Children's home run by London Paramount Care Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 1 Registered provider: London Paramount Care 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 run and provides care for up to eight children with learning disabilities and autism. Eight 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 August 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be 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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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, a variation in the home’s registration was agreed, to increase from five children to eight children. Although children have made some progress, concerns about how well children are helped and protected and the leadership and management of the home have affected the overall judgement.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always use appropriate language when describing children’s behaviour. For example, staff refer to a child having ‘attacked’ a staff member. The language used does not always demonstrate an understanding or consideration of children’s previous experiences. Children have the right to see their records and this language would not be appropriate for them to read.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always respond appropriately to children’s health needs. They do not always seek medical attention when required. Following one incident, a child was bleeding and staff did not seek medical advice. This could mean that children are not receiving appropriate treatment when required.

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improvement to be good

Despite efforts by the home to create a welcoming environment, some areas of the home require repair and refurbishment. Children live in individual flats, some of which are plainly decorated through children’s own choice, in line with their care plan. The home take effort to seek the views of parents and children to ensure they are each decorated to meet individual preferences.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children with education. Most of the children have school places. Staff support children to attend education. For one child who is waiting for an education provision, staff have identified a local youth group for them to attend which includes some learning opportunities. The manager has built positive links with a local school which four of the children attend.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s interests. Children take part in a range of activities, including trips to trampoline parks and to London and going on sensory drives. Staff understand what children enjoy doing.

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improvement to be good

Despite regular health and safety checks, managers and staff had not identified that a number of fire doors did not close fully. One fire door had been damaged and removed and this was not discussed with a fire professional. Not all actions from the fire risk assessment had been completed within the timescales set. The manager took immediate action to address these concerns during the inspection. A risk assessment was put in place and a contractor was contacted to carry out a fire door survey. Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 4 On occasion, staff have used physical restraint with children, which appears to have been proportionate. Although there is some management oversight of these incidents, managers do not always talk to staff or children about them afterwards. This reduces opportunities for reflection and learning.

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improvement to be good

Measures of control are not always regularly reviewed. One child wears a harness when out of the home, for safety reasons. This measure has been in place since before the child moved to the home but has not been reviewed since to ensure it remains safe and proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Missing-from-home incidents do not happen frequently. When they occur, staff understand the process to follow to report a child missing. When the child returns from being missing, they are not always welcomed back in a supportive way. Staff do not have meaningful conversations with children to explore where they were when they were out of staff’s sight.

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improvement to be good

Incidents and missing-from-home episodes have reduced. There has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents involving one child. However, leaders and managers have not taken the opportunity to explore the reasons behind this improvement. This lack of curiosity limits the provider’s understanding of what has made the difference and therefore the potential to repeat it.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are followed. There is an induction process for new staff, which helps them to learn their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager was promoted from deputy manager in April 2024. They registered with Ofsted in August 2024. The previous registered manager is still involved and is now the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight is not effective. Management evaluations do not acknowledge poor staff practice, such as failing to contact health partners following incidents of self- harm by children. This means that staff are not offered sufficient opportunities to learn from their practice and make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not always recognised when staff and children have not had debriefs following the use of restraint. This means the manager is not ensuring that children are given the opportunity to comment on what they have experienced during incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When concerns about staff practice are identified, leaders and managers do not provide staff with sufficient support to improve their practice. For example, one member of staff was set an action to be completed by a target date. However, they have not received sufficient support to achieve this. Their line manager has not modelled good practice in this area and the training related to the need is booked for after the target date. Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 5 Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff always receive the supervisory support they need. Staff supervisions have not always been regular. For example, there was a period of three months when no staff had supervision. Furthermore, one staff member has had no supervision for six months. Another supervision lasted for only 20 minutes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The independent person visits the home and produces a monthly report. However, there is a lack of feedback from other people. At the time of the inspection, feedback from children’s families had not been gathered by the visitor since April 2024. This means that the independent person is not gaining a thorough insight into the home and that the feedback they are given is almost entirely from within the home itself.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Notifications to Ofsted are not always made in a timely manner. Some notifications have been received several days after the notifiable incident took place. In addition, there are not clear systems in place for notifications to be sent at weekends. Although managers have taken other necessary action in respect of the incidents, the failure to notify promptly hinders Ofsted’s ability to regulate the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The shortfalls identified at the last inspection have not been fully addressed. Two requirements have been restated. In addition, six new requirements have been set.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager is qualified and dedicated to his role. He knows the children well and is aspirational for them. External professionals and families talk positively about the support offered and feel children have made progress. Staff talk positively about the support they receive. Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 20 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children and staff are routinely debriefed following incidents and that measures of control, including the use of harnesses, are reviewed to ensure they remain appropriate. 17 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 7 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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure repairs and refurbishment are done promptly to ensure children have a welcoming and homely environment to live in.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 10 January 2025

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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)(f)(h)) 31 January 2025

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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)) 17 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 8 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; and

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 20 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 31 January 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that information about the child is always recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2704264 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: London Paramount Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mardoc House, Spinney Gardens, Breachwood Green, Hitchin SG4 8BW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Pearce

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Inspectors

Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2704264 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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