Children's Home run by Karenest Ilford Limited in Redbridge

Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 1 Registered provider: Karenest Ilford 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 privately owned home provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

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

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Information about this children's home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 26 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have built positive relationships with staff and managers and share their wishes and feelings with them. Staff encourage positive changes by respectfully discussing poor behaviours and praising children for good behaviours. Staff support children to make complaints when they have concerns and their concerns are taken seriously and addressed quickly. This ensures that children feel heard and can talk to staff openly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities in the home and in the community. They go out to eat together with staff in local restaurants and enjoy shopping activities together. One child enjoys cooking and baking, which has strengthened their independent life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain strong relationships with significant people in their lives. They are supported to meet with their families on special religious festivals and celebrate joyous occasions together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are understood and met. They are registered with local health services and attend routine health appointments. If there are concerns for children’s health and wellbeing, staff support children to attend specialist services for check-ups so that children receive the appropriate support and care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s progress in education is variable. The staff support children to prepare to start at mainstream schools and help them to purchase uniforms before starting. One child who was previously out of school now attends a mainstream school regularly. However, another child refuses to attend school or engage in any form of education at home. Staff have not consistently encouraged this child to participate in healthy routines and positive activities during the day.

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

Children live in a safe environment where risks are known and understood. They benefit from effective individual risk assessments, with clear strategies that help staff manage these risks. However, some known risks for children are not regularly addressed with them through key work sessions. This is a missed opportunity to help children learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

Keywork sessions address some of the children's needs and risks, such as self-harming, but overlook other critical issues such as exploitation. While staff demonstrate support by seeking children's feelings and understanding the triggers for their behaviours, there is a lack of follow-up on concerning issues. This has been recognised by the responsible individual who is supporting the registered manager to address this with staff.

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

Incidents are efficiently managed by staff who handle situations calmly and effectively de-escalate them. Children receive emotional support and if necessary, medical attention Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 4 following incidents. Incidents are carefully recorded which includes staff’s reflection and learning. In cases of serious incidents, the registered manager promptly notifies Ofsted as required.

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

Staff actively engage in efforts to prevent children going missing from the home. If children go missing from the home, staff respond promptly and inform all relevant safeguarding agencies and seek updates from professionals. When children return home, staff show professional curiosity, observing their appearances and inquiring about their whereabouts. Independent return home interviews are requested to gain insight into the reasons behind children’s missing behaviours.

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

If safeguarding concerns emerge, bedroom searches are conducted appropriately to safeguard children and mitigate risks effectively. Staff promptly remove any inappropriate items and engage children in discussions about risks. Staff are vigilant of the environment and ensure that it is free of objects that could potentially be harmful. This proactive approach helps to maintain a safe environment for children within the home.

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

Safer recruitment procedures are not robust. Recruitment checks do not consistently ex- plore staff’s employment history.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is overseen by a registered manager who is supported by an effective deputy manager and there is close support from the responsible individual. All three individuals demonstrate a strong understanding of children's needs and monitor their progress ef- fectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager work closely with staff to ensure that chil- dren receive good care in the home. Leaders and managers are ambitious and have high expectations of the staff. The registered manager and deputy manager challenge staff constructively when required to enable good practice and positive outcomes for children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers report allegations and incidents in a timely manner and ensure that there is good management oversight. Leaders and managers reflect on their prac- tices and consider all learning opportunities to ensure that there is consistent good prac- tice. Staff in the home understand and are clear about following procedures to ensure that allegations are immediately reported to the relevant persons.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers provide good support to staff. This enables staff to feel able to discuss challenges as well as further developmental opportunities. The registered man- ager and deputy manager offer additional training for staff to enhance their knowledge and skills. This means that they are able to meet the needs of the children they care for. Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 5 Staff receive regular supervision. Supervision covers a range of relevant areas such as staff wellbeing and updates on policies and procedures. However, children’s risks, needs, and progress are not discussed. This does not help staff reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regular and give staff opportunities to come together to talk about issues. Staff feel valued and contribute to the agenda. However, staff do not discuss chil- dren's presenting risks and needs in their meetings. This is a missed opportunity for them to reflect together on how they can support and care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable. This ensures that children receive consistency in their care. Staff are skilled and experienced and have the qualifications required to meet the needs of the children in their care. Leaders and managers are proactive and ensure that if there are shortfalls in staffing that they use regular agency staff who know the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager, deputy manager and staff work closely with children’s personal and professional networks. Feedback from professionals is positive about the leadership and management of the home and they report that communication is good. Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 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, 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

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff discuss children's risks, needs and progress in supervision as well as staff wellbeing and development.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been re-stated. 28 June 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff support children to understand risks and their vulnerabilities regularly to help them learn how to keep themselves safe. 28 June 2024

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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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. 28 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 7 (Regulation 32 (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they obtain information from staff about their employment history.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that team meetings support staff to focus on child related practice that enables them to support each child to achieve their potential. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 52, paragraph 10.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff provide appropriate opportunities including educational and social activities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home's plan for their care. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 31 paragraph 6.4)

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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 for children's home: 2744586 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Karenest Ilford Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2a, 420 Eastern Avenue, Ilford IG2 6NQ

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Inspectors

Amena Begum, Social Care Inspector Jade Nelson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2744586 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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