Children's home run by Eliali MPC

Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 1 Registered provider: ELIALI MPC Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered in February 2023 and is operated by a private organisation. The home provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted when the home opened in February 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 3

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improvement to be good

Since the home registered, three children have moved in, and two children have moved out. One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection and had been at the home for two months. The child has settled well and is developing positive relationships with staff.

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improvement to be good

The two children who no longer live at the home moved into the home on the same day. This had not been planned and the manager had not been given all the information required to review the suitability of both children living together. This affected the stability of the home and immediate notice was given to end one child’s placement and they moved out after living at the home for just five days. Some progress was made with the remaining child. However, due to that child moving out after two months, this progress was limited. The manager has reflected on the mistakes made and lessons have been learned.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy activities such as trampolining, trips to cinema and the skateboarding park. However, photos of these times have not been given to the children to put into their own books or memory boxes. This means that children have left the home without memorabilia of these special moments to keep as part of their life story.

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improvement to be good

The child currently living at the home has previously struggled to engage with education. The manager is in regular communication with the child’s social worker and the education department to ensure that a suitable provision is sourced. In the meantime, the child has agreed to engage in a bespoke education package.

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improvement to be good

The child is learning age-appropriate independence skills. These include keeping their bedroom clean and tidy, doing their own laundry and taking care of their pet hamster responsibly. These valuable skills will help them in their adult life.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to keep in regular contact with the people who are important to them. The child’s family members visit the home regularly. Staff recognise the importance of working in partnership to ensure that these positive relationships are maintained. The child’s parent said, ‘The staff are all really nice. They are welcoming and communicate well with me.’

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improvement to be good

The child is happy at the home. They said, ‘I like the staff. They help me with everything. This home is much better than the other home I lived in. I can’t think of anything I would change about this home.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 4 There have been three safeguarding incidents requiring notification to Ofsted. One of these incidents was not reported to Ofsted promptly, and the manager has failed to inform Ofsted and the local authority designated safeguarding officer of one of these incidents. This prevents effective monitoring of the home by external professionals.

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improvement to be good

Children are given consequences and rewards. Consequences are not overly used but there has been a focus on financial reparations, which has the potential to be counterproductive.

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improvement to be good

Despite the child currently living at the home having a history of regularly going missing, there has only been one such incident at this home. Staff followed the detailed protocol and the manager ensured that an independent return home interview took place. Effective work has been carried out to prevent reoccurrence.

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improvement to be good

There have been two incidents requiring physical intervention involving one child, which is a significant reduction of such incidents for this child. Staff have supported the child well in times of distress.

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good

The registered manager is a qualified mental health practitioner. She is child focused and is working towards a relevant level 5 qualification. A deputy manager supports her.

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good

The managers regularly monitor and oversee the record-keeping at the home. However, the provider is in the process of changing the computer system they use. Records are being added to the new system, which resulted in some records not being easily accessible during this inspection. Once the new system is fully implemented into practice, the managers are confident that this will be resolved.

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good

The quality of external monitoring requires improvement. The independent person’s report does not include regular consultation with children, families and staff. The report fails to include the independent person’s opinion on whether the children are safeguarded effectively. This reduces the effectiveness of the report as a quality monitoring tool and does not provide the intended safeguards for children.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose does not include a list of staff with their experience and qualifications. This does not assist placing local authorities to assess the suitability of the home when making referrals.

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good

The staff receive regular training and are supported to attain the required level 3 diploma. However, there is no clear record of training for each member of staff. The manager has started to work on this but the task is not complete. This makes it difficult to track when training is due or identify areas for professional development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 5 Staff morale is good. Staff say that they feel well supported and valued and are happy in their roles.

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good

Team meetings and supervision sessions are regular and effective. Staff are encouraged to reflect on their practice, and the children’s needs are discussed in detail. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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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)(c)(e)) 11 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 11 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— 11 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 7 children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, include the details of the team of staff and their relevant experience and qualifications. 11 August 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should implement a workforce plan or training plan that details the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training, such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, ensure that documents are easily accessible.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep, and encourage children to keep, appropriate memorabilia of their time spent living at the home and help them to record significant events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 8

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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: 2675423 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 476 St Albans Road, Watford WD24 6QU

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Inspector

Lynne Drage, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2675423 10 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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