Children's Home run by Oak House Children's Home Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 1 Registered provider: Oak House Childrens Home Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

An independent provider runs this home. It offers care for up to four children aged between 10 and 18 with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered school on the same site as the home. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in March 2023. A new manager was appointed in April 2023 and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 3

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improvement to be good

One child, who was living at the home at the time of the last inspection, moved out in February 2023. While initial assessment identified that staff could meet the child’s needs, these needs changed and could no longer be met. No children were living at the home from February 2023 until the current child moved in, one week before this inspection.

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improvement to be good

The home has recently gone through refurbishment. Children can live in individual flats, and there are communal areas where they can meet. However, each flat entrance can only be accessed by a fob that staff control. This means that the child must ask staff to open the door to and from their flat. This limits their freedom and choice. This arrangement had not been assessed and agreed. Children’s restricted access to areas of the home, without review, was raised as a shortfall at the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

Inspectors found full bin bags on the patio, cigarette ends on the patio, a large shed door propped on the side of a shed and a fire door propped open with work tools. This does not provide a homely and safe environment.

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improvement to be good

The child living at the home experienced a meaningful and well-planned move in. The manager worked closely with external professionals to gather information. Staff met the child at their family home before they moved in. Staff used a variety of communication methods to start building a relationship with the child. This included staff and the child writing notes and letters to each other and, when the child was ready, talking. The child made the decision about when they would move in. As a result, the child has settled quickly.

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improvement to be good

Staff are helping the child to build trusting relationships. Staff understand that the child has missed opportunities to develop the skills needed to make friends and feel part of a community. Staff spend time with the child engaging in activities that the child enjoys, such as K-Pop and arts and crafts. The child has been to a shop in the local community, which is noted as good progress. Staff are helping the child to gain confidence and develop social skills.

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improvement to be good

The child had not been in education for six months before moving into the home. They are now engaging with education, and their attendance is good. The child is enjoying this experience, and there are already plans to extend the times of the child’s school day. Staff understand the importance of the child learning.

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improvement to be good

The child has made good initial progress. Staff used their knowledge of the child’s experiences to focus on their health and well-being. Within one week, the child has made progress in attending to their own hygiene, initiating conversations, talking and eating. Additional progress has been made in the child developing a sleep Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 4 routine. This has helped the child to experience improved mental health and build their self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

Staff help the child to stay in touch with people who are important to them. The child’s family visits the home. The child has a mobile phone to stay in touch with their family between visits. A family member said that the staff are welcoming, and there has been good communication from staff.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, a child made a disclosure to staff. This was reported to the child’s social worker. An action for the previous manager was to undertake an investigation. However, neither the current manager or responsible individual could provide evidence of the outcome of the investigation. It is unclear if staff practice was thoroughly explored and lessons learned or if the child was supported effectively.

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improvement to be good

Although behaviour plans lack clarity on strategies to support the child, risk management plans are detailed and clearly explained to staff. Staff spoken with know how to keep the child safe. The child said that they feel safe living at the home. Staff understand the child’s vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, no children have left the home without permission. There have been no physical interventions, consequences or room searches.

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good

The manager, who is a qualified social worker, was appointed at the end of April 2023 and is applying to register with Ofsted.

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good

The child has highly complex needs. They have only lived at the home for a very short time. Staff recently received training in the home’s attachment-model approach.

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good

Except for one new staff member, the whole staff team previously worked in elderly residential care. Staff inductions were raised as a shortfall at the last inspection. However, the induction format does not evidence staff’s learning or competency.

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good

The provider has not submitted revisions to the statement of purpose to Ofsted since June 2022, despite changes of managers and the format of the home.

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good

It is not clear how opportunities have been provided to staff to learn from the previous child’s placement ending and staff’s experiences while they were redeployed to another of the organisation’s homes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 5 The workforce development plan is for the organisation and does not support the manager to develop the individual team members in a way that is useful to the home.

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good

Monitoring by the manager is not yet completely embedded. A staff member described a game of catch as being ‘slightly violent’. The record was made on 16 June 2023 and had not been addressed at the time of the inspection. Internal monitoring was raised as a shortfall at the last inspection.

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good

Staff feel supported by the new manager. The team is stable, and there are enough staff to meet the child’s needs. Appropriate recruitment checks have been carried out. The manager understands the plans for the child, including their goals and permanence for the future.

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good

Not all staff have a relevant level 3 diploma. However, they are working towards this and are within the timescales to do so. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that: 4 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 7 Staff recognise and intervene when a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers investigate incidents when directed and share outcomes with relevant professionals;

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Requirement Due date

Bin bags, cigarette ends and the shed door in the garden are removed;

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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;

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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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Monitor, review and discuss the language used by staff in records about children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 18 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and 4 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 8 allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 18 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision;

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Requirement Due date

subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b) (5)) 18 August 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan that can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2671486 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oak House Childrens Home Limited

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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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Inspectors

Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2671486 10 inspects 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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