Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 1 SC013143 Registered provider: Barnardo’s Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home cares for up to six children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairment. The service is operated by a national charitable organisation. Five children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/08/2021 Full Good 19/02/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive relationships with staff, who nurture and care for them. There is a consistent staff team who know the children well. The home uses consistent agency staff who feel part of the team and also know the children well. Children have fun at the home and are encouraged by staff to expand their experiences and make memories. Children’s enjoyment and progress are captured well in weekly and monthly reports.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a generally homely feel for children. It has a separate living and playroom area, an interactive sensory room and a large kitchen/dining area. Children personalise their bedrooms to reflect their likes and preferences. For instance, they choose books, toys and games that interest them. This helps children to have a sense of belonging. However, some areas of the home require a tidy, refresh and repair. For example, some doors were scratched, walls with holes that had been filled had not been repainted, large wardrobes are stored in the children’s lobby and fire exit and evacuation signs across the home detract from the overall homeliness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s time with family is a clear focus and is promoted well. Staff show sensitivity when managing and supporting family relationships and work in partnership with families to support what matters most to children. One social worker said, ‘The staff have worked really hard to facilitate [the child] seeing their family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to enjoy a range of physically and emotionally stimulating activities, such as swimming, trampolining, visiting farms, enjoying parks and eating at restaurants. Children’s birthday celebrations are personalised and thoroughly enjoyed. For example, one child chose a birthday breakfast with waffles, chocolate cake and music. This helped the child to feel valued and strengthened their self- worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good educational progress from their starting points. One child has a reduced timetable and staff work closely with the child’s school and local authority to seek a more appropriate provision. Staff attend children’s parents’ evenings and celebration assemblies. Children’s certificates are displayed in the home’s office and children are praised for their achievements. This helps children to feel important, valued and well supported in their education. However, there are missed opportunities to fully showcase children’s achievements and experiences. This is because their displays are limited to the office and do not feature elsewhere in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children well when they move on from the home. For example, staff arrange leaving parties that are enjoyed. Children receive memory boxes that capture their time at the home so that they can fondly look back on their time there. Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 4 Children’s views are sought regularly by staff and these are valued. Staff listen to children and support them to help influence the way they are cared for. For example, through key-work sessions and meetings, children choose meals and activities, and make suggestions of how they can make the home a nice place to live. This gives children a sense of ownership of their home.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the individual vulnerabilities and needs of each child. They have effective strategies in place to help keep children safe and these are clearly set out in the children’s individual risk management plans. As a result, children are safeguarded effectively.

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

Incidents are rare and the manager is developing systems to support children to explore what happened. However, management oversight of incidents is not recorded. This inhibits staff reflecting on and learning from incidents and limits opportunities for the manager to influence reflective practice.

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

Leaders and managers ensure that safer recruitment processes are followed. They are fully aware of their responsibilities to ensure that health and safety processes are implemented. Consequently, children, staff and visitors are protected and the home is safe.

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

When medication errors have occurred, leaders and managers take appropriate action to investigate them. They take effective action to ensure that the risk of further errors is reduced. For instance, guidance and protocols are reviewed and staff receive further training and competency assessments to ensure the safe administration of medication.

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

Leaders and managers understand their safeguarding responsibilities and ensure that they work collaboratively with other professionals. Safeguarding records are clear and include a detailed chronology of events and actions taken by staff. Investigations are completed promptly. Staff are confident in the processes to follow should they be concerned about the welfare of children.

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good

There has not been a registered manager at the home since April 2021. Since then, leaders have overseen the management of the home and have consistently attempted to recruit a manager. The current manager was appointed in December 2022 and is yet to submit their registration application to Ofsted. However, there are plans for an application to be made imminently.

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good

Leaders and the manager have a detailed knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Senior managers are visible and supportive of the manager and staff. They model good practice and help to ensure that there is a Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 5 shared ethos and that children are cared for consistently in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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good

The manager and staff work effectively in partnership with parents and external professionals. Feedback from parents and external professionals, such as social workers, is positive regarding communication and partnership working. One professional said, ‘The home manager is very impressive.’ Another said, ‘Managers have really made a difference to how we communicate. The greater collaboration will really help the children.’ This demonstrates a culture of openness that keeps children’s needs at the heart of decision-making and ensures that children benefit from meaningful joint working.

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good

Leaders and managers have implemented new monitoring systems which have strengthened the development of the home, improved medication administration practice and supported the children to be more independent.

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good

Staff feel positive about the support provided by the manager and the senior leadership team. Staff receive regular and effective supervision that is further enhanced by regular team meetings. Senior leaders provide the manager with support and meaningful supervision sessions.

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good

There is a detailed development plan for the home that identifies areas for improvement based on the learning from the findings of the last inspection. As a result, all requirements raised at the last inspection have been met.

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good

Training needs for staff are generally understood by leaders and managers. However, staff have said that their knowledge of symbols and the Picture Exchange Communication System to support children to communicate could be further enhanced. For example, some aids, such and menus and signs, are written in words, when symbols could help children to better understand. Staff also said that Makaton training would support them further to communicate with some children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 6

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the manager applies to register with Ofsted. 9 June 2023

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that consideration is given for staff to receive further training regarding the communication needs of children. Also, ensure that monitoring of incidents is overseen by the manager. 9 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and homely environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff fully recognise and celebrate the achievements of their children by showcasing them throughout the home for children to see. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.7)

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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: SC013143 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barnardo’s, Barnardo House, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG

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Inspectors

Hannah Cox, Social Care Inspector Tony Waite, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC013143 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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