Children's Home run by Motherwell Care Ltd in Croydon

Inspection report children's home: 2689061 1 Registered provider: Motherwell Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to four children aged between eight and 17 who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The home registered with Ofsted on 7 July 2023. There has been a registered manager in post since May 2023.

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Information about this children's home

One child was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2689061 2

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improvement to be good

The shortfalls in leadership and management and help and protection have led to an inspection judgement of requires improvement to be good. Despite this, the child has made progress in some areas and issues about their wellbeing and safety have reduced.

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improvement to be good

There is good engagement in education, a significant reduction of missing-from- home incidents, and a reduction in anti-social behaviour requiring police involvement. The child’s family and professionals acknowledge the child’s progression. The child said that he would like to remain in the home until he is an adult.

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improvement to be good

Detailed plans for the child are devised in consultation with professionals and the child’s previous placement staff. These are written to the child and show empathy. This will be helpful and meaningful to the child should they want to access their files now or later in life.

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improvement to be good

Staff have produced a life-story book with the child so that memories can be captured. A variety of key-work sessions are carried out, which are recorded in detail and include the child’s views. The child enjoys purposeful activities and leisure opportunities with staff, which helps to build their confidence and self-esteem. This promotes the child’s social development and community participation.

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improvement to be good

Staff advocate for the child and have supported him to make a complaint. The child has access to the children’s guide and has weekly meetings where he can share his views and influence the care provided to him. The home is welcoming and is decorated to a high standard. The child lives in comfortable surroundings.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff were appropriately recruited before they started work at the home. Insufficient oversight meant that not all relevant checks were recorded on the homes recruitment records. These practices were not in line with the home’s safer recruitment policy.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion a member of staff left the home for an emergency without notifying managers, which left only one member of staff on duty. The child, who was not allowed to leave the home unaccompanied, was able to leave the home unnoticed and was missing for a short length of time. Leaders have responded appropriately including updated the child’s risk assessment. Inspection report children's home: 2689061 3 The child has a detailed risk assessment which considers the child’s history risks and triggers for any negative behaviours and the strategies to manage these. The child’s behaviour management plan clearly sets out how the child’s needs including health and education will be met.

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improvement to be good

When concerns have arisen regarding staff conduct, the manager has addressed these in line with the organisation’s disciplinary policy. These actions protect the safety of children.

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improvement to be good

When the child has gone missing from the home, staff have followed the correct procedures in line with the home’s policy helping to keep children safe. However, the missing-from-home and safeguarding records are insufficient and lack detail. They do not always provide a clear chronology of the event or actions taken by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leadership and management of the home has not been robust. This inspection identified a number of shortfalls in management oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

On one occasion, serious misconduct allegations against a member of staff were substantiated. Despite this, there was a delay in notifying Ofsted. This means that Ofsted is unable to monitor and evaluate responses to serious incidents in a timely manner. Following the member of staff’s return to work, actions identified from the misconduct hearing have not been addressed, and this has not been followed up by the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have failed to ensure that all monthly reports are completed in line with regulations. The monthly monitoring reports require improvement, and the independent person’s visits failed to identify recruitment practice consistent with the homes policy. In addition, the reports have not been received every month since the home opened and are often delayed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff induction programme is comprehensive and includes some good learning opportunities that help to equip staff with the knowledge and skills they require. The induction programme is monitored by the manager and feedback is provided to staff on their performance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The team is new and still developing. Staff said that they feel supported and that their views and suggestions are listened to by the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff supervision sessions and team meetings occur regularly. Records from these are detailed, and the meetings are purposeful. Records from supervision sessions demonstrate that the registered manager nurtures staff, cares about their well-being and is open to suggestions. Inspection report children's home: 2689061 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

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

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than a registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow the individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3)

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph 3 (d) has not been met if – The registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of the schedule are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised supervised while carrying out the individual duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of the schedule, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a) (b) ) (7) (a) (b) (c)(d) (8)) 12 July 2024 Inspection report children's home: 2689061 5 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if – there is an allegation of abuse against the home or person working there; there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. Regulation 40 (4) (c) (e) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once a month. When the independent person is carrying out a visit the registered person must help the independent person-

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires 12 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the quality of the recordings of keyworker sessions are purposeful, and evaluative, so that they are helpful to a child. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations, including the quality standards' page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2689061 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Motherwell Care Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 21-23 Croydon Road, Caterham, Surrey, CR3 6PA

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Inspector(s)

Harby Bashir, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 2689061 7 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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