Children's home run by Waves Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2748089 1 Registered provider: Waves Care Ltd

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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 children’s home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties and associated complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of the 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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2748089 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide good care to the child. They have started to build positive relationships with her based on mutual respect. Staff understand her needs and clear plans are in place to meet them. The child said that staff give her trust and are honest. As a result, she is open to the care and support that they offer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good effective relationships with a range of people. This includes with the child’s responsible authority, who are complimentary of the staff. They express confidence in the care that the staff provide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child receives good support in all areas of need. This includes her health, and educational, social and emotional needs. Staff are continually learning about her health needs. They show a strong commitment to ensuring that they meet these needs. Staff have registered the child with relevant health professionals. The child has started to access them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager is working with the responsible authority to determine how best to support the child’s education. The manager and staff recognise the importance of education. They are identifying an interim plan until a suitable alternative provision is in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s psychotherapist and responsible authority work together to meet the child’s emotional and mental health needs. The psychotherapist provides support to help understand the child’s therapeutic needs. Staff have received relevant training that includes therapeutic parenting. This supports the way that they care for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the views of the child, which they gain in several ways. Regular discussions and one-to-one sessions provide opportunities for her to give her views. These views and suggestions contribute to her plans. The child confidently expresses her views outside of these sessions. This demonstrates the relaxed and open culture within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child benefits from staff who are committed to meeting her day-to-day needs. Staff promote a range of activities to engage the child, while recognising that she has been at the home for a short while. The child is, however, already making progress and building relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the value of continued family relationships and support the child to keep in touch with her family. Inspection report for children’s home: 2748089 3

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

Clear safeguarding procedures are in place and staff know them well. Staff demonstrate good safeguarding practice which is child-centred. Staff focus their practice on keeping the child safe. Assessments of risks are detailed and specific to the child. However, a gate into the drive is not always kept closed. This means that it is possible for unwanted individuals to access the premises.

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

Staff are aware of the risks of children going missing and have responded well to the triggers that suggest the child may go missing. As a result, the child has not gone missing from this home.

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

Detailed assessments outlining the risks of child sexual exploitation are in place. Staff have a clear understanding of how to respond should this become a concern.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s needs and have received training specific to these needs. This helps to ensure that the child receives the best possible care and that staff do this in a safe way. However, lone working processes and assessments are not fully clear. The manager has been assessing staff competency in this area.

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

Staff use a variety of methods to help the child to feel safe. These include consistent approaches to how staff communicate and empathise with the child. This supports good relationships to grow. It also ensures that the child feels safe and well cared for. Additionally, staff ensure that clear and consistent boundaries are in place. These boundaries further support the child to feel safe and well cared for. The child said that staff are ‘being themselves’, and that the relationships she has with them are based on respect.

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

All staff are vetted before starting employment. However, an aspect of this process is weak. Specifically, managers do not pay enough attention to ensuring the accuracy of dates on an applicant’s CV, application form and references.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is driven and committed to providing a good service. She shows a good understanding of the needs of the child while also still getting to know her. The manager has ensured that processes are in place to check the progress of the child. These include one-to-one sessions with a key worker.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The progress that the child is making is already evident. The manager is working with the responsible authority with regard to the child’s education and how this need can be best met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel helped and supported with their learning and development. The manager is committed to their continued development. A detailed induction plan is in place. However, some staff have not fully completed this and some records are without Inspection report for children’s home: 2748089 4 managerial sign-off. Additionally, some staff probationary periods are extended without clear reasons and timescales for completion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular reflective supervision and speak positively about this. However, the time started and the duration are not recorded. This means that the length of a supervision is not always evident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work to address areas of weakness. They do this through regular team and management meetings. The involvement and contributions of the staff constitute a strength, and leaders and managers recognise this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is confident to challenge other professionals when services fall short. She also chases documents from professionals when needed to enable staff to work effectively with the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers promote equality, diversity and inclusion. For example, a range of different foods are available to the child. The staff team is diverse, and this is reflected in a culture wall on entry to the house. Inspection report for children’s home: 2748089 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 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 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, 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

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the accuracy of dates that a person started and left employment. Ensure full and accurate details across applications for employment. 9 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2748089 6

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure that the home offers a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene, etc.). In Particular, appropriate guidance should be in place to ensure that unwanted individuals cannot access the grounds. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications). Staff induction staff should be completed within timescales, including the completion of any induction workbook. Completion of probation should

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Recommendations

be clear and have end dates. Probation should not continue indefinitely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.8)  The registered manager should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). The time and duration of the supervision must be recorded on the supervision document. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered manager should ensure that if it is likely that there might only be one member of staff on duty at any time, the manager should make a formal assessment of the implications for children’s care, including any likely risks. This assessment should be recorded and available for inspection by Ofsted and placing authorities.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.18)

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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: 2748089 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Alpha House, 296 Kenton Road, Harrow HA3 8DD

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Inspector

Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2748089 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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