Children's Home run by London Borough of Hillingdon in Hillingdon

Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 1 SC032502 Registered provider: The London Borough of Hillingdon Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by the London Borough of Hillingdon and provides care for up to 13 children. The home mainly works with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and occasionally provides care for local British children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in November 2003 and the manager registered in April 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the home in response to the allegations were considered, where appropriate, alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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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

Date of last inspection: 10 November 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/11/2022 Full Good 12/01/2022 Full Good 24/04/2019 Full Good 09/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children settle in well and make good progress from their starting points. They make and sustain meaningful relationships with a consistent staff team. These relationships are warm and nurturing. As a result, children feel safe and well cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities in the home and the community, such as weekly football and shopping. This provides children with the opportunity to have new experiences away from the home. Additionally, it helps children to strengthen relationships with staff and other children living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met well. They attend their routine health appointments. Specialists’ help and support are sought when necessary. Staff work closely with health professionals to ensure that children receive the appropriate support. However, there are some shortfalls in the safe administration of medication. For example, staff do not always record when children refuse their medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff take effective action when children are not in school. They talk with education professionals and provide children with educational activities at home. One child has been supported by staff to travel a three-hour journey back to their previous school to prepare for and sit their GCSE exams. This child has now made good academic progress and passed their exams, and their attendance has significantly improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence skills. They help children to learn how to cook, budget for shopping, and do their own laundry. Children have a kitchen where they can learn to cook their favourite meals. This support helps children to learn and develop important life skills and plan for the future. Children are supported to actively engage in their care planning.

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

Children say that they feel safe. They can identify a trusted person to talk to if they have any concerns. All allegations against staff members are managed appropriately and swiftly. Concerns are shared with the relevant agencies. Staff members spoken to demonstrate a strong understanding of whistle-blowing policies and safeguarding procedures.

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

Children receive child-centred care. They are helped and supported to build positive relationships with each other. Children are supported to manage difficult life experiences. This helps them to develop coping strategies and build resilience, which enhances their growth and development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 4 Children benefit from high staffing levels and there are clear behaviour support plans to support their needs. Staff support children to understand boundaries and routines. Incidents are well managed by staff, who use de-escalation techniques to support children. This means that even children with the most significant needs have positive experiences. There have been no incidents requiring physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

One child remains missing from the home from the first day they moved into the home in April 2023. Children receive a well-coordinated response when they are missing from home. Staff understand the risks when children are missing and maintain contact with the children. The manager and staff work effectively with other professionals when children are missing from home. They ensure that independent return home interviews are always carried out. However, children do not receive regular individual sessions with staff to help them to understand risk and how to keep themselves safe. This is a missed opportunity to gather important information to manage and reduce risks.

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

The known and potential risks to the children are well understood by managers and staff. Risk assessments are clear and detailed. They are informed by the children’s professional network to ensure that staff take the appropriate action to help to keep children safe. However, the local area risk assessment does not include information gathered from local safeguarding partners to help managers to assess the risks in the area effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led and managed by a committed and experienced registered manager. The manager and staff know the children well and hold high aspirations for them. Feedback from children, professionals and a parent about the leaders, managers and staff is positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work proactively with other professionals and build positive relationships. Professionals and parents receive regular updates on the progress and experiences of children. This results in a shared approach to providing children with good-quality care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities. Team meetings demonstrate that staff are able to reflect on practice and the needs of children. Staff say that they feel well supported and they work well as a team. However, they do not always receive regular practice-based supervision in line with the company’s policy. As a result, staff members do not have regular opportunities to reflect on their practice and consider their developmental needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is positive and staff retention is good. Staff are suitably qualified and receive regular training and development opportunities. Good staff retention ensures that children have stability and consistency in care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 5 The home’s physical environment is safe for children. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that repairs and redecoration in the home are addressed promptly. This does not provide a warm and comfortable environment for children. However, managers have plans to demolish the building from November 2023 and build a new home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are helped to learn how to keep themselves safe through regular individual sessions. Leaders and managers must ensure that the local area risk assessment identifies the local risks and includes feedback from safeguarding partners to help assess the risks posed to children in the local area. 29 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. This specifically relates to ensuring that all areas of the home’s interior are furnished to a similar suitable standard. This recommendation is restated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that records are kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 7 refused. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff receive supervision of their practice, from a suitable professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC032502 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Childcare and Early Years Service, 4E/02 Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 1UW

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Inspectors

Dorothy Thompstone, Social Care Inspector Julie Cresswell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC032502 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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