Children's Home run by Strides Childcare Services Ltd in Redbridge

Inspection report for children's home: 2700344 1 Registered provider: Strides Childcare Services 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 three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This home and manager registered with Ofsted on 31 October 2022. This is the home’s first inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at 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

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2700344 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home make good progress. They have opportunities to gain confidence and interact with other people more positively. Children receive education and eat healthy diets. Positive partnership working helps to increase and promote children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a wide range of social and educational activities in the home and in the wider community. Activities include cinema trips, hairdressing activities, baking in the home and visits to amusement parks. This helps children to build their self-esteem and social skills while having fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build positive relationships with staff. Staff have meaningful discussions with children about risks and areas where they need support to help them understand how to keep themselves safe. Children say that they feel safe and can talk to staff if they have any worries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s case files contain relevant information for the manager and staff to be able to support them and understand their needs. Children contribute to their own plans to make them personal. However, some records do not use child-friendly language, which makes it difficult for children to understand the concerns about their behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The condition of the home is of a good standard. Repairs and wear and tear are addressed swiftly. Children are able to personalise their bedrooms. For example, one child’s bedroom has a garden theme.

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

Risks are clearly identified, known and understood by an experienced and highly competent staff team. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they continue to reflect the needs of children.

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

If children are missing from home, staff members are aware of the processes to follow to report this to the appropriate authorities. Staff work well with safeguarding partners to find children and support their safe return home.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviour and physical intervention well. However, incidents of physical intervention and behaviour management are not always accurately recorded or sufficiently detailed. This does not ensure that leaders and managers have sufficient oversight of children’s experiences and progress.

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

Staff recruitment is not always thorough. For example, leaders and managers do not obtain explanations about gaps in employment, and references are not always verified. This compromises the safety of the children living in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2700344 3 Staff and visitors sign into the home on arrival. However, senior managers do not sign in, and there is no record of when they are present. This potentially undermines the safeguarding practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know children well. The registered manager and the staff team put a lot of energy into providing a nurturing and safe environment for children where their needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are suitably qualified and experienced. Senior managers invest in staff training and clinical therapeutic support for the registered manager and staff team. Staff spoken to say that they feel supported through training, regular supervision and regular team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have high expectations for children and are ambitious to ensure that all children have the same chances and opportunities. The registered manager challenges placing authorities appropriately when children’s needs are not being met. Leaders and managers have also funded additional tuition to support children with education and funded therapy sessions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers respond swiftly to newly identified risks posed to children. In order to mitigate risks, staff and managers work well with the children’s professional networks to implement effective strategies to reduce risk and support children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Social workers and parents say that the registered manager and staff keep children safe. One parent said, ‘Staff go above and beyond to support my child.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2700344 4

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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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they have a record of the full employment history for all staff, together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment, and that they verify references. 31 December

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there are clear and accurate records of all staff working in the home, including senior managers. 31 October 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2700344 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful and clear recording. In particular, the registered person should ensure that all record-keeping is consistent and that the language used can be understood by children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that when incidents of control, discipline and restraint occur, there is appropriate management oversight and analysis, with recorded debriefs for staff and children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 11.5)

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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: 2700344 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Strides Childcare Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 39 Woodgrange Avenue, Enfield EN1 1EW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Patrick Nnebedum

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Inspector

Melvin Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2700344 7 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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