Children's home run by Partnerships in Care 1 Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1247390 1 Registered provider: Partnerships In Care 1 Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered with both Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. The home provides care for up to eight children with emotional health needs and who may self-harm. At the time of this inspection, five children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in February 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 19 September 2023

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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: 1247390 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Overall, children’s experiences have improved. One child has moved in to the home successfully. They have personalised their bedroom and said that they see it as their home. They, and other children, describe the home as settled and that they are living alongside each other well.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has moved on from the home. Their progress plateaued and alternative care arrangements were identified in line with their specific needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The children participate in different activities in and out of the home. They spoke about enjoying activities such as boxing, shopping, and a recent ‘Galentine’s day’ celebration in the home. This supports the children to build long-lasting memories and positive relationships with one another and staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Some children who have been out of education for prolonged periods are receiving structured learning. This includes one child attending college, and one child receiving tutoring in the home. The children spoke about enjoying these opportunities for learning. This is a notable improvement for children’s experiences. Managers are pursuing education provisions for other children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff spoke about the children with lots of emotional warmth. The children’s progress books do not always reflect their achievements that the registered manager spoke about with a great amount of pride.

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Findings from the inspection

The children are fully informed about their care planning. Children often attend meetings to share their views. When children share their views about aspects of their care that they are unhappy about, they do not always know the outcome, or know how to make a complaint when they are unhappy about care and support received from external agencies.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff spoken to said that they enjoy working in the home. They describe a family environment. They benefit from training that helps them to understand children’s complex needs. One staff team member showed a good depth of knowledge and skills about restraint used.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have strengthened their monitoring of the quality of care. Following significant incidents, incident review reports have been implemented. While these reports identify actions to improve staff responses at times of children’s distress, strategies are not always integrated into the children’s risk management plans or disseminated across the whole staff team. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1247390 3 Partnership working is not always effective to ensure that children are helped and protected. For instance, safety planning between the home and one young person’s education provision was not effective to reduce the risk of them going missing, and a significant incident occurred.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff interventions that should be taken at different stages of self-neglect, when prompting is not effective, are not always sufficient to ensure that children’s hygiene is improved, and that their bedrooms are nurturing environments. For example, one child’s bedroom was observed to be in a poor state and unhygienic. There has been little improvement in this area, and the requirement made at the previous inspection relating to this is repeated.

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Findings from the inspection

In other areas of the home, new furnishings have been purchased. This includes a new sofa. The children have chosen individual blankets and cushions to use on the sofa to provide them with comfort and help them to feel at home. The registered manager said that work to improve the children’s bathrooms is due to start soon.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/04/2022 Full Good 30/11/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1247390 4

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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, 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

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

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (b)).

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to the registered manager ensuring that partnership working is comprehensive so that responses to help and protect children are always effective. 31 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; 20 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1247390 5 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to the registered manager ensuring that children’s vulnerabilities are addressed effectively. This includes providing staff with clear direction when interventions are not effective, specifically when children’s self-care deteriorates. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1247390 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Partnerships In Care 1 Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1247390 7 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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