Children's Home run by Brighter Horizon Homes Ltd in Croydon

Inspection report for children’s home: 2739386 1 Registered provider: Brighter Horizon Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children with learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in September 2023. There has been no registered manager since 27 December 2023. The appointed manager has not yet submitted a full 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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2739386 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality individualised care from staff who understand their individual needs and vulnerabilities. Children develop trusting relationships with staff and each other. Children’s plans and records are child-centred and detailed and reflect the child’s individual support needs and personalities well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their individual starting points. Their achievements include increased social and personal care skills, budgeting guidance and cooking skills, which help children to grow in confidence and become more independent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education needs are well met. Staff are working hard with the virtual school to ensure that a child who is waiting for a school place is completing schoolwork daily.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy. They play together, take part in fun activities such as karaoke, baking, arts and crafts and swimming. Children share their views at house meetings, which are arranged on a regular basis. These are opportunities for children to suggest and plan daily activities and meal plans alongside staff. Children are encouraged to make their views known, to reflect on their day and share any worries and successes that they have had.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to develop social and emotional skills through planned key-work sessions or ad hoc ‘children’s chats’ with staff. These sessions are handled sensitively by staff and are pitched at the level of the child’s understanding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use social stories and pictorial prompts to help children to communicate. One child’s understanding of their own social vulnerabilities has significantly increased with the successful use of a pictorial story, which has reduced the risks that they face. The child’s social worker said that the child now talks about personal space and ‘arm’s length’ as being a good indication of keeping an appropriate distance from someone that they do not know.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respect children’s cultural and religious preferences and ensure that children can access activities and interests that are meaningful for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to maintain positive and safe relationships with the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well furnished and decorated. Children’s rooms are spacious, tidy and clean and children can personalise their bedrooms. However, the back garden could be improved to be more child focused with the addition of play equipment and seating. Inspection report for children’s home: 2739386 3

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

Staff understand children’s risks well. They identify patterns of behaviour and know if there is an increased risk to children. This is reflected in children’s individual behaviour management plans, which help staff to manage situations safely. Staff are attuned to the children’s behaviours and can recognise behavioural triggers early, which reduces children’s anxieties and helps them to settle at the home.

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

Staff are trained in de-escalation techniques and have been successful in using these. Physical intervention is rare. On the occasion that a physical hold was used, it was a proportionate measure to safeguard the child. However, the recording of the incident could be improved.

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

Incidents are managed well with effective and appropriate action taken in response to these with management oversight recorded.

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

Key-work sessions are held with children to address incidents of concern. The managers and staff work collaboratively with other agencies and partners in response to any safeguarding concerns. This ensures that information is shared and that a holistic approach and plan of support can be agreed to promote the child’s welfare and well-being. However, reporting of these incidents to Ofsted should be timelier.

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

Managers take allegations and safeguarding matters seriously. They follow the home’s safeguarding procedures, and their responses to any concerns are thorough.

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

Staff complete safeguarding training during their induction and undertake relevant ongoing training. This has helped to create a knowledgeable and skilled staff team and increases children’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager is supported by an experienced deputy manager. The management team knows the children very well and demonstrates insight, empathy, affection and understanding towards the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team is supported by an experienced responsible individual, who provides regular supervision to the manager. Leaders and managers share an ambitious vision for the home and promote an open and learning team culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel valued and that ideas they put forward are listened to. Staff say that they enjoy their work. One staff member said that they are proud to be part of the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders invest in the staff team, ensuring that the staff are appropriately qualified. Senior leaders support the management team to access advanced training in order to deliver quality in-house training to the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2739386 4 Staff receive regular, good-quality supervision and attend regular team meetings, which provide opportunities to discuss children’s progress, reflect on staff practice and to identify individual training needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that the home’s care planning processes are effective. Management monitoring tools and case trackers are effective in identifying areas for development and help to support children’s progress and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team demonstrates a commitment to listening to the views of the independent person and has acted on recommendations made in the external monitoring reports. Leaders and managers are open to challenge and to ideas for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2739386 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that incidents of restraint are evaluated with scrutiny, taking into consideration any possible learning outcomes that can be implemented in children’s risk management plans and to support the development of staff. 20 May 2024

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Recommendations

 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)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment. In particular, provide play opportunities or activities in the back garden for the children to encourage their social development through play. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2739386 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Brighter Horizon Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: International House, 109-111 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8JA

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Inspector

Amanda Burrows, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2739386 7 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 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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