Children's Home run by Youthworx London Limited in Enfield

Inspection report for children’s home: 2735311 1 Registered provider: Youthworx London Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspection started on 14 January 2025. The inspectors returned on 5 and 6 February 2025 to gather additional evidence in line with ‘Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence’ policy.

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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: 2735311 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2735311 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Children’s personalities are reflected in their personal spaces, and this helps them to feel valued and respected. However, more care and attention need to be taken to ensure that the outdoor spaces are maintained to a level where children can access and enjoy these spaces.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are patient and caring towards the children. They take time to develop good relationships with the children and to understand their personalities, likes and dislikes. Detailed care plans help staff to understand children’s needs. The registered manager ensures that they obtain all relevant information from local authorities. They advocate well for children to obtain any missing information so that they fully understand children’s background stories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are observant and professionally curious about how and what children are communicating. They are supported by a manager who models strong therapeutic practice and theoretical knowledge. This helps staff to know when children require more support and helps to ensure that children who are new to the home feel settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to engage in activities. Staff work with care and attention to discover children’s interests. They arrange activities that children enjoy. For example, one child goes horse riding several times per week. Another child loves composing music, and staff arranged for them to attend a music studio on a regular basis. Children’s interests and passions are celebrated, and children share their achievements with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are not in formal education. One child had not attended school for a long time before moving to the home. The child initially re-engaged in education but recently is no longer engaging. Managers and staff talk to children to discover any barriers to learning and provide encouragement and incentives to build children’s confidence in their abilities and skills. They advocate for children who experience challenges in learning. They work collaboratively with partner agencies to ensure that children’s educational needs are understood. Managers have high aspirations for children and ensure that children are encouraged to learn in alternative ways, for example through online learning, reading books of interest and engaging in activities, while education provision is found for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend regular house meetings. They can express their likes and dislikes and use this space to raise any concerns they may have. Children can make decisions about food and activities and how to respond to issues occurring in the home. Children’s feedback is listened to, and the response leads to improvements in the home. For example, children have a complaints and compliments box, which is situated near their bedrooms. Children use this box regularly to raise issues of concern to them, and these are responded to. Inspection report for children’s home: 2735311 4

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

Children are safeguarded well in this home. If children go missing, staff maintain contact with them and encourage them to return home. Staff alert partner agencies and families appropriately and ensure that return home interviews are carried out. However, staff do not always record all actions they have taken to support children who go missing.

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

Key-work sessions take place regularly on a formal and informal basis. A variety of topics are discussed to support children to make positive choices and reduce any risks. Children can raise any concerns with staff during these sessions. Staff work creatively to engage children fully. Key-work sessions take place on outings and when children raise issues of concern to them.

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

Children who show signs that they may be subject to exploitation are supported with detailed safety plans. Safety plans ensure that staff know what needs to be done to reduce the risk of harm. The registered manager ensures that concerns are raised with partner agencies and that children are offered appropriate support. Staff are aware of safeguarding processes and implement them appropriately. This includes requesting professional meetings to facilitate effective safeguarding when risks to children escalate. Staff have an effective working relationship with police officers who have expertise in exploitation. Children receive good support from the police and from the home to develop their understanding of how to stay safe.

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

Behaviour support plans help staff to understand children’s behaviours and the support they need. Children are involved in the development of their plans, which leads to greater understanding of their needs and behaviours. Children are supported with rewards for positive behaviour and consequences when appropriate. They are supported when they express their emotions and helped to understand how to share their views.

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

Leaders and managers have effective discussions with partner agencies. However, the local area risk assessment is not sufficiently developed to provide strategies to help staff to understand and respond to risks in the local area.

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

Recruitment procedures are not always robust. In some instances, leaders and managers have not consistently ensured that they obtain information to explain gaps in employment or verify references for staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the children well. Their warmth and affection towards children strengthen their interventions with them. This builds confidence in the team of staff, who model these interventions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have recently invested in an electronic database where children’s records are kept, to support staff in maintaining accurate records. Inspection report for children’s home: 2735311 5 Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. Staff benefit from regular team discussions and training updates. Children’s progress and safeguarding issues are thoroughly discussed in meetings, and staff support each other in developing effective interventions with children. Team meetings are helping to develop good staff relationships. Staff receive regular supervision, which supports their professional development and their practice with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The assessment process for new children moving into the home is effective. Assessments are robust and consider information about the child, their needs and other children already living in the home. This has helped to improve placement stability and reduce unplanned endings. Inspection report for children’s home: 2735311 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 registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must keep the suitability of the home’s location under review and ensure that appropriate safety planning is in place to mitigate risks. 30 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce strategy that records the training and continuing professional development needs and achievements of those employed in the home. This plan should include timescales for achieving induction, mandatory qualifications and training plus commitments to continuing professional development and the procedures for supervision (see regulations 34 and 35) (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 10.9)  The registered person should seek as far as possible to maintain a homely environment. This specifically relates to the maintenance of the front and rear garden areas. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2735311 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Youthworx London Limited

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Inspectors

Natalie Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Ruth Okezie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2735311 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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