Children's Home run by Solace Care ClayHall Ltd in Redbridge

Inspection report for children's home: 2645038 1 Registered provider: Solace Care ClayHall Ltd 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 five children aged between eight and 17 years who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 18 October 2021. The manager registered in June 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke to both children.

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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: 1 November 2022

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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: 2645038 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2645038 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care and are supported to develop trusted relationships with staff. As a result, children feel they can talk to the adults looking after them about important things in their lives. Staff help children to understand and manage their emotions and behaviours. This means that, despite the complexities of their needs, children make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team works hard to promote education and encourage attendance. When children are suspended from school, the manager and staff advocate on their behalf for them to return. When children are away from school, staff promote the usual school routine, and children do schoolwork at home with staff’s supervision. Staff celebrate educational achievement and attendance, which emphasises how important it is.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood and met. Staff are proactive in ensuring that children have access to more specialist services to promote their physical or emotional health if needed. Furthermore, staff help children to improve their health by carrying out work with them around issues such as healthy eating and the negative impact of smoking and cannabis use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have opportunities to have their say. Staff encourage them to give their views in key-work sessions, house meetings or as part of their daily interactions with staff. Children know how to make a complaint and are offered independent advocacy if they need it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain positive relationships with the people who are important to them. Parents and friends are warmly welcomed into the home when it is safe to do so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is in need of some redecoration. The paintwork throughout the house looks tired and there are some maintenance issues that detract from the homely environment. The manager gave assurances that these works are scheduled to be carried out in the coming months.

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

Children are safeguarded in the home. Children said they feel safe in the home and that staff talk to them about risks. The manager has identified risks locally that have previously impacted on the safety of the children in the community. This has led to some unplanned endings since the last inspection. This information has been shared with safeguarding partners and is reflected in the home’s locality risk assessment. This means that these local concerns can be better considered when decisions are made about children moving into the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2645038 4 Incidents of children going missing from staff care have reduced significantly. Staff are proactive and try to maintain contact with children when they are missing from the home. They work well with the relevant professionals and look for children in the local area. The manager reviews incidents, talks with staff and children and updates

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

risk assessments. This ensures that staff understand what is happening for children and helps to reduce risk.

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

Children’s vulnerabilities are well understood by staff. Staff are proactive and curious about children’s behaviours. Staff carry out room searches when there is cause for concern. They remove items that pose a risk to children and talk to them about what they are worried about. There is a well-coordinated action plan with other agencies when concerns are raised about children’s welfare. This helps to keep children safe.

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

Children’s individual positive behaviour support plans are effective. Staff set consistent boundaries and routines for children. There is a clear reward system that encourages positive behaviour.

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

There has been only one incident of physical intervention since the last inspection. However, the use of restraint was not proportionate or necessary. The manager took appropriate action to address this, including liaising with appropriate safeguarding partners. The staff who were involved have had additional training and spent time reflecting with their supervisors to improve their practice.

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

Recruitment processes are mostly effective. However, one staff member started work based on a Disclosure and Barring Service check that related to previous employment. Furthermore, complete references were not obtained for one new member of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Day-to-day leadership and management of the home are strong. The home is managed effectively by a registered manager who is supported by a newly appointed deputy manager. The consistency of the management team provides stability for children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is positive. Staff say that they feel well supported by leaders and managers. They benefit from effective supervision which prioritises the children’s needs. However, the quality of performance appraisals is limited by the lack of feedback from stakeholders and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training in important areas of practice relevant to the needs of the children in their care. New staff receive a comprehensive induction to help develop their skills. This means that staff have the right skills to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the home’s strengths and areas for development. There are effective monitoring systems in place to ensure that leaders and managers frequently review the quality of care provided to children. However, the Inspection report for children's home: 2645038 5 quality of care report completed since the last inspection does not include the views of parents, staff and placing authorities, which limits the effectiveness of the review. Inspection report for children's home: 2645038 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 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

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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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) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 31 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2645038 7 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2) 22 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice as set out in regulations 31-33. In particular, this relates to ensuring that all discrepancies in employment history and references are explored. Furthermore, that details provided by candidates allow for any gaps in employment to be explored. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that appraisal enables in-depth review of staff’s performance, including the views of the supervisor, supervisee and, when appropriate, others. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that the children are provided with a welcoming and homely domestic environment. In particular, this refers to ensuring that any repairs are carried out and the home’s decor is refreshed when

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Recommendations

required. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2645038 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Solace Care ClayHall Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2A, 420 Eastern Avenue, Ilford, Essex IG2 6NQ

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Inspector

Aneta Wasilewska, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2645038 9 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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