Children's home run by Champion Children (NW London) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2567267 1 Registered provider: Champion Children (NW London) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s manager has submitted her 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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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2567267 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2023 Full Good 12/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2567267 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are currently four children in the home who are all in education. For some of the children, there have been concerns with attendance and behaviour. For these children, the manager has sourced additional tutoring to help them engage with their learning. This is having a positive impact on children’s learning and engagement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel happy in the home and can identify staff they have a good relationship with. One child detailed that his key worker ‘gets him’. Children engage well with key-work sessions and their input is well documented. Where the children have specific cultural needs, staff meet these well. Staff have effective discussions about the support children need during transitions. They link this to children’s experiences so they can support children’s ongoing development towards adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have access to the children’s guide, which is welcoming and age appropriate. It gives the children a detailed insight into living in the home as well as behavioural expectations. Children’s meetings take place on a regular basis. These are a safe space for children to express their views, wishes and feelings. Children value the interest that staff show in their opinions and views, and this helps children and staff have good relationships with each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children’s care, health and education plans are up to date. This hinders the planning in the home. Senior leaders are in the process of escalating this with the relevant local authorities.

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

Staff complete detailed records of any incidents. They also update children’s risk assessments to reflect changes in levels of risk and how staff can best support children’s behaviour if needed. This promotes consistency in staff responses.

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

Incidents of bullying are infrequent and managed well. Following incidents, staff complete specific key-work sessions with children and some children have attended bullying awareness courses. As a result, bullying is rare, and everyone knows that bullying is not tolerated.

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

The home is spacious, well furnished and provides a positive environment for the children. Routine health and safety checks take place to ensure that the home meets health and safety requirements. The manager has a clear plan for ongoing maintenance to ensure that the environment remains a positive place for children to live.

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

Leaders and managers have effective recruitment processes. This means that they only employ suitably vetted staff to care for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567267 4 Senior leaders ensure the use of proportionate negative consequence. They have also completed an audit of the home’s physical restraint records. This identified shortfalls in recording that were also raised by the independent person. This resulted in training for staff that led to improvements in practice.

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

Children sometimes go missing from the home. Staff work hard to ensure that children return safely. However, return home interviews are not always completed as they should be. In addition, when those interviews do happen, records do not always reflect the discussions that have taken place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the home well. There is oversight and monitoring of children’s care. The manager values her own regular supervision that supports her in her role. The manager has a plan in place for the future development of the home. Despite knowing the home well, the manager has not completed a formal review of the quality of care. She is currently completing this, so that she has an even better view of the care children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working in the home and feel supported by seniors. Staff know the children’s plans well and know how to support and advocate for them. Staff recognise children’s progress and achievements and build positive relationships with them. This adds to the calm, settled environment in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed the necessary training that reflects children’s varying needs. This ensures that staff have the skills to care for children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervision, which includes effective practice discussions and personal support. Topic-specific supervision is available for more in-depth discussion to take place. Regular team meetings also give staff opportunities to discuss children in depth. Staff also discuss how the home environment can be improved and how they work together. These times are valued by staff. Parents speak highly about staff and how they keep in touch with them. Parents told the inspector how happy they are with their children’s progress. External professionals commend the staff’s dedicated work towards the children and their positive relationships with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers address children’s complaints appropriately and children are satisfied with the responses they get. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567267 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, 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 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 kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to children’s care, health, and education plans. 1 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c) 1 March 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.3)  The registered provider should ensure that the periodic review of the quality of care of the children is submitted to the regulator within timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.3) Inspection report for children’s home: 2567267 6

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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: 2567267 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Champion Children (NW London) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Private Client, Unit 7-8, Moran House, 449- 451 High Road, London NW10 2JJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Wakeling

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Inspector

Chelsea Agyeman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2567267 8 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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