Children's Home run by McRae Residential Care Services Limited in Croydon

Inspection report for children’s home: 2671000 1 Registered provider: McRae Residential Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to six boys who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in July 2022. The manager is a qualified social worker and obtained the relevant management qualification in April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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 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: 2671000 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2671000 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive personalised care from a stable, nurturing and supportive staff team. Staff know the children well and this is reflected in the children’s detailed placement plans. Children make good progress in most aspects of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand barriers to children’s education and are proactive at finding ways to overcome them. Staff reward children’s engagement in educational activities and informal learning. This motivates children to be aspirational and focus on their education and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With staff’s proactive support and commitment, children make noticeable progress in their self-care skills and independence. These significant achievements help to prepare children for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain positive relationships with people who are important to them. Staff ensure that when children spend time with their families it is safe, meaningful and a positive experience.

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

Children said they feel safe at this home. When children raise concerns, managers and staff respond appropriately. Children trust the adults who care for them.

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

Children’s detailed risk assessments and behaviour support plans help staff to understand each child’s risks and vulnerabilities. The clear guidance in safety plans helps staff to manage children’s behaviour effectively, and keep children safe. As a result, serious incidents are extremely rare.

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

Staff manage missing-from-home incidents and unauthorised absences appropriately. When children go missing from the home, staff and managers work hard to maintain communication to ensure children’s safety. However, independent return home interviews do not always take place. Leaders and managers are missing opportunities to obtain increased insight into the reasons why children go missing.

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

Recruitment processes are thorough. Prospective staff are carefully vetted and assessed prior to the start of their employment. This increases children’s safety in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and aspirational manager. He and the staff team have a shared vision that holds children at the centre. A sufficient and stable staff team provides children with a good standard of care, support and protection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671000 4 Staff morale and retention are good. Staff feel well supported and managed. They value the regular supervision and performance appraisals provided by the manager. This provides ongoing oversight of the staff team’s practice, learning and any areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Well-attended team meetings provide staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice and share their views and ideas. These child-focused discussions help staff to understand and meet the children’s needs, and work consistently as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s records are not well organised. During the inspection, the manager found it difficult to access some documents and information in relation to the children. This weakens the manager’s oversight of children’s experiences and progress and his ability to identify areas for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671000 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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the poor organisation of children’s records, which undermines the manager’s monitoring of children’s progress and experience. 27 June 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home provides a nurturing, supportive and homely environment that meets the needs of the children. In particular, repair or replace the bath panels and shower frame. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30) Inspection report for children’s home: 2671000 6

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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: 2671000 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: McRae Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 57 Lodge Road, Croydon CR0 2PH

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Inspectors

Maud Pipim-Addo, Social Care Inspector Amanda Burrows, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2671000 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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