Children's home run by Willow Tree Children’s Services Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 1 Registered provider: Willow Tree Children’s Services Limited 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 a private provider and is registered to care for one child with social and emotional difficulties. It is set in a semi-rural location near a major town. There were no children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 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 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: 23 November 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Serious and widespread concerns were identified at an assurance inspection that was carried out on 20 February 2023. A monitoring visit was carried out on 3 March 2023 due to new concerns relating to the management of incidents. Following this visit, the provider was issued with a notice suspending the home’s registration. Further monitoring visits were carried out on 12 April 2023 and 17 May 2023. In May 2023, Ofsted changed the number of children the provider could care for, from four to one. The period of suspension ended on 25 May 2023. Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has lived in the home, for a few weeks. Overall, their experience at the home was not positive. Although the child did form some positive relationships with staff, they moved on in an unplanned way.

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improvement to be good

Before the child moved into the home, staff met them and spent time familiarising them with the local area. The child enjoyed a trip to a local stables. This demonstrated a thoughtful approach to understanding the child’s wish to have horse-riding lessons. Staff also bonded with the child through cooking activities and discussions.

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improvement to be good

Staff aim for children to have positive education experiences. They supported the child with tutors provided by the virtual school and other activities. However, plans were not well used to ensure that the child had a clear understanding of the day and what activities were available. This led to instability during the day and the child not being supported effectively to know what was expected of them.

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improvement to be good

The child was well supported to continue to see and spend time with their family and friends, as agreed with the placing authority. This included providing transport and supervision, no matter the distance or length of time spent with family. This was deemed to be a particularly positive experience for the child.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health and well-being are promoted by staff. Children are registered with relevant health services at the point of moving in. This helps children to feel that their health and well-being are important.

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improvement to be good

Children’s safety is a focus for staff. All staff understand their role and responsibilities in protecting children and report any concerns they have. However, the child was not fully supported with their behaviours that challenged and when they expressed negative emotions. This was due to staff lacking skills in these areas.

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improvement to be good

Staff actively encourage children to follow rules and boundaries. However, this led to some serious behavioural incidents. The staff’s lack of skills and experience in how to manage the child’s responses resulted in the police being called to the home to support with the child’s behaviour. The child’s pre-placement information did not fully detail how the child may behave when upset and distressed.

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improvement to be good

Records of incidents are not always clear and some of the language used is not descriptive or child-friendly. Additionally, when injury has occurred, this is not Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 4 suitably recorded in the correct documents. Staff have responded appropriately to incidents of a child going missing from the home.

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improvement to be good

The home is well maintained and there are regular health and safety checks, meaning children are protected from avoidable risks in the home. Safer recruitment practice means that children are not cared for by unsuitable people. However, on occasion, the provider has not sought their own references for new staff and has relied on references provided by a recruitment agency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was appointed recently and is registered with Ofsted. She has an excellent understanding of the areas in which the home needs to improve, while providing a calm approach to managing the new staff team. A recently appointed deputy manager is keen to provide continued support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has reflected on the child who moved on from the home and their experience. She recognises where greater support is needed for the staff team, to ensure that any further children who move into the home have positive experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they are well supported and can approach the manager with anything they need help or support with. They view the manager as incredibly knowledgeable and are appreciative of the support and guidance they are now receiving. Regular supervision is responsive and supports staff to increase their skills and resilience. Additionally, staff are due to start group supervisions with the home’s new consultant. This will give them the opportunity to process their own emotions in caring for the children and support the team to develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is ongoing. All staff completed a wide range of online and some face- to-face training before the child moved in. The manager has recognised that staff now need some refresher training following the experiences with the child who has moved on. For instance, all staff will receive behaviour support and physical intervention training. They will also have refresher training on specific needs, such as self-injury or autism.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the time the child moved into the home, staff were not trained in the model of care set out in the home’s statement of purpose. The registered manager has now updated the statement of purpose to reflect the approach to care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Joint working with the wider professional network is a strength. Close liaison in relation to the child who lived in the home was strong and provided staff with a clear overview of the child’s needs. However, the child’s needs were not reflected in pre-placement information made available to the manager. Leaders and managers continue to work with external professionals to ensure that this child receives more suitable support in the future. Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 5 Leaders and managers use monitoring and support from the newly appointed independent visitor well. They acknowledge that greater scrutiny was required and have welcomed feedback, which is sometimes challenging. The registered manager evaluates and monitors the service well, constantly seeking to make improvements across the home, particularly in the care provided. The recently appointed consultant has proved to be a significant guide in increasing the responsible

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

individual’s skills and knowledge. Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children have structure to their day to encourage engagement in learning. 29 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 29 December 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 7 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

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 promotes their welfare.

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(a)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the training as set out in the statement of purpose and that records are fully completed, clear and factual and that language is child- focused. 29 December 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 8 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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) (3)(d)) 29 December 2023

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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: 2680923 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Willow Tree Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 10 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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