Children's home run by The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Ltd in Barking and Dagenham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 1 SC430320 Registered provider: The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home, which cares for up to five children. The home provides care for children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in November 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 9 November 2021

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2021 Full Good 02/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/11/2018 Full Good 18/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 3

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outstanding

At the time of this inspection, five children were living at the home.

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outstanding

The home is equipped and decorated to an extremely high standard, and provides a comfortable space for children. They each have individualised bedrooms, including artwork with their names in large writing on the walls. Children are proud of their bedrooms and appear to be relaxed and happy in their surroundings.

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outstanding

Children build valuable relationships with a consistent staff team. This enables consistency in children’s routines, which is important for them. Staff are playful, tactile and clearly care about the children. They are also proactive at helping children to develop new skills, such as washing up after dinner, cooking, and making their beds. These elements enable children to flourish.

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outstanding

Three children have transitioned from unregistered placements where they did not access any education, leisure activities or have opportunities to socialise. All of these key building blocks are being put in place for them at this home. These opportunities offer children a much richer life. One parent said, ‘He [child] has so much more colour in himself and he seems a lot happier now.’

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outstanding

Children are encouraged and helped to communicate their needs, wishes and feelings through excellent key-work sessions with staff. This ensures that children’s voices are being captured and they are part of the day-to-day running of the home. A social worker praised the efforts that the staff had made to gain one child’s views for court, and the judge commended the work that had been done by staff.

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outstanding

Children who have been out of education for some time, are now attending every day. This is a significant accomplishment for them. Staff at the home work alongside local authorities to make sure that children have tutors, and the home has its own education centre. This structure and routine help children to succeed academically.

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outstanding

Children enjoy a range of activities, and these are captured in their life story folders, which include photographs of the children making memories. Staff carefully think about and plan opportunities for children to experience. Last year, when a staff member got married, the home held a wedding in the garden so that the children could attend. They held a superhero event at Halloween and celebrations for the Queen’s Jubilee. Hosting imaginative events help children to create happy memories.

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outstanding

Children are understood and their life journeys are taken into account and considered. This helps staff to understand children’s behaviour and the best ways that they can support them. This practice helps children to feel safe and enables them to make exceptional progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 4

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outstanding

The children’s care plans are meticulously written and recorded on the home’s online system. They are regularly reviewed. Staff receive alerts with any updates, and managers are notified when staff have read them. This system ensures that thorough care planning can take place for each child and staff can provide current and informed care.

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outstanding

When one child moved in to the home, he had previously been cared for by four staff at all times. Since living at this home, staffing levels have decreased to one member of staff, which demonstrates the excellent progress that he has made. This child has also been offered a place at a residential boarding school in September. This is a credit to him and the staff’s care that has helped him to achieve this.

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outstanding

At the time of the inspection, there had been no missing-from-home incidents, but one child was identified as being potentially at risk of this. There is a robust safety plan in place that has been agreed with local agencies, which is detailed on the child’s care plan to ensure that staff have clear guidance. This proactive planning ensures that children receive well-thought-out care that is not reactive.

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outstanding

The home has good links with the physical intervention trainer, and individual consultation takes place when needed to ensure that staff are able to support children in the safest way possible. Careful consideration is given to physical intervention, and it is done in a sensitive and considered way. Reflection and evaluation of restraints are excellent.

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outstanding

Staff working at the home were clear about safeguarding procedures and what they would need to do if they were worried about a child. Allegations have been dealt with swiftly, and the home has a good relationship with the local authority designated officer.

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outstanding

Research-informed practice is making a significant difference in children’s lives. The staff team has identified some calming words for children who find it more difficult to communicate. This has led to a decrease in incidents of restraint and self-harm for these children.

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outstanding

One social worker said that when staff attend meetings, they focus on the children’s strengths and highlight what they can do rather than what they cannot. This illustrates the ethos of the home. Staff have high but realistic expectations of the children that live there, and they help them to achieve their full potential.

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outstanding

In the main, the recruitment of core staff is efficient. However, one staff’s file did not contain a full job history. All staff files need to adhere to the same scrutiny to ensure that the right people are working in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since 2016. She is also the owner of the company. She is passionate, inspirational and empathetic. She shows a real commitment to improving the lives of the children and the parents who she works with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team is strong and dynamic. There are plans in place to further develop the practice of members of the staff team to ensure that the values and practices of the organisation remain consistent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are highly valued, and this is demonstrated by the excellent retention rate. The manager has innovative ways of recruiting and retaining staff. The manager recognises that when staff feel happy and cared for it enables them to provide high- quality care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is culturally diverse, and staff can speak many languages. This helps to promote children’s own cultural heritage, as well as their understanding of others’ cultures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a clear, structured staff induction process. Staff receive regular supervisions and excellent supplementary support. There is a commitment for continued professional development modelled by leaders and managers, who themselves engage in ongoing learning, such as enrolling on the level 7 diploma in leadership and management. This creates a culture of learning that helps staff to provide comprehensive and up-to-date care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff go above and beyond to prepare and equip children for their futures. They have undertaken specific training so that they can provide children with educational qualifications in life skills work. This enables children to gain qualifications while also promoting their independence skills and preparing them for adult life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers share their outstanding practice with other homes where some of the children have moved from. This forward-thinking practice is enabling those services to improve and further enhance the lives of children in care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should maintain good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. In particular, request applicants’ full employment history. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC430320 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Granary Studio 4, 1st Floor, 80 Abbey Road, Barking IG11 7BT

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Inspector

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 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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