Children's Home run by London Borough of Brent in Brent

Inspection report children's home: SC457780 1 SC457780 Registered provider: London Borough of Brent Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This local authority home provides short breaks and permanent care for disabled children with autism spectrum disorders, physical and profound disabilities, learning disabilities and complex health needs. The home provides care for up to eight children at any one time.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, three children were having a short break and one child was living at the centre.

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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 children's home: SC457780 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/03/2023 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Outstanding 29/05/2019 Full Outstanding 10/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC457780 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, three children were having a short break and one child was living at the centre. In total, 51 children are using the short break service on a rotational basis. Children have excellent experiences and value their short breaks. Children are supported by dedicated staff, who provide individualised care to meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy an exciting and wide range of activities, both in the centre and in the community with staff support. Trips to the opera, restaurants and local Royal Air Force Museum help to widen children’s social experiences. These activities extend children’s interests and give them opportunities that they have not had previously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children use alternative communication systems. Pictures, sign language and visual prompts are detailed in children’s plans as their preferred communication methods. Staff use these methods when working with children. This supports the children to make choices and express their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff help the children to attend school. When children are experiencing difficulties, the staff work with the schools and outreach services to try to overcome these barriers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The centre is spacious and bright. Notice boards display an array of pictures, photos and relevant topics. However, the centre is looking tired in some areas, with damage to walls, doors and furniture which need to be repaired. Two tracking hoists are currently not working and waiting for replacement parts. Some of the outside play equipment is damaged and not in use. Several windows are without curtains or privacy screens to ensure children’s privacy and dignity. The heating system is not working properly and this makes the heating upstairs very difficult to regulate. These shortfalls do not provide the children with the homely and specialist environment they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Meals are planned in advance of children’s stays and prepared before children return from school. This limits the children’s choices of the food they eat during their stays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s guide does not contain all the required information, such as details of the children’s commissioner. The overuse of symbols means this information could overwhelm children and is not easy for children to understand.

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

Parents have trust and confidence that the staff advocate for their children’s best interests, safety and well-being. Staff know children well and provide highly individualised and consistent routines that help children to feel secure. Inspection report children's home: SC457780 4 Staff are well trained and understand effective safeguarding practice. They receive training about safeguarding disabled children, and are aware of the children’s additional vulnerabilities. When potential issues of concern arise, the manager works collaboratively with other safeguarding professionals to promote the children’s safety.

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

Staff provide familiar and consistent routines that help children to feel safe. They implement clear and individualised risk assessments. Consequently, children are safer and benefit from positive experiences during their stay.

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

Behaviour management plans are concise and current. There is an emphasis on proactive and de-escalation strategies. These approaches help to minimise challenges and support positive behavioural change over time. Restraint is only ever used as a last resort to keep children and others safe.

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

Safer recruitment processes for new and agency staff are comprehensively carried out, to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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

The managers have responded effectively to internal safeguarding concerns. Detailed investigations have been completed which have resulted in changes to improve staff practice. The managers have notified external relevant professionals such as social workers and the local authority designated officer (LADO). However, they have failed to notify Ofsted about these concerns. This has reduced Ofsted’s capacity to monitor safeguarding arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team is suitably qualified and experienced. Managers are dynamic and child focused. Managers and staff demonstrate strong commitment to providing good quality care. The staff meet regularly as a team and prioritise the children’s needs. Open discussions about staff practice support a professional culture in which challenge is accepted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have sustained positive relationships with parents and professionals, who provided consistently good feedback about the strength of communication and care. Parents and professionals see the progress of children and recognise the impact and the difference that the centre has made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal quality-of-care reviews are of a good standard. The managers have implemented an effective system for regular auditing and monitoring of practice. As a result, opportunities for continuous improvement are captured and acted on effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The deputy manager has implemented a detailed process to review staff members’ performance and identify areas for development. Staff receive regular practice- related supervision sessions. Individual practice issues are addressed, and plans are Inspection report children's home: SC457780 5 generated to help staff develop their practice. However, these sessions do not routinely include reflective conversations about the staff’s own well-being. Consequently, opportunities have been missed to provide staff with the personal support they may need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Retention and recruitment of staff have been difficult. The children have a high level of needs, and there has been a heavy reliance on agency workers. On occasions this has led to more than 50% of staff on shift being from an agency. Where possible, the managers use regular agency staff to ensure consistency for the children. However, this does lead to additional pressures for the permanent staff, who oversee the planning and quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Fire safety equipment checks and actions in response to the fire risk assessment have not been carried out in accordance with the home’s fire safety procedures. Several fire doors were observed to be wedged open during the inspection. The fire shutter in the kitchen has not closed properly since January 2024. This reduces the effectiveness of fire safety measures. Inspection report children's home: SC457780 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, 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

actions identified in the fire risk assessment are completed;

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Requirement Due date

weekly checks on fire doors and equipment are clearly recorded and the faulty kitchen shutter is repaired. 29 March 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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

the building and specialist equipment are maintained to a good standard;

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Requirement Due date

curtains or privacy film are fitted to ensure children’s privacy;

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Requirement Due date

the heating system is repaired so that the temperature in the building can be easily changed. 19 April 2024 Inspection report children's home: SC457780 7 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 29 March 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that no more than half the staff on duty at any one time, by day or night should be from an external agency. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 54, paragraph 10.17)  The registered person should ensure that staff supervision enables staff to reflect and act upon how their own feelings and behaviour may be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 39, paragraph 8.15)  The registered person should ensure that children see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon, including the choices offered to children for evening meals. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should produce a children's guide in an accessible format.

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Recommendations

In particular, include how to contact the Office of the Children's Commissioner. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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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 children's home: SC457780 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Director of Children and Young People, London Borough of Brent, 4th Floor, Civic Centre, Engineers' Way, Wembley, London HA9 0FJ

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Inspector

Rachel Watkinson, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC457780 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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