Children's Home run by Heartwood RSW Ltd in Redbridge

Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 1 SC461865 Registered provider: Heartwood RSW Ltd Full inspection 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. In its statement of purpose, the provider states that care is provided to children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in November 2013. There has been no registered manager since July 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The new manager has submitted an application to register 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: 7 September 2022

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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: SC461865 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/09/2022 Full Good 07/09/2021 Full Good 06/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 3

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improvement to be good

Children make variable progress. For one child, their progress has deteriorated in education and health, and the frequency of missing-from-home incidents remains a cause for concern. However, the risks relating to criminal exploitation have reduced and relationships with staff have improved. The child now informs staff when they plan to be absent from home and when they will return. The child’s parent and social worker have praised staff for their effort to support the child.

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improvement to be good

For those children who are not in mainstream education, tutoring takes place at the home and staff support children to attend these sessions. This includes staff encouraging children to be ready for tutoring sessions and working closely with their tutors to support children’s engagement. However, there is an issue with the children not participating in the sessions. Furthermore, children who are out of education often do not have any positive routines or engage in educational or social activities during the day.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children with their health needs. When a child has continually refused to attend specialist health services, staff and managers have worked to aid this child in other ways, which includes encouraging and supporting their hygiene and personal care.

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improvement to be good

Children’s interests are encouraged. There are good examples of children being supported to engage in art and design. However, children are not routinely given the opportunity to participate in activities. Children and staff informed the inspector that positive spontaneous experiences and activities are limited due to the lack of money available from the provider. There are times when staff have felt that they might have been able to de-escalate a situation by simply taking children out for walk and getting them a drink but have been unable to do so. The leaders and managers also say that they have no control over finances in the home. This impacts on children’s experiences and progress.

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improvement to be good

Children’s meetings are infrequent and meetings take place when some children are not in the home. This excludes some children and impacts on their sense of belonging in the home as they are not always given the opportunity to share their views, wishes and feelings about the home.

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improvement to be good

Not all areas of the home are well maintained, particularly children’s bedrooms, which look bare and uninviting. Walls are marked, made-to-measure furniture has been left unpainted and free-standing wardrobes and cupboards are in poor condition and not securely fitted to walls, which poses a hazard. Some windows were in need of repair but were repaired during the inspection. The home feels unappealing and impacts on children’s sense of belonging. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 4

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments do not clearly identify the level of risk to them or the strategies to manage and reduce children’s individual risks. Risks assessments are quite generic and not specific to the individual child. This does not help staff to understand children’s individual risks, vulnerabilities and needs to safeguard them effectively.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not have a good understanding of the procedures to be followed when a child is missing from home. Staff do not consistently follow the missing-from-home protocols, including regularly keeping in touch with children to check on their welfare and encourage their safe return home. When children return home after being missing, independent return home interviews are not always requested and do not always take place. This is a missed opportunity for staff to understand the reasons why children may have been missing to prevent further missing incidents occurring. Missing-from-home records are poor and do not clearly outline when children have been missing, what actions were taken and when they returned home. Management oversight of missing-from-home records is poor. This compromises management oversight and safeguarding practice.

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improvement to be good

When incidents occur, risk assessments are not always updated and staff do not talk to children following incidents to help them to understand the reasons behind specific incidents and behaviours. As a result, staff are unable to implement appropriate strategies to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future. Children are also not given an opportunity to reflect on incidents to help them to make positive changes.

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improvement to be good

When a child made an allegation against a staff member, appropriate action was taken by the manager, including reporting to the local authority’s designated safeguarding lead. Managers supported staff to reflect on their practice to better manage incidents. Mediation was also arranged between the child and staff member to repair and restore their relationship.

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improvement to be good

When children have not been making progress and their risks have remained high, the manager has appropriately raised concerns with children’s local authorities to review their care plans to ensure that they have adequate support to meet their needs.

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good

The leadership and management of the home need to be strengthened. Not all staff receive regular or effective supervision. Children’s needs and safeguarding concerns are not always discussed in detail in staff supervision. Therefore, the manager does not have effective oversight of staff practice and staff are unable to reflect on their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 5 Leaders and managers do not carefully consider the impact that new children moving into the home has on the children already living at the home. Furthermore, full consideration is not given to children’s individual risks and needs, staff skills and the training required for staff to safely care and support new children moving into the home. Some children do not have local authority care plans as part of their records. This demonstrates that children’s individual needs are not fully considered or understood by managers and staff, which compromises the quality of care and

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good

Team meetings do not take place regularly and staff performance and practice are not appraised in a timely manner. Some mandatory training for the manager and staff is out of timescale. These shortfalls compromise the managers’ and staff’s ability to reflect on their professional development and adapt their practice when necessary.

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good

The monitoring and reviewing systems need to be strengthened. The independent visitor does not have access to all information, which results in reports lacking sufficient detail and not demonstrating whether children are safeguarded effectively and their welfare is promoted. The quality of care reviews completed by the manager have not been sent to Ofsted, which prevents the regulator from having effective oversight of the service.

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good

The fire risk assessment is out of date and needs to be completed.

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good

Despite these shortfalls identified at this inspection, feedback from professionals is positive. They say that the staff and the manager support children’s well-being and progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 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, 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2(1)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are provided with the necessary financial support to enable them to support children’s emotional well-being and provide them with a suitable range of activities. 30 October 2023

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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

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; 30 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 7 take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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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)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated, are robust and correctly identify risk levels and the strategies to help staff to manage and reduce children’s individual risks.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that missing-from-home protocols are followed, and that they have clear oversight of missing-from-home episodes. They must also ensure that missing-from-home records include all relevant information.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s house meetings are held regularly and all children living in the home are given the opportunity to attend 30 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 8 meetings to share their views, wishes and feelings about the home. Also, leaders and managers must ensure that discussions take place with children following incidents to help staff to understand children’s experiences and provide the most appropriate support to children.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they have a copy of all children’s local authority care plans.

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Requirement Due date

When considering new children moving into the home, leaders and managers must fully consider the needs of children already living there and those moving into the home as well as whether the staff have the skills to meet the needs of all children in their care.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children’s bedrooms are safe and comfortable and furnished and decorated to a good standard. 30 October 2023

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff, including managers, receive regular and effective supervision and that their appraisals are completed annually. 30 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 9 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate. (Regulation 13 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive the appropriate support and training to provide a good quality of care to children and ensure that their needs are met well. 30 October 2023

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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. (Regulation 45 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the quality of care review is completed and sent to Ofsted within timescales. 30 October 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

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) 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—

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Requirement Due date

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)(b) (4)(a)(b)) 30 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC461865 10 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the independent person has access to the home’s and children’s records to adequately develop a view and provide a detailed analysis of whether children are safeguarded effectively and their welfare is promoted.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. The registered person and staff should work closely with placing authorities to understand push and pull factors for children who go missing. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered provider should ensure that the fire risk assessment is up to date to ensure that the home is complying with relevant health and safety legislations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children are regularly and consistently offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home, and that they are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s

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Recommendations

Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

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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: SC461865 11

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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: SC461865 12 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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