Children's home run by Heartwood RSL Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 1 Registered provider: Heartwood RSL Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties. The home registered with Ofsted in August 2019. There has been no registered manager since 13 January 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 inadequate

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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: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2022 Full Good 23/06/2021 Full Good 28/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 3

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improvement to be good

Children have not been able to build and sustain relationships with staff due to the high use of agency and bank staff. This means that children do not receive a consistent level of care and has contributed to some challenging behaviour from children.

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improvement to be good

Children are registered with relevant health services and supported to attend health appointments. However, this important information is not reflected in children’s records. Therefore, not all staff have a knowledge and understanding of children’s health needs, which impacts on the support that children receive.

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improvement to be good

Children’s individual support plans are not up to date. It is unclear what children’s needs are, what the goals are, and what care is required to help them to make good progress. Therefore, staff are unable to provide the appropriate support and care to meet children’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Some children who are not accessing education do not have good routines. Additionally, they are not provided with educational activities to promote their development and progress. However, there has been some effort by leadership and management to support children’s return to education.

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improvement to be good

Children’s meetings are irregular and therefore children are not always given the opportunity to share their views, wishes and feelings about the home. This impacts on children’s participation and sense of belonging in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments do not include all known risks and behaviours. For example, some risk assessments for children have only been put in place following serious incidents, despite there being known risks. This limits staff’s ability to support and safeguard children effectively.

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improvement to be good

Staff’s response to incidents focuses on the environment rather than children’s behaviour. This does not demonstrate that management and staff have a sufficient understanding of children’s needs. Consequently, children do not get support to help to improve their behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always follow the correct protocols when children are missing from care. They do not regularly communicate with children to locate them and encourage them to return home. Missing-from-care records lack sufficient information about the action that has been taken. Independent return-home interviews are not always requested by staff. This is a missed opportunity to gather important information and prevent further missing-from-care incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 4 Staff do not demonstrate a good understanding of whistle-blowing policies and processes. This limits their ability to recognise and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns. However, leaders and managers have appropriately reported allegations once they have become aware of them.

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improvement to be good

Staff are unable to de-escalate children’s aggression or challenging behaviour. Many incidents require police involvement due to staff being unable to manage situations safely. Parents and police report that they are concerned about this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The leadership and management of the home has been unsettled. This has led to staff and children being given inconsistent messages and direction from leaders and managers. This has resulted in inconsistent practice and care being provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive regular and effective supervision. Consequently, managers do not have effective oversight of staff practice. Furthermore, team meetings do not take place regularly. These shortfalls compromise managers’ and staff’s ability to reflect on and adapt their practice when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When considering new children moving into the home, the needs of the children and those already living in the home are not fully considered. Furthermore, managers do not consider if the staff team has the skills to meet the needs of the children. This has caused disruption and instability for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight, monitoring and reviewing systems need to be strengthened. The quality of care review does not include feedback from children, staff and parents or carers. The independent visitor’s reports lack analysis and do not give an overview of the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is no workforce development plan in place. There are no clear plans in place for staff to obtain the relevant qualification for their role. Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all known risks are included in risk assessments to help to manage and reduce risks.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that missing protocols are followed and the action taken is recorded clearly.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must consider the needs of children moving into the home and those already living there, and the staff skillset when considering new children moving into the home. 4 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 6 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—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 work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the appropriate support and skills to appropriately care for children and promote their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must also ensure that the recording systems are used effectively to monitor the service and that there is continued learning, for example, from incidents that require police call outs. 4 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. 4 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 7 (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s placement plans are up to date and on children’s files.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they include feedback from children, parents and professionals to inform the quality of care review.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 4 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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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 by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that whistle-blowing policies and procedures are understood by staff and are covered as part of the induction of new staff. 4 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 8 Leaders and managers must ensure that all staff receive regular and effective supervision.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan that can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 paragraphs19 and 20). The plan should include plans for staff development, including obtaining the relevant qualification for their role. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, 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: 2528264 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 416 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex IG3 9JX

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Inspector

Amena Begum, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2528264 10 regulates 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format

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Inspector

or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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