Children's Home run by Ravensbourne Project in Lewisham

Inspection report for children’s home: 1257289 1 Registered provider: Ravensbourne Project Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This short-break residential home and day service registered with Ofsted in July 2017. It provides care for children with learning or physical disabilities and/or sensory impairments. The home offers overnight short breaks for up to five children aged between eight and 18, provided that two of the five children are siblings of the same gender. The home operates on weekends, during term time and throughout all holiday periods. Children using the overnight short-break service stay on either a Friday or Saturday night.

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Information about this children’s home

A total of 16 children use the overnight short-break service. At the time of the inspection, eight children were attending the day service, and five of the children were using the overnight service.

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Information about this children’s home

There are two registered managers at the home. One manager, who registered with Ofsted in October 2019, is on leave due to long-term sickness. A second manager registered with Ofsted in July 2024 and has managed the home since the last 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1257289 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/08/2023 Full Good 28/02/2023 Full Good 21/07/2021 Full Good 01/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1257289 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well cared for by experienced and committed staff. They make sure that children and their families feel welcomed and listened to. Before children start, staff make thoughtful and detailed plans. They speak with children’s parents about children’s individual likes and dislikes. They visit children at school and arrange introductory visits. Transitions take place at the child’s pace, which helps them settle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy their stays and spend time participating in various well-planned activities, including creative play, gardening and cooking. The sensory room with lighting, music, cushions, and a new sensory pod enhances children’s sensory experiences. Children enjoy activities in the community. They have trips to the pantomime, the farm and the park, and they visit the local shops.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supervised closely and enjoy individual attention from staff. Staff set achievable goals for the children. They consult the children and their parents when setting these goals. Children make good progress. One parent said that their child has started interacting with other children for the first time since staying at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children lead their play. Staff seek advice from parents and school staff about children’s preferred methods of communication. They use different methods of communication to engage with nonverbal children, including social stories, symbols, and the Picture Exchange Communication System, as well as visual and verbal prompts. Staff set out different activities each day and support children to express their preferences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and well equipped to meet children’s individual needs. Staff ensure that bedrooms are prepared for each child’s stay. Children are encouraged to bring personal items from home. Some children have night lights, comfort blankets and teddies, which helps them settle.

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

Staff understand the children’s complex health needs. Together, staff and parents make plans and agree on strategies for how to best support each child. Specialist support, advice and training for staff are sought when needed. For example, they receive training on how to use an EpiPen and how to manage a child’s dietary needs.

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

Children know the routines in the home. Staff know the children well and work cohesively to provide them with care and support. Staff are skilled in using de-escalation techniques to manage difficult situations. They record incidents of concern and collaboratively reflect on them. Staff discuss whether different strategies could be used and, when needed, amend children’s plans. Children feel safe, which helps to prevent incidents from occurring in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257289 4 Staff receive safeguarding training. They know how to recognise, report and act on any safeguarding concerns that may arise. The home has improved its safer recruitment procedures and vetting of new staff.

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

New closed-circuit television (CCTV) has been installed throughout communal areas of the home. Leaders and managers do not demonstrate how the policy in place to support the purpose and function of this equipment is specific to the home, with the intention to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and suitably qualified manager and responsible individual manage the home, and they are supported by a deputy manager. Together, they lead an experienced and stable staff team. The registered manager encourages a collaborative approach. There are daily meetings with the staff to discuss the children’s plans and their progress. The team is focused on children’s enjoyment and safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings and individual supervision sessions provide staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice and share their views and ideas. However, a lack of goal setting and feedback from external professionals and children limits the quality of performance appraisals and supervision sessions. As a result, individual learning opportunities are not identified or progressed through continuous professional development plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager evaluates staff training needs and identifies where development and learning opportunities could be strengthened. Leaders and managers forge good links with specialist services, including the short-break team, schools and specialist health provision. They participate in children's network meetings to stay informed about significant changes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers build well-developed partnerships with parents and professionals. Staff signpost parents to additional support when needed and help prepare children with their transition to adult care. Parents are extremely positive about the care children receive and say that they are informed of everything that happens in their child’s day. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257289 5

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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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to reviewing the home’s monitoring and surveillance policy, statement of purpose, and use of CCTV. 26 March 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff’s performance and fitness to carry out their role are formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, actions regarding training and development needs should be set. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 1257289 6

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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: 1257289 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ravensbourne Project

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Siobhann Brady and Sharon Edwards

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Inspector

Matilda Clode, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1257289 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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