Children's home run by Oak House Children's Home Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548334 1 Registered provider: Oak House Children’s Home Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home cares for three boys with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed, and their application to register with Ofsted is progressing.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 23 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. 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: 2548334 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 form positive relationships with staff and respond well to staff’s child- centred approach. This approach invests in relationships, rewards positive behaviours and seeks to use reparation and understanding to change unwanted behaviours. One child said, ‘Every staff member here cares about us.’

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The care of children

Children’s learning outcomes are variable. In recent months, some children have engaged in their education, but others have not. Staff support children’s learning and celebrate their achievements, for example when one child received an award for 100% school attendance.

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The care of children

Children are supported to live healthy lives. Staff encourage children to take responsibility for their own healthcare, and they support their attendance at health appointments. Healthcare plans identify children’s health and medical needs and how these are to be addressed.

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The safety of children

Staff manage risks in relation to self-harm, substance misuse and children’s vulnerabilities to exploitation well. Children’s safety and well-being are at the centre of practice at this home. The manager responds swifty when there is confusion about missing-from-home procedures and undertakes learning reviews with staff. Children feel safe, and staff protect them from neglect, harm and abuse.

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The safety of children

Staff help children to understand the risks posed by some of the choices that they make. Staff use key-work sessions, children’s meetings and group discussions to help children reflect on the potential risks that they face. This helps children make safer choices.

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The safety of children

The home environment is safe, well decorated and homely. Leaders and managers have removed all internal CCTV cameras from the home and have undertaken the outstanding repairs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager was appointed in July 2022, and his application to register with Ofsted is progressing. The manager is supported by a deputy manager, and the home is sufficiently staffed. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548334 3 Managers have worked hard to make improvements since the last inspection, including improvements in their systems for auditing and overseeing the care provided at the home. However, managers do not consistently keep records of their audits, and children’s records do not consistently reflect detailed management oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The staff team benefits from support from a therapist, who provides staff with group supervision and attends staff team meetings. However, supervision records are not always sufficiently detailed, and not all sessions are consistently recorded. This compromises the oversight of staff practice and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

All but one of the requirements raised at the last inspection have been satisfactorily addressed. The requirement in relation to staff training has been repeated, as not all staff receive training that is specific to the needs of the children living in the home, such as training on children going missing from home and self-harm. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548334 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/12/2021 Full Good 05/03/2020 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548334 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

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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that all staff receive training to meet the particular needs of the children living in the home, and that the training matrix is kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a note of the content and/or outcomes of group supervision sessions and team meetings is kept. Specifically, this relates to ensuring that good records of the content of group supervision and team development are maintained for the purposes of staff development. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)  The registered person should oversee the welfare of the children in their care through observation and engagement with each child, the home’s staff and each child’s family or carers where appropriate. They should keep records that Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548334 6 demonstrate their management oversight. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 10.23) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548334 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oak House Children’s Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: A B C Care Solutions, 249 Cranbrook Road, Ilford IG1 4TG

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2548334 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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