Children's home run by Champion Children Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2595340 1 Registered provider: Champion Children (Fig Tree) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in July 2020. The manager registered in August 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. The inspector observed and engaged with all three children during the inspection. Feedback was also received from a young person who had recently left 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2595340 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/05/2022 Full Good 02/02/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2595340 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences are varied. Some children appreciate all the help on offer, and they are able to make excellent progress. Other children, due to their levels of trauma, are unable to use all the available support. Leaders and managers do not wish to give up on children, but they acknowledge that the home is not able to meet children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to live healthily. Children’s healthcare needs are well understood by staff, who manage children’s healthcare and treatment plans safely. Staff receive training in relevant healthcare issues, for example in first aid and medication. Children have access to primary and specialist healthcare services. Staff’s communication with healthcare professionals is frequent. This ensures that children’s healthcare needs are well met. However, staff do not accurately record what first-aid support is offered to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The majority of children are in school. An example was seen of a child who had not been in school for a long time enjoying full-time education with very good support from staff. Children receive encouragement to be aspirational. However, despite staff efforts, one child continues to not engage in any form of education. Staff have not kept good records of what they have done to engage the child in educational activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s birthdays are celebrated to ensure that they feel special, which helps children to develop a positive identity. Their achievements are celebrated, and there are examples of children receiving external awards.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is well decorated and has been personalised for children. Children have made decisions about the type of decor, paint and accessories in the home. However, the home has door alarms on all children’s bedroom doors. This is not in line with individual children’s risk assessments, safeguarding needs or their right to individualised care.

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

Staff know children’s strengths and challenges. Since children have been living at the home, there has been a reduction of missing-from-home episodes and an improvement in children’s emotional well-being. A social worker highlighted, ‘The team are great, attending risk meetings, ensuring plans are in place and supporting us with all management of risk.’

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

The manager and staff address any concerns around bullying as they arise. Staff receive training and seek support from mental health professionals on how best to address issues related to bullying. However, staff do not keep full and detailed Inspection report for children’s home: 2595340 4 records of key-work sessions that have taken place to support children and address issues of bullying.

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

Staff encourage children to adhere to structure and boundaries. Staff management of challenging behaviour is measured and appropriate. They devise positive behaviour management plans that include strategies that help to de-escalate situations and reassure children, taking into consideration the impact of trauma. Behaviour management strategies are effective in helping children to regulate their emotions and promote their positive behaviour.

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

Staff only physically restrain children as a last resort to safeguard them. However, records of restraint do not always include details of debriefs or accurately reflect the length of time of the restraint. This compromises management oversight of restraint practice and staff development needs.

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

Allegations are managed well. However, Ofsted was not notified of one allegation. This compromises the oversight of the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager. The manager has worked hard to make improvements to the functioning of the home and prioritises the safeguarding of the children. The manager is supported by a stable staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel well supported by leaders and managers. The manager provides daily ‘on the job’ support. However, staff do not benefit from regular formal supervision. This compromises leaders’ and managers’ evaluation of staff practice and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is very good partnership working with placing authorities, professionals and parents. A mental health professional said, ‘Staff are very happy to take advice and suggestions, and advice is acted upon immediately.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive help from a committed staff team that is determined to make a positive difference to children’s lives. However, the recent promotion of the home’s deputy manager to another service has increased the manager’s workload. This has resulted in the manager’s delayed completion of the home’s review of the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s fire risk assessment is overdue by six months and does not assess the property for current fire hazards. The manager took swift action during this inspection to book a fire risk assessment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2595340 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, The 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 ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 29 August 2023

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 29 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 21 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that door alarms are only used in line with each individual child’s 29 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2595340 6 safeguarding and well-being needs, and not as a blanket measure for all children in the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a system in place that allows them to monitor the matters as set out in Regulation 45, at least once every six months. The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that full and accurate records of restraint are kept to enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly when any issues or trends of concern emerge. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s

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Recommendations

record-keeping policies and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. This relates to having full and detailed records of key-work sessions, first-aid records and all activities staff offer and engage in with children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2595340 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Champion Children (Fig Tree) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Moran House, Unit 7-8, 449-451 High Road, London, Middlesex NW10 2JJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Wakeling

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2595340 8 and 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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