Children's home run by St Christopher’s Fellowship

Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 1 Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship

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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 home is registered to care for up to nine children with social and emotional difficulties. The home was registered with Ofsted in November 2018 and is run by a voluntary organisation in partnership with a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living in 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/05/2021 Full Good 12/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good care from staff who know them well. Staff know the children and understand their support needs. Children are encouraged to participate in making decisions about their care, and their views are recorded and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well and can speak about individual children’s support needs. Children enjoy living at the home, and one child said that they would advise new children moving into the home that the staff care about children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from carefully planned transitions when they move in and out of the home. Managers make an effort to ensure that children feel supported and confident when they are moving into independent living, and staff help children to settle in their new homes. For example, one child was being supported by staff to move their belongings and prepare their new home. The home has a staying in touch policy that encourages children who have moved out of the home to remain in contact. This helps children to feel valued and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children make progress considering their starting points. Children are supported to access educational provisions and are encouraged to study topics they find interesting. For example, one child has been supported to attend drama classes as a means of re- engaging with formal education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with a range of health professionals to promote the children’s well-being. Children are supported to access specialised health services in line with their care plans, and this means that children are able to get the help they need. For example, staff work with the crisis mental health team to reduce risks to one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have good-quality contact with people who are important to them. Managers and staff advocate for children to spend time with their families, and staff consider the importance of consistent contact arrangements for the children’s emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean and spacious. It is designed to consider the needs of children and to promote their learning and development. However, the food cupboard, art room and general cupboards are locked, which is not in line with the welcoming feel of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged by staff to undertake a range of activities. However, children do not always choose to participate in the offered activities and they spend extended periods of time in their rooms. Managers have discussed this with staff and continue to offer activities that consider the interests and views of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 4

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

Risk assessments and care plans are thorough and provide relevant information to assist staff. Staff collaborate with professionals to ensure that children’s care plans are individualised for each child. This helps staff to promote the safety and well-being of the children, using the information in risk assessments to inform their decisions. One child has complex support needs and staff are managing a high level of risk for them. Managers and staff work with social workers, the police and health professionals to promote the child’s well-being; however, this has not reduced the risks to the child.

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

Managers have introduced a therapeutic approach that uses dogs to provide children with different ways to support their emotional well-being. Managers and staff encourage the children to access therapeutic support within the home.

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

Staff use informal and formal conversations to support children to understand risks and to obtain children’s views. These key-worker sessions are reviewed to help staff consider the children’s ongoing support needs.

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

Allegations and complaints made by children are followed through by the manager, and feedback is given to children. This ensures that children know their concerns are listened to and considered.

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

Managers ensure that safer recruitment practices are in place. This ensures that staff are vetted before working at the home.

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

One child has moved into the home with complex needs. Although an impact assessment was completed, the child has not settled and has made minimal progress at the home. Managers did not ensure that all staff had specialised training to be able to understand and meet the child’s needs. This has not resulted in additional risks to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. They are due to go on maternity leave; a replacement manager has been identified and there is a clear handover plan in place to support the transition of managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a vision for the home and work jointly with professionals, children and colleagues to improve. Leaders and managers use systems to monitor the progress of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported to consider their career progression, and there is a clear workforce development and training plan in place. This aids staff in developing their skills and confidence when caring for children and in supporting each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that staff are supported to be reflective about their practice and how best to help children. However, agency staff do not always know relevant information Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 5 from children’s care plans, and they have not accessed all the training needed to assist them in understanding and anticipating the children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 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 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

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 staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the training and skills needed to meet the needs of the children. 16 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 16 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers should ensure that children are only admitted to the home if staff are able to promote their safety and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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; is necessary and proportionate;

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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. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that doors in the home are only locked if there is a clear health and safety need, and that this is reviewed for each individual child. 16 September 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged to spend time with staff and each other in the home and in local community, in line with the child’s plans, age and understanding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.7)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs; managers should understand the key Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 8 role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2495375 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Putney High Street, London, Wandsworth SW15 1SZ

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Inspectors

Nurnahar Bhuniya, Social Care Inspector Natalie Marshall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2495375 10 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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