Children's home run by Protea Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2702515 1 Registered provider: Protea Care 2 Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced manager, who registered with Ofsted on 17 September 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living at 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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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 for children’s home: 2702515 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2702515 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled and relaxed in their home. They have developed positive relationships with the staff caring for them. They have also developed a good rapport with each other, where their interactions are like that of siblings. This adds to the welcoming feel of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

External professionals speak positively about the progress children have made since moving to the home. They describe them as benefiting from living in a homely and comfortable environment. These positive comments are testament to the good work that staff carry out with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are attending education. Two children are travelling some distance to school as it allows them to maintain continuity in their education. The manager is giving consideration to them moving to schools closer to the home because the children will be remaining in the home long term.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s views are included in all aspects of their care planning. This ensures that that the children know that they are listened to and that their opinions matter about the care and support they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are healthy. The staff place a great emphasis on ensuring that children’s diet is nutritionally balanced, which includes healthy snacks. Children contribute to the menu and so get a choice in the meals provided in the home. This is assisting them to widen their food choices by trying new foods.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have additional learning needs are undergoing the relevant assessments to determine their needs. This is to ensure that they can get the right levels of support from the school or further education college they may attend in the future. These identified needs are also highlighted in children’s care plans and so provide staff with guidance about meeting the children’s learning needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s daily routines replicate those of a sibling group. They take part in group outings as well as going out with staff alone. The group outings assist with bonding in the wider household, which children fondly refer to as their family. The manager and staff also ensure that children go on trips with staff to further their own interests, which helps children with developing their own identity. Children also have arranged visits with their family or former carers. If needed, these visits are facilitated by the staff. These visits enable the children to maintain continued relationships with their family members irrespective of distance. Inspection report for children’s home: 2702515 4

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

The home experienced an unsettled period. This involved a significant increase in incidents of children requiring physical intervention to keep them safe from harm. Staff successfully managed children’s behaviours that challenged them. The leaders and managers decided to help a child move on from the home and helped to find the child another home that was more suited to their needs. This action was necessary because the child’s behaviour was impacting on other children. The home is much calmer, and incidents have been minimal in number, duration and intensity.

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

Staff provide children with firm behavioural boundaries. Children have not gone missing from the home, and staff know how to respond should this occur. Staff implement safeguarding measures to ensure that children are protected from harm. The staff work with children to inform and educate them about various risk issues, including internet safety, stranger danger and the risks associated with exploitation. An external professional said in relation to one child, ‘Trusted staff to keep him safe.’ The professional also stated, ‘Staff keep him safe while allowing him to take risks as a young adult.’

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

The staff maintain a good relationship and a rapport with children during difficult times. The staff strive to help children to develop an understanding of the potential risks they face. This helps children learn how to keep themselves safe from harmful situations. Similar work is also carried out with the younger children in an age-appropriate way to help them understand the importance of keeping safe.

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

When allegations are made about staff practice or conduct, these are responded to appropriately by the manager and leaders. The manager and leaders have managed the allegations efficiently and effectively. The manager ensures that Ofsted is notified of significant events within the required timescales.

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

Children’s individual risk assessments are updated to reflect children’s current risks and vulnerabilities. The manager and staff also learn from previous situations that have arisen with children. This ensures that staff maximise any learning opportunities and insight gained through the events.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is ambitious for the children and wants the best for them. He is equally as ambitious for the staff. He works hard to ensure that staff are always developing their skills, understanding and knowledge. This has resulted in some staff developing and being promoted into management positions in other homes in the organisation. The manager is currently developing newly promoted staff in this home and providing some new starters with a good and solid induction that will help them to continue providing children with good care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and responsible individual have a good working relationship. They work together to ensure that children receive good-quality care and promote successful Inspection report for children’s home: 2702515 5 outcomes for them. External professionals commend the manager and staff for how they work in collaboration with other agencies to ensure that children receive the services they need and make progress. The manager and responsible individual will challenge decision-making that is not in the best interests of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers provide a positive environment where staff feel valued and fully part of the wider organisation. Staff say that they enjoy coming to work. They care deeply for the children and feel supported by managers and their team. Consequently, staff morale is good, and this helps children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a monthly auditing system. This informs his overall assessment as to how the home is functioning. The manager also uses the monthly independent visitor’s report to help him understand the strengths of the home and areas to improve. The manager and leaders have comprehensive development plans for the staff and the home going forwards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is diverse and made up of people of various ages with different life and work experiences. This enables the children to develop bonds with those from various backgrounds and helps children to have positive role models of staff from different backgrounds to them. For example, children have experienced differences with tastes in music, hobbies, food and life experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager received some very good feedback from a social worker who said, ‘[Name of child] has learnt to trust adults again. I know she is being cared for in a way that is always attuned to her individual needs.’ This approach is ensuring that children and staff are continually developing and make good progress in a safe environment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2702515 6

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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: 2702515 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Protea Care 2 Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 317 Horn Lane, London W3 0BU

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Inspector

Sonia Hay, Ofsted Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2702515 8 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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