Children's Home run by Zone Central Ltd in Lewisham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 1 Registered provider: Zone Central 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 home registered with Ofsted in June 2020 and is privately run. It provides care for up to three children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 2 October 2024. A new manager is in place but has not submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. The inspector spoke to the child.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this inspection that a serious child protection allegation was being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 2

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The home was judged to be inadequate at the full inspection on 24 to 26 July 2024.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

As a result, a restriction of accommodation was imposed and two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, of The Children’s Homes Regulations (England) 2015. A monitoring visit took place on 3 September 2024; the compliance notices were deemed to be met and the restriction of accommodation was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2024 Full Inadequate 01/11/2023 Full Good 12/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/07/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 4

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved from the home and one child remains living there. No children have moved into the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers have tried to improve children’s daily experiences. Some progress has been made, but this has not been consistently successful. The child’s routine of sleeping during the day and being awake at night continues to impact on their education, health and well-being. Leaders and managers recognise that external factors are contributing to this and are making it difficult for them to make more progress with the child. They have been working closer with the child’s family. However, they have not sufficiently challenged the professional network to facilitate the necessary changes.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers successfully advocated for one child to receive education. A therapeutic intervention tutor is now in place, but the child’s current routine affects their ability to engage with the tutor.

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improvement to be good

The team sets activities for the child, taking into consideration their interests. For example, as the child loves dogs, staff brought a dog to the home. However, because there is a lack of routine, the child misses chances for new experiences.

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improvement to be good

The refurbishment of the home creates a warm and welcoming environment. The child has participated in the refurbishment and takes pride in their bedroom. Communal areas feel homely, and the staff address maintenance issues promptly.

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improvement to be good

Staff have built a strong relationship with the child. Some staff members spend quality time with children, sharing conversations and cooking. The child’s parent highlighted the team’s efforts to establish relationships with their child.

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improvement to be good

Leaders, managers and staff understand the importance of family to children. They have made sure that the child spends time with important family members, despite the distance needed to travel.

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improvement to be good

Leaders, managers and staff visited the child who has moved to a new home. This visit ensured that the important relationships between the children ended positively.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have introduced a new colour-coded system to assess children’s risk. This system has not performed as efficiently as expected. As a result, leaders and managers have overlooked some of the child’s current risks and Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 5 concerns. Furthermore, staff and managers lack professional curiosity. For example, staff do not make further enquiries or challenge when deliveries for the child are made to the home during the night or early hours of the morning. This prevents adequate safeguards from being put in place to protect the child.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers fail to ensure that staff monitor and manage children’s online activities effectively. The child continues to use their mobile phone throughout the night. Staff have not been able to implement boundaries to ensure that the child is safe online and has a healthy sleep routine.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have acted on a significant safeguarding concern. The home has conducted an internal investigation. Measures were implemented to tackle concerns related to safeguarding practices.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have advocated for reducing supervision for children at home and in the community. This change has empowered children to make choices and decisions.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have notified Ofsted of serious incidents as required. They also provide updates whenever their actions change. This approach ensures that the regulator maintains appropriate oversight of the home.

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good

Since the last inspection, leadership and management of the home have changed. The new leadership team is very new and in a period of transition. The responsible individual has completed the necessary application to Ofsted. The registered manager has left, and the deputy manager has stepped up to manage the home. However, they have not submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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good

Leaders and managers do not oversee records effectively. Children’s records show that staff do not always follow the child’s care plans and struggle to put in place boundaries. For example, an agreement with the child outlines clear expectations for TV use, yet the TV is on throughout most of the night.

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good

Leaders and managers have introduced a new model to ensure that staff receive effective supervision. However, this model allows untrained, inexperienced and unqualified staff to supervise their colleagues. Leaders and managers are reviewing the suitability of this arrangement.

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good

Staff said that leaders and managers are more present. Staff complimented the culture that is being created, saying that leaders and managers have got passion and vision. Professionals said that the new management team goes above and beyond in difficult circumstances. Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 6 Staff have attended various training sessions. This training has included ways to meet the child’s needs at home. Leaders and managers actively ensure that all staff are suitably qualified for their roles and responsibilities.

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good

Two requirements have been reinstated at this inspection and two new requirements have been raised. Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 7

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(viii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children must be provided with structured routines during school hours when they are not in education.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 11 December

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 11 December Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 8 understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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Requirement Due date

that the care is approved, and kept under review throughout its duration, by the placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that the care meets the child’s needs. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix) (3)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must support children to develop skills to improve their well-being, and children should have consistent daily routines so that they can sleep and eat well and are alert during the day to take part in meaningful activities.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— 11 December Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 9 there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 11 December

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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: 2590934 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Townsgate House, 2 8 Parkstone Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 2PW

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Inspector

Jo Tarbie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2590934 11 and inspects 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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