision and say they feel supported. Regular supervision has improved the managers’ understanding of staff’s learning and developmental needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff have benefited from team development days and have engaged in training, such us safeguarding, restraint and first aid. This has helped to better equip staff to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers advocate strongly for children and continue to work proactively with other agencies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have worked hard on their journey of improvement. However, one requirement raised at the last inspection has not been met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC025664 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/10/2021 Full Good 12/03/2020 Full Good 29/11/2018 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC025664 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 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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that effective strategies are in place to minimise risks to children. 11 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children; and the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home; and 28 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC025664 6 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

within the last 5 years, worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children;

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Requirement Due date

worked for at least one year in a role requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role; and

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Requirement Due date

by the relevant date, attained— the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 5 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who starts managing a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 3 years after the date on which that person started managing a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who was managing a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2017.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider may defer the relevant date if the person—

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Requirement Due date

does not manage, or has not managed, a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

manages, or has managed, a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b))

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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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)(b)(e)) 11 April 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC025664 7 This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children’s case records (regulation 36) are kept up to date and reflect the child’s wishes, feelings and views. This refers to ensuring full records are kept of room searches, children’s views and the outcome of complaints. ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that the most up-to-date risk assessment and behaviour support plans for children are placed in their care files. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that full and accurate records of restraint are kept. This should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the

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Recommendations

opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Legion House, 75 Lower Road, Kenley CR8 5NH

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC025664 8 inspects 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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