Children's Home run by Halls Homes for Young People Ltd in Luton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 1 Registered provider: Halls Homes For Young People Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned by a small, independent provider. The home can provide care for up to three children with emotional and social difficulties and/or mild learning disabilities, between the ages of 10 and 18.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2021.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as requires improvement to be good at the full inspection in April 2024. An assurance visit on 29 July 2024 identified serious and widespread concerns. A compliance notice regarding the leadership and management of the home was served with a restriction of accommodation. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s progress in meeting the steps set out in the compliance notice and assess the provider’s adherence to the restriction of accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has adhered to the restriction of accommodation. At the time of this visit, two children were living at the home. No children have moved in since the last full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has met the majority of steps set out in the compliance notice. The steps that have not been met have been reissued as requirements. These do not have a direct impact on children’s care or safety.

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This monitoring visit

There have been improvements in how staff respond to a child regularly going missing from the home. The manager has provided staff with clear guidance on the action to take when this happens. Staff are aware of what to do, and records show that they are following the instructions. Staff make numerous calls to the child and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 2 their family members. Staff make visits to the location to check the child’s physical well-being. The manager has thoughtfully evaluated each incident. Overall, the staff make every effort to ensure that the child is safe when they are away from the home.

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This monitoring visit

On one occasion, two staff failed to follow a child’s risk assessment. This failure has been appropriately investigated. Staff have met the actions that have been set. One staff member has had further safeguarding training, and the other staff member has yet to do this. The local authority designated officer (LADO) has been consulted about the investigation. The manager has undertaken training courses to enhance her knowledge. She is aware of the previous failings and has identified learning to ensure that safeguarding incidents are managed in the future.

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This monitoring visit

The staff use consequences to impose agreed safety rules and boundaries. Two relate to a child struggling to end phone calls at the agreed time. Following some consequences, the child has been spoken to, to determine the child’s understanding. The manager has provided an in-depth analysis of the child’s decisions and the responses from staff. This demonstrates that the manager has an understanding of the child’s needs and ensures that staff responses are proportionate.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has written a new care plan that incorporates a child’s neurodiversity and how this influences their day-to-day lived experience. Staff are provided with helpful scripts to support a child when they are becoming upset. The frustration and anger that is expressed by the child has been reframed for staff in line with trauma- informed practice. This helps to build staff resilience and increases their understanding of the child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Supervision sessions for staff are high quality. The manager speaks with staff about interactions that they have had with children, and supports them to reflect on ways to improve their practice. The manager recognises the commitment and resilience of staff.

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This monitoring visit

Since the assurance visit took place, it was identified that an allegation had been made about the manager by a child. This was not recorded anywhere in the home’s records. This was shared with the inspector by the LADO. Since the allegation was made, the child has moved out. At the time the allegation was made, it was investigated by the responsible individual, who is a close family member of the manager. During the registration process, this conflict of interest was raised and the provider made assurances that if an allegation was made about the manager, that the responsible individual would not investigate this. However, in practice this has not been the case. Therefore, the conflict of interest remains. The policies fail to provide an effective process to follow for an allegation about the manager.

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This monitoring visit

It is still unclear whether the responsible individual has sent the investigation to the LADO or whether they have contacted them to discuss this. This means that Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 3 appropriate multi-agency consultation may not have taken place. Given the family conflict, this consultation is necessary.

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This monitoring visit

Following the investigation, the responsible individual did not pass details of the investigation to the manager’s supervisor. The manager has not discussed this with their supervisor or been given an appropriate reflective space to consider the incident and any learning.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual continues to be unable to fulfil the requirements of the role. A recruitment strategy to identify a replacement responsible individual is ongoing. The manager is working to find a knowledgeable and experienced individual who has a proven track record of improving standards.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not yet completed an audit of the quality of care. This is in progress.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not yet had their annual appraisals. This limits their professional development.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/04/2023 Full Inadequate 07/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 4

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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 with 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.

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7) (b)) 15 October 2024

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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; 1 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 5 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 October 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a workforce development plan is in place, covering all aspects of staffing at the home, as set out in regulation 16, schedule 1. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 6

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halls Homes For Young People Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 66 Drayton Road, Luton LU4 0PH

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Inspector

Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2628612 8 to 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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