Children's home run by London Borough of Waltham Forest

Inspection report children's home: 2563530 1 Registered provider: London Borough of Waltham Forest

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The home is owned and run by the local authority. It provides short breaks or long-term care for up to eight children who have physical and/or learning disabilities. The home was registered with Ofsted in January 2020.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023. At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home, and four children were attending for a short break experience. Several children were observed, and four children were spoken with during the 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

Date of last inspection: 6 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2563530 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Good 22/02/2023 Full Good 03/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2563530 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have fun experiences and make good progress. They receive individualised care that meets their needs. Staff have a strong focus on target setting and helping children to meet agreed goals. This enhances their general development, social interaction and level of independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop strong and trusting relationships with staff. This is important as most of the children are non-verbal and are reliant on staff understanding their needs. Children engage well with the staff team and clearly enjoy spending time with them. In turn, staff are attentive and skilled in interpreting what children are conveying.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to use their preferred methods of communication to share their views and make day-to-day choices. However, the children’s guide is available largely in the written word and does not hold sufficient symbols, pictures and graphics.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s learning outcomes are good. Staff communicate well with schools and other professionals. This ensures that children’s learning and development needs are well co- ordinated and met. Children’s achievements are routinely celebrated. Children are proud to have on display their achievement certificates and medals. Recently some of the children received rewards at the local authority’s Children in Care Awards Ceremony.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good opportunities to gain experience of developing their daily living skills that boost their independence. This usually includes improving their communication, completing personal care tasks, and helping with household chores.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s identity needs are well understood. For example, a child has on display in his bedroom a prayer mat; another child has a flag hanging of his family’s country of origin. The staff team ensure that key faith festivals and national events such as Pancake Day are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive help from a staff team who have the experience and skills to meet their holistic needs. This enables staff to focus on children’s potential to achieve rather than what they cannot achieve. This approach enables children to have a real sense of accomplishment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s parents and local authority staff working with children acknowledge the difference the service is making to children’s lives. A parent told the inspector, ‘The home? Its brilliant! My children happily go out with staff, staff provide me with good updates about how they are sleeping, their behaviour, if they have taken their medication and the activities they have done. Staff are really helpful. It has been a lifesaver. The children love it here.’ A local authority independent reviewing officer said of a child,’ I am very pleased with the progress I have seen in [child’s name]. The home is meeting his needs exceptionally well.’ Inspection report children's home: 2563530 4

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

Children are well protected from harm, abuse and neglect. They benefit from staff’s knowledge and understanding of the local authority’s safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff complete child protection training, and some bespoke training that relates to the safe care of disabled children. This includes moving and handling, and PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) feeds training.

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

Staff are vigilant in their supervision of children and as a consequent few critical incidents occur. When there are concerns of a safeguarding nature, staff and managers take prompt and effective action to ensure that procedures are followed. The safety of children stays the primary focus. A child’s social worker said,’ The staff are able to keep [child’s name] safe and are aware of how vigilant they need to be when he is at home as he can be quite active and spontaneous.’

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

Since the last inspection there have been no incidents of children going missing from care, any bullying incidents, or allegations against members of staff. There have been no complaints. No child has been involved or suspected of being involved in child sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation. Staff manage any self-harming incidents well.

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

Children benefit from staff’s knowledge, skills and understanding of the impact disability may have on their behaviour. Some children can present with challenging behaviour. Staff do not restrain children and are skilled in managing behaviour and promoting positive behaviour by using other techniques. As a result, the frequency of children’s presenting with challenging behaviour is reducing.

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

However, behavioural management plans often lack clear, detailed strategies for staff to address children's challenging behaviours. Additionally, some behaviour management plans are missing from children's files. This absence of information means that staff do not have access to the written strategies that they need to follow.

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

Staff complete risk assessments. However, some of these do not highlight all risks posed to children and the action staff should take to help to reduce these risks.

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

Staff recruitment and vetting practices are thorough, and all required checks are in place. This confirms that staff are suitable to work with children.

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

The home is a purpose-built facility designed to meet the needs of disabled children. Staff safely maintain specialist adapted equipment, and effective fire precautions are in place. Each child has a personal emergency evacuation plan; however, not all plans are tailored to the individual needs of each child. The building has shown significant improvement since the last inspection. Children have contributed by displaying their artwork around the home, and numerous photos show them enjoying themselves and having fun. The building is physically safe and secure, with no health and safety concerns. Inspection report children's home: 2563530 5 An independent reviewing officer said, ’The home is highly secure, reducing the risk of [child’s name] running away. Staff have successfully addressed previous concerns. I feel that staff are doing an excellent job in ensuring his safety and well-being.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers show improvement since the last inspection. Several senior managers of the local authority have a regular presence at the home and there has been clear investment to help drive improvement. For example, funding has been made available to improve the presentation of the home’s premises. Children staying at the home and the borough’s Children in Care group have helped to re- decorate and furnish the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In addition, a new electric vehicle has very recently been purchased to promote children that have experiences further afield than the home’s play spaces and the local community. Leaders have also invested in a digital App that staff use to collate children’s experiences in photos and text formats, resulting in digital life story memorabilia that children have when they leave.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Further investment has been made in a successful staff recruitment campaign and there are a number of newly appointed staff. Managers have worked diligently to ensure that there is cohesion within the staff team. This was not the case at the last inspection, which highlighted significant staff discord. Staff comment on how this situation has changed and are clear that children are receiving help from the staff team working effectively together. One member of staff said,’ What keeps me here? There are good vibes now within the team. There is a good skill base, and the service is strong in meeting the needs of children. This motivates me to continue.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s quality of care reports highlights the home’s strengths and areas identified for improvement. Managers ensure that reports include action plans which outline how the service intends to make the required improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Independent monthly monitoring visits and reports are not always effective. These visits regularly take place when children are at school or college and so there is little opportunity for the independent visitor to meet with children. Reports also do not consistently include consultation with other stakeholders as expected. This is a missed opportunity to help inform service development with the views and opinions of parents and professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers’ engagement with parent and carer groups of disabled children is not as effective as it could be. Communication with individual parents is consistent and very effective. However, managers do not always promote parents’ collective voice that is focused on how the home can improve the care to children and secure a greater presence within the wider community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s case records are an area identified for improvement as some key records are not of a high quality. These include behavioural management plans, some risk Inspection report children's home: 2563530 6 assessments, support plans and key work sessions. Children’s records are often very descriptive, with duplicated information on file that does not easily reflect how staff’s work relate to meeting children’s goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well-led by managers and feel very well supported. Induction and training opportunities effectively meet staff development needs. Both staff and managers receive regular, meaningful supervision sessions, and managers carry out annual staff appraisals. Managers also encourage staff to pursue additional formal training to enhance their knowledge and skills. For instance, several senior staff members are currently completing leadership and management courses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work closely with key internal and external partners. This careful co-ordination of children’s care supports their continuous progress. An independent reviewing officer said,’ I am incredibly pleased with the care, support, and progress [child’s name] has made in this home. The staff’s dedication, strong communication, and ability to adapt to his changing needs make this an outstanding home for him. I would like to commend and thank the staff for their continued efforts in supporting his growth and well-being.’ Inspection report children's home: 2563530 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 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

This relates to managers' monitoring of the quality of some key records. These include risk assessments, behavioural management plans, support plans, children's personal emergency evacuation plans and key-work sessions. 15 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home's records (except for a child's case records, unless the child and the child's placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. 15 April 2025 Inspection report children's home: 2563530 8 A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person's report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person's report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5)

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from

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Requirement Due date

keep the children's guide and the home's complaints procedure under review and seek children's comments before revising either document.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the children's guide is available in formats that children are familiar with. 15 April 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the welfare of children in their care through engagement with; each child child's family/carers. This relates to increasing the engagement with parents and carers to help shape and develop services provided by the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 54, paragraph10.23) Inspection report children's home: 2563530 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 children's home: 2563530 10

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Sycamore House, Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 4JF

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Inspector

Sandra Jacobs-Walls, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 2563530 11 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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