Children's Home run by Wandsworth Borough Council in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 1 Registered provider: Wandsworth Borough Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority runs this service. It provides care and accommodation for up to eight children with autism, learning disabilities and associated conditions.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is on the same site as two other children’s homes. All the children living in the home attend the organisation’s school located on the same site.

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Information about this children’s home

There were seven children living in the home at the time of this visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is vacant.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 29 November 2023

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The children currently living in the home have made some progress. However, shortfalls in the quality of care provided have limited this progress. There is instability in the staff team, and this has resulted in the high use of agency staff. On some occasions, there are insufficient staff to support children in line with their risk assessments and care plans. This leaves children at risk.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children have limited access to activities in the home as some equipment is locked away in cupboards. Furthermore, staff do not always positively engage with children or arrange structured and purposeful activities. During the inspection, some staff were observed standing over children rather than interacting with them. Staff do not always role model positive behaviours during mealtimes and children were observed using their hands to eat their evening meal. This does not promote children’s welfare or help them to fulfil their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Arrangements to support children’s health needs are insufficient. Plans to support children’s complex healthcare needs are not always informed by children’s medical professionals. Some children with epilepsy do not have seizure protocols that fully guide staff about how to manage this. Furthermore, some medication is not always given as prescribed and has been changed to ‘as and when required’ without consultation with medical professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have the relevant training to ensure that children can communicate and raise concerns. However, staff rely on children pointing or taking them to what they would like. During the inspection, no communication aids were used with the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s views are not consistently captured and do not always inform their care planning. For example, children were involved in learning about their medications; their purpose, colour, and how to say ‘no’ if offered the wrong medication. However, staff do not administer medication in line with these principles. Medication was observed being given to children in a busy living area, with little communication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is purpose-built and has many spaces where children can relax or play when they arrive home from school. However, staff do not always ensure that children’s dignity is respected. For example, the bathrooms lead onto the hallway and during the inspection one child came into the living area naked. Despite staff being aware of these issues, they do not adequately plan to avoid these occurrences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on from the home and one child has come to live at the home. Plans for children when they move into the home are well thought out and families appreciate the support that children have received. Progress for one child has been beautifully captured in a ‘My Journey Log’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 4

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

A serious allegation regarding the inappropriate conduct of a member of staff has not been sufficiently considered. Senior managers, while aware of concerns around staff practice, have failed to take appropriate and timely action to ensure that children are not at risk of harm. Consequently, a member of staff remained working in the home after an allegation was made. Furthermore, parents have not been kept informed.

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

Sufficient recruitment checks are not always undertaken for new staff. This does not ensure that children are protected from unsuitable people working in the home. There are no records to demonstrate that agency staff have been safely recruited by the agency supplying them. Furthermore, one member of staff has not worked within the parameters of their work permit.

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

Leaders and managers do not demonstrate sufficient professional curiosity and records lack detail. Incidents are not always reported. For example, there are no reports or systems to monitor patterns and trends of behaviour for children who may harm themselves.

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

Staff failed to take appropriate action when a child was seriously unwell after ingesting an unknown liquid. Medical advice was not followed to support this child to attend hospital when they became symptomatic. Furthermore, senior leaders have not ensured that sufficient staff with a first-aid qualification are on every shift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior leaders have poor oversight of the home. This has resulted in shortfalls in care practice and inadequate standards of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staffing insufficiency has impacted on the quality of care that children receive. A high proportion of agency staff are used. Staff are also frequently moved, meaning a lack of stability and consistency for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not feel supported by senior leaders and, at times, have not felt safe while working in the home. A high number of staff have left since the last inspection and there has been an increased use of agency staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered provider has updated the home’s statement of purpose. However, this has not been sent to the regulator as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite the shortfalls identified at this inspection, the home manager demonstrates sound knowledge and motivation to develop the service moving forward. Staff respect their leadership and the support that they offer through regular supervision and team meetings. Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 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

* 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

Regulation (12) (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii)(b)) 12 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 6 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises;

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Requirement Due date

and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are able to access activities safely in the home. 26 July 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

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 the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 7 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that 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 individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(d))

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The health and well-being standard is that—

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the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

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Paragraph (2) does not apply to medicine which—

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Requirement Due date

is stored by the child for whom it is provided in such a way that other persons are prevented from using it; and

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may be safely self-administered by that child. Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(a)(b)) 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 8 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the statement of purpose is sent to Ofsted each time it is updated. 26 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification.

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The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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develop positive relationships with them;

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and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; 26 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 9 regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review;

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is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staff support children to have the communication aids to consult children regularly.

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Requirement Due date

* This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person is responsible for leading a team which provides high-quality care for all children living in the home. They must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They should also play a key role in shaping the ethos of the home through developing a culture of high aspiration for children which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities offered to the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 10 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: 2683465 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Wandsworth Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 2PU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Penelope Doswell

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Inspectors

Hannah Cox, Social Care Inspector Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2683465 12 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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