Children's Home run by London Borough of Hillingdon in Hillingdon

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 1 SC068789 Registered provider: London Borough of Hillingdon

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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 local authority home cares for up to nine children with physical and/or learning disabilities. The home is divided into two sections. One section offers short-break care for up to five children and the other provides longer-term care for up to four children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2017. She is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home and a total of five children were attending for short breaks.

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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: 23 October 2023

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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: SC068789 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2023 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/09/2022 Full Inadequate 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a family feel in the home. Staff know the children well and build positive relationships with them. Parents say that their children are making progress and enjoy attending the short-breaks service. Children ‘love it’ and are excited when they know it is their day to attend.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children using the short-break service enjoy a smooth transition into the home. Children have meals with staff and other children; they are also invited for overnight stays. Family members are invited to themed celebrations in the home. This helps children and families to familiarise themselves with the home and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home enjoys taking part in several activities. They complete art and craft projects, attend the pantomime and enjoy shopping trips. Children using the respite service enjoy sensory activities that cater to their level of need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from group meetings. These discussions keep the children up to date on important events happening in society. Discussions focus on children’s mental health week and Valentine’s Day, to name a few. Staff support the children to sign a document to show that they attend the meetings. This helps the children to feel that their presence is valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home is supported to attend school. Staff understand the importance of the child’s education and support them to do further learning at home. Staff also support the child to attend routine and specialist health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to safely maintain relationships with family. Leaders and managers supported a sibling group to maintain regular contact with family members abroad. The siblings eventually returned to their home country to live with family. Leaders and managers worked hard with other professionals to support this to happen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to achieve goals, such as creating a shopping list, getting dressed independently and maintaining a consistent bedtime routine. Staff give children awards for achieving their goals, and their achievements and activities are documented in personalised photo albums. This enables children to have a record of their successes during their time in the home.

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

Children do not go missing from the home and their parents are confident that they are safe.

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

Staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities. Children have individual risk assessments that inform staff about their triggers, protective factors and how to manage any risks. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 4 Staff understand the reasons why incidents take place. This is reflected in the support that they give to children. Leaders and managers work with professionals to provide children with further support when it is needed. When incidents require staff to physically intervene, this intervention is proportionate and only used as the last resort.

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

Staff are dedicated to helping children understand the importance of safety. Staff communicate with children about their views and feelings after incidents take place. Leaders and managers invited the police to meet the children. This helped children to become familiar with professionals who keep people safe.

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

When there have been allegations, they have been appropriately managed to ensure the safety of children and staff. Investigations are thorough and involve children’s professional networks as necessary. Leaders and managers encourage staff to learn from situations to avoid similar events happening again.

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

There are robust systems in place to manage medication. Staff work with professionals and parents so that they are up to date with changes in the children’s medication.

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

There is ongoing maintenance work in the home. However, staff do not always ensure that cleaning chemicals are kept out of the reach of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are passionately committed to children making progress and having positive experiences in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a sense of responsibility to the children. Senior staff members are champions for different areas of children’s care, such as medication and health and safety. Staff feel supported and enjoy giving children positive experiences. One staff member said that ‘all children are included in everything’ and that the home loves ‘celebrating’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training to meet the needs of the children in their care. Team meetings are also used as opportunities to train staff and develop their skills. They also provide staff with the opportunity to discuss safeguarding and children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are safely recruited. This offers reassurance to managers that only suitable staff care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professional feedback is positive about and staff and managers. Children’s social workers appreciate staff’s good communication and their attendance at children’s meetings to share their insight about children. One parent told inspectors that the support from staff and managers is ‘life changing’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported with supervision and appraisals. However, they are inconsistent in quality and do not always demonstrate staff's progress and development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 5 Staff work hard to keep the children safe. However, children’s records do not accurately reflect staff’s efforts to support children. For example, when incidents happen, staff do not always accurately record details of the incident or their actions to keep the child safe. In children’s risk assessments, there are gaps in information and, for one child, the details of their supervision needs are inconsistent. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 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, the registered person must ensure that there is consistency in the quality of record-keeping. Children’s records must accurately reflect the support and care that staff give to the children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 6 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the quality of supervision is consistent for all staff, allowing them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children in their care. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61 paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff appraisals enable staff to reflect on their progress and development. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61 paragraph 13.5) Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 7  The registered person should ensure that cleaning materials and chemicals are kept out of the reach of children. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 14, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 8

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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: SC068789 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: London Borough of Hillingdon

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: London Borough of Hillingdon, Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge UB8 1UW

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Inspectors

Chelsea Agyeman, Social Care Inspector Aneta Wasilewska, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068789 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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