Children's home run by Willow Tree Children’s Services Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 1 Registered provider: Willow Tree Children’s Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider and is registered to care for one child with a learning disability. It is set in a semi-rural location near a major town. There were no children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

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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: 15 November 2023

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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: 2680923 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home since the assurance inspection in February 2024. Planning for the child’s move was thorough, including two visits from staff to meet them and the child visiting the home. Staff were involved in the planning process and their views were taken into account when deciding if they could meet the child’s needs. A particular strength of the home was a video that was sent to the child of all the staff doing activities such as cooking, jumping on the trampoline and using the exercise bike to introduce themselves to the child before they moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child moved out in an unplanned way after two weeks living in the home, due to circumstances that could not have been predicted. Staff worked well as a team with the child, and records of incidents show how staff used their skills to support the child when they were distressed, to help calm situations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listened to the child and, were possible, their views and ideas are taken into account in the running of the home. The staff provided individualised care and daily experiences for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Joint working with others, including social workers, parents and the police, is evident throughout the pre-placement planning and the child’s time living in the home. Links with the local police community support officer helped to inform plans and decisions around the child moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education for children, both academically and socially. The manager has identified local schools, including those for children with special educational needs, ready for when a child moves in. When a child is out of education, staff engage them in rewarding activities to help them learn independence skills, as well increasing their self-esteem and sense of achievement. The one child who has been placed since the last inspection lived in the home during the summer holidays, and an education placement was being sought before their move into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Joint working with child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), to help support children who are in crisis or need additional emotional well-being support, is a positive in the home. Staff were successful in supporting the child to attend routine medical appointments, which previously they had been reluctant to do.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are keen for children to understand who they are and their experiences, including how they came to live in the home. Staff supported the child to learn about other cultures, through discussions about the child and the staff’s culture and heritage. Due to the child living in the home for a short time, this mostly revolved around general discussions about where they were from and the foods that they like. Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 4

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

Staff are confident in how to report any safeguarding concerns within the organisation. They know the process, including how to report to partner agencies when needed.

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

Due to the meticulous planning, staff had a positive understanding of the child’s needs and vulnerabilities before they moved into the home. Staff worked hard to try and make the child feel safe and secure in their new environment. Staff understood the child’s need to be in their local area and did all they could to protect them when they went missing from home. Staff remained with the child when they left the home and followed missing-from-home guidance that was individual to the child. Staff are confident in liaising with the police when necessary.

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

Staff responded well when the child was distressed and trying to harm themselves. Joint working with CAMHS and other medical professionals to support the child was positive.

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

Staff’s understanding of children’s behaviours has significantly improved since the last full inspection in November 2023. Additional training and workshops, as well as working in the provider’s supported accommodation homes, have helped staff to develop their skills and understanding of children and their presentation when they are upset, angry or distressed. The child’s plan to support them when they were upset or distressed was regularly updated, including the child’s views on any physical intervention that may have been required, demonstrating a highly individualised and child-centred approach to supporting them.

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

Records of incidents are clear and show that staff understood the child’s distress and how to respond. Staff used the organisation’s model and approach to care to support the child when frustrated. However, records do not always provide clarity on whether a physical intervention was needed, as this information is not easy to find in the reports.

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

Safer recruitment practices are followed to reduce the risk of unsuitable people caring for children. Children are protected from avoidable risks through routine checks and maintenance of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has recently changed its conditions of registration to provide care for children with learning disabilities. The senior leaders are experienced in working with children with learning disabilities and they are actively supporting staff to develop their skills through training with this focus in mind. The registered manager is constantly seeking to improve the home and wants the best experiences for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recently appointed registered manager has an excellent understanding of the home, the staff team and the areas that need to be developed. Having worked in the organisation previously, she has been able to use her experience to quickly effect change in the home. She is confident in the support she receives from the consultant Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 5 head of care, who visits the home weekly and is always available to talk to her on the phone.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has helped staff to use their training and experience of working with other children in the organisation to develop their skills and confidence. Staff are well supported by the registered manager. They have regular meetings with her and staff find this reassuring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they have renewed confidence in their own skills. They have reflected on the child’s placement and anything that they could do differently in the future. However, there is no clear record of this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is confident in talking to partner agencies and sharing her views on the care necessary for children. When it has been needed, she has been able to request additional services and to identify when practice has not been in the child’s best interests. Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that when a physical intervention has taken place, that the information can be easily located in the incident report, including timings of the hold and the staff who were involved. In addition, record when staff have had supportive discussions and reflections regarding children who have moved on from the home, so lessons can be learned. 29 November 2024

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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: 2680923 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Willow Tree Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2680923 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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