Children's home run by Enhanceable

Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 1 Registered provider: EnhanceAble Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The provider is a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation. The home provides short breaks for up to seven children with learning and/or physical disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The service and the manager registered with Ofsted on 18 August 2021.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2023 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who attend this short-break service form positive relationships with staff. Staff understand children’s needs and behaviours well and are able to respond to them effectively. Children are relaxed and comfortable in their environment and with staff, who are patient and caring towards them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive experiences. The home is well equipped and provides a range of facilities, such as a sensory room, calming rainforest room and two spacious gardens with a trampoline, nest swing and planting pods for the children to enjoy. Children also have opportunities to enjoy activities in the community, such as visiting adventure parks and going bowling and trampolining. This helps them to broaden their experiences and develop their social skills.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers are determined to improve children’s participation in their care, and they encourage children to give their feedback about the home. Children are supported to share their views using various communication aids. For example, there are pictures throughout the house that children use to make choices, such as what activity they would like to do. Staff also know children well and notice how they communicate through their behaviour and any changes in their mood.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The admissions procedure is well planned, which helps children to settle when they are new to the home. Managers and staff work closely with parents and children to ensure that they do not rush the process. Children come to the home for two ‘tea visits’ to ensure that they are ready and comfortable to stay overnight.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood and met by staff. Staff take care to meet children’s individual needs, such as their dietary requirements. However, some medication errors have occurred since the last inspection. Leaders and managers have responded by improving the scrutiny of the medication administration process.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortably furnished and clean. Children’s bedrooms are ready for them when they arrive. The house is equipped to meet children’s physical needs. However, the paintwork throughout the house looks tired in places and there are some long-standing maintenance issues that detract from the homely environment. The registered manager stated that these works are scheduled to take place soon. There was also a broken lock on the cupboard where cleaning products are stored. This was repaired during this inspection.

p.3

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

Staff are aware of children’s vulnerabilities and know how to keep them safe. Thorough written risk assessments and positive behaviour support plans support good safeguarding of children. This is further supported by daily staff briefings taking place before children arrive, where all relevant information is shared. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 4 Staff support children to self-regulate their feelings and to express themselves in a safe way. Behaviour management practices are effective in helping children to develop safer behaviours and children respond well to routines and boundaries.

p.3

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

Records of physical restraint demonstrate that the use of restraint is proportionate and necessary to keep children safe. However, training in physical restraint is not prioritised for new staff in the home. This may prevent staff from being able to intervene safely to prevent harm to children.

p.4

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

Allegations against staff are rare. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding policies, managing allegations and whistle-blowing procedures. If there are safeguarding concerns, managers report these to the appropriate agencies and take prompt action, including disciplinary procedures. This helps to keep children safe.

p.4

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

Recruitment practice is not robust. For staff who have recently arrived in the United Kingdom under sponsorship arrangements, overseas police checks are carried out, but Disclosure and Barring Service checks are not consistently obtained before staff commence their employment.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know children well and understand their needs and behaviours. They have high aspirations for children and work with families and professionals to support children to make good progress. Leaders and managers ensure that there are sufficient staff to support children on a one-to-one basis. This helps children to achieve good outcomes and have enjoyable experiences when they are at the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Families and one social worker spoken to feel confident in the care that children receive from managers and staff in the home. They report that managers and staff communicate well and work closely with them to support children’s needs. Parents said that their children are excited to attend their breaks and that they are safe in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel well supported by leaders and managers. Staff have access to regular training that is relevant to the needs of the children in their care. Additionally, staff have been involved in development days to further develop their knowledge and skills. Team meetings are also used effectively as learning and development opportunities.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. Leaders and managers use learning from practice and feedback to improve the experiences and care of children. For example, leaders and managers have reviewed children’s plans to make them more accessible for staff. They are also continuously reflecting on the medication administration process and ways of improving it. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 5 Complaints are investigated appropriately. However, they are not recorded, which means that relevant information, such as an action plan to address gaps in staff practice, is not accessible. This compromises the registered manager’s oversight of staff development and the continuous development of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

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)) 7 April 2024

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff receive appropriate training without delay, to enable them to meet the needs of the children in their care. This specifically relates to training around physical restraint. 7 May 2024

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 7 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.7

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(g)(ii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that records of complaints and allegations include details of the action required to prevent similar situations in the future and to address gaps in staff’s practice.

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home provides a nurturing and supportive environment that is suitably furbished and that maintenance issues are addressed promptly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess and address the risks to each child, including safety risks identified within the home’s physical environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.7

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: 2645163 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 13 Geneva Road, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2TW

p.8

Inspector

Aneta Wasilewska, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2645163 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9