Children's Home run by Williams Welfare Limited in Bedford

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 1 Registered provider: Williams Welfare Ltd

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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 three children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. A private organisation operates this setting.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since January 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders and managers have not ensured that effective recruitment checks have been completed for staff. This means that they do not have all the relevant information to ensure that safe people work at the home. This is a repeated concern. Leaders and managers failed to meet a requirement in this area that was set in January 2024.  Staff did not follow safeguarding procedures on the inspector’s arrival at the home and they did not check any identification. These procedures are in place to protect children at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There are currently two children living at the home. No children have moved in or out since the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The assurance visit was brought forward due to a complaint received by Ofsted. The matters in the complaint were not substantiated during the inspection. However, areas of practice that need immediate attention were identified.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not ensured that effective recruitment checks have been completed for staff. Concerns about safer recruitment predate this inspection. In January 2024, Ofsted received information that led to a requirement being set in respect of recruitment. Leaders and managers have not taken appropriate action to address this.

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Findings from the inspection

At least two recruitment files did not contain all the relevant safe recruitment checks, and gaps in employment had not been explored. This means that leaders and managers do not have all the relevant information to ensure that safe people work at the home. In addition, a risk assessment that was completed in respect of information gained during the recruitment of a member of staff was factually inaccurate. This raises further concerns about the effectiveness of the recruitment process and the oversight of leaders and managers.

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Findings from the inspection

On arrival, staff did not check the inspector’s identification documents. Therefore, a visitor was allowed to enter the home without appropriate checks taking place.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has made some improvements in the general environment. However, some areas still need to be addressed. For example, the garden has broken pieces of crockery in several places, and the kitchen counter tops look worn and dated.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s bedrooms are personalised. However, one child’s bedroom, while appearing tidy, had rotten food, old plates, and empty drinks cans in a drawer in their chest of drawers. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 3 Children have a variety of plans; these are not always updated in accordance with significant events, and some important information is missing. This means that staff do not always have the most-up-to-date information to support children.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have made some positive progress at the home. For one child, this is the longest placement they have had. The social worker said that the child has engaged well with staff and it is clear that staff care about the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Another child has been supported to access an advocate and submit a complaint about his care plan. The complaint has been upheld and the child is being supported to follow the process through.

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Findings from the inspection

There are high staffing ratios. Staff know the children well. They can talk about the challenges that children experience and the strategies they use to help them.

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Findings from the inspection

Children do not go missing from home very often. When they do, staff make good attempts to locate them. The records are well kept, and the manager requests return-home interviews.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been eight safeguarding incidents requiring notification to Ofsted. Two of these were notified late to Ofsted. The six most-recent incidents have been notified promptly, indicating some recent progress in this area.

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Findings from the inspection

The newly registered manager has already made some improvements in the home. Staff spoke very positively about having her support. They said that she has an open approach. The manager works well with professionals. She received very positive feedback from professionals. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Good 24/05/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(a)(d)) 8 April 2024

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staff check people’s identification before letting them into the home. 8 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. In particular, ensure that children’s plans are accurate, up to date, and include the required information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should provide a nurturing, homely environment. In particular, ensure that the garden is clear of hazards, such as broken crockery, Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 6 and refresh the kitchen downstairs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person must ensure that staff provide care which meets each child’s needs and promotes their welfare, taking into account children’s assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. In particular, ensure that

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Recommendations

children are supported to maintain a clean and hygienic bedroom. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14 paragraph 3.2)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Williams Welfare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 81 Mount Pleasant, Ruislip HA4 9HQ

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Inspector

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2643709 8 regulates and inspects 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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