Children's home run by Benjamin UK Ltd in Hammersmith and Fulham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 1 SC484671 Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to four children aged between 11 and 18 who experience social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered school on site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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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: 12 December 2023

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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: SC484671 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/12/2023 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good 10/01/2022 Full Good 03/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children were present during the inspection, and all spoke with the inspector. They say that they are happy at the home and want to continue to live there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has made progress in their emotional well-being. They spoke about the progress that they have made during the inspection. The child has reduced incidents of self-harming. They said, ‘The staff have helped my mental health.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are making progress in their education. Two children attend mainstream school after a significant period out of face-to-face education. Another child has significantly improved their attendance at the on-site school after a long period out of education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are safer for living in the home. They have experienced significantly reduced risks in relation to exploitation, substance misuse and going missing from care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop independence skills in line with their individual plans. They work towards increasing their free time in the community, and staff support children to learn how to cook and bake. Children are engaged in the local community. Some attend a local youth club. Another child is involved in collecting food for a local charity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a range of activities and are supported to develop lasting hobbies and interests. Two children often enjoy go-karting, and another child regularly goes horse riding. Children are involved in choosing and planning activities. Some children are experiencing activities such as going to the beach or the cinema for the first time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home employs a therapist, who supports children with regular one-to-one sessions. Due to communication issues between the home and the therapist, one child was not able to access therapy for several months after moving into the home. The child had some negative experiences during the absence of therapy support. They expressed that they needed to see the home’s therapist. Following this, communication between the therapist and the home improved and direct therapy was arranged.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently been redecorated. The garden is well maintained and welcoming. However, there are areas of the home that still require maintenance tasks. The kitchen sink has a broken tap, one sink has a missing support leg, and one shower has been broken since the last inspection. Furniture in the lounge is missing all door and drawer handles. This does not provide a welcoming or well-maintained environment for children. These maintenance tasks were addressed the day after the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 4

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

Children say that they feel safe and that staff care about them. A high number of incidents occur in the home. These are mostly managed effectively, and children are safeguarded from harm.

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

On one occasion, the relationships between children in the home became strained. The home recognised that this was no longer a safe, nurturing environment and took quick action to ensure the safety and well-being of all the children in the home.

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

The manager has acted appropriately in response to allegations made by a child. She referred all the allegations to the relevant safeguarding authorities. Internal investigations are carried out by a suitably skilled and qualified member of the senior management team. All safeguarding concerns are reported within the necessary time frames to the local authority designated officer and Ofsted.

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

One child moved on from the home in a quick way. The staff provided a short plan for this child, including sharing memory books, information about the next home and arranging for the manager to take the child to their new home. Despite this, the child found the move difficult.

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

Incidents of restraint are low. When restraint is used, it is necessary and proportionate, and it is carried out using trained restraint methods. The manager reviews the records of all incidents of restraint. However, the review of these is not dated and is not analytical. The reviews do not show if the manager feels that the restraint was necessary and proportionate and do not identify any learning. The manager has recognised that the current way of recording restraint incidents does not allow for the monitoring of trends and patterns. She has begun to develop her own monitoring system to do this. However, this is not yet analytical.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is supported by a stable and experienced senior management team. The manager is ambitious for the home and the children. She has high expectations for what the children can achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and say that they feel supported by the manager. The manager reviews most of the documents in the home herself and has good oversight of the children’s current needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff have up-to-date training. However, one member of the management team is out of date for several of his training courses. These courses are pertinent to his role and the needs of the children. This does not ensure that he has the knowledge and skills to lead the staff team in the care of children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 5 The manager works in line with the home’s ethos and chosen therapeutic behavioural model. She knows the children well and adapts the consequences in this model to fit their individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that the same agency staff are regularly used to provide continuity of care for the children. This has resulted in a decrease in significant incidents in the evenings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Assessments on the location of the home are comprehensive and up to date. They include risks pertinent to the children currently living at the home. These updates are shared in staff team meetings so that risks and opportunities are understood by the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s risk assessments are detailed and comprehensive and are updated when significant events occur. However, the wording of risk assessments in relation to one-to- one staffing is not clear and has caused confusion between staff about the staffing ratios in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that: documents are clear in relation to required staffing ratios; staff are aware of the required staffing ratios; staff are working in line with the required staffing ratios. 3 December 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

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that manager’s reviews of incidents and restraints are evaluative and consider the appropriateness of any intervention. 3 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— 3 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 7 the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are supported to access therapy in line with their relevant plans and the home’s statement of purpose.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing environment that meets children’s needs. In particular, ensure that plumbing facilities, such as taps, showers and sinks, are in working order and that furniture in the home has door and drawer handles. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC484671 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Benjamin UK Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Coach House, White House Court, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1FD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claudette Rudman

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Inspector

Andrea Bounden, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC484671 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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