Children's Home run by Stonelake London Limited in Brent

Inspection report for children's home: 1264048 1 Registered provider: Stonelake London Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that can provide care for up to four children aged 11-17 who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The home provides medium- to long-term care on a planned basis and in an emergency.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in September 2017. The manager was registered in December 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 1264048 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/07/2023 Full Good 26/04/2022 Full Good 02/02/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 1264048 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When it is time for children to move on from the home, staff make every effort for this to happen in a sensitive and planned way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The two children currently living at the home are happy and settled. One child said, ‘Staff are amazing, they all have qualities that help.’ Both children get on well with each other and staff describe their relationship as sibling-like.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy the meals that are cooked for them and appreciate activities that staff arrange for them. They enjoy going to the cinema and to the bowling alley.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are attending school and are making good academic progress compared to when they first arrived. The oldest child has a positive influence on the younger child and encourages them to attend school. They often travel to school together. Staff reward the children for their good school attendance. This motivates them to keep attending school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend medical appointments. They rearrange appointments when children struggle to attend and make a referral to specialist services when they feel that a child would benefit from additional support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in key-work sessions. This gives them a chance to think about why professionals are worried about them. Children also have regular meetings. This gives them an opportunity to share their feelings and concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence skills. For example, children learn how to cook and about personal hygiene.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to have time with their family. One child has enjoyed going on a number of holidays with their family. The child’s parent said they have seen an improvement in their child’s response to rules and boundaries since they moved into the home.

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

Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities well. Staff work with safeguarding agencies and local authorities to ensure that children’s welfare is safeguarded.

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

The registered manager ensures that staff are trained in how to manage different behaviours that children may display. After incidents have occurred, children are offered a reflective discussion with a member of staff. This gives children the opportunity to understand the different ways they can display their emotions. Inspection report for children's home: 1264048 4 When children go missing from the home, staff take prompt action. However, when a child returns home, staff do not always engage with the child to help them to understand what may have happened while they have been away from the home. Staff do not always ensure that return home interviews are requested. On the rare occasion when these have taken place, senior leaders have not always requested information from the interview.

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

All staff are safely recruited and suitably qualified to meet the needs of the children.

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

When consequences are used, staff do not always look at whether the consequence is effective in helping the child make better decisions.

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

The registered manager is dedicated to making sure that children have positive experiences. However, there is not always enough focus on the accuracy of children’s records or making sure that they are stored properly. For example, staff do not always sign the designated sheet when they administer or witness controlled medication being given to a child. Children’s missing-from-home records are not always completed in full. Not all children’s medical plans are up to date.

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

Senior leaders make use of appropriate monitoring systems to analyse children’s care. This helps them to understand the children’s progress and experiences and when additional support is needed. However, the review of quality of care lacks analysis and feedback.

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

Senior leaders have not notified Ofsted of all serious incidents. This limits the regulator’s oversight of safeguarding concerns and how senior leaders have taken steps to safeguard children.

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

Staff feel well supported. They make sure that the home has a family feel for the children. They are offered regular supervision sessions with their line manager. These sessions enable them to discuss their practice and children’s progress. They have regular team meetings and training opportunities to help them develop a greater understanding of children’s specific needs.

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

Despite all the positive aspects of staff support, the registered manager was unable to locate the annual appraisal records for the staff. Inspection report for children's home: 1264048 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 registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all children’s case records are available on inspection and are accurate and properly completed. 30 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any [other] incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 30 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the missing child policy") setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b)) 30 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 1264048 6 In particular, the registered person must ensure that the missing-from-home policy includes details about return home interviews.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the quality of care review is submitted on time and includes analysis about the strengths and weaknesses of the home and includes feedback. 30 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff performance appraisals consider the views of children and professionals who have worked with the staff member. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences are reviewed to ensure that children understand why there are concerns about their behaviour. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that when a child returns home after being missing, the local authority provides the child with an opportunity to have an independent return home interview. Information from the interview is important to ensure that risks are reviewed and that measures are in place to protect the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45,

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Recommendations

paragraph 9.30) Inspection report for children's home: 1264048 7

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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: 1264048 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stonelake London Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinckot House, 211b Station Road, Harrow HA1 2TP

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Inspector

Chelsea Agyeman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1264048 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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