Children's Home run by Haven Residential Care Ltd in Barking and Dagenham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2731503 1 Registered provider: Haven Residential Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. There was one child living at the home at the time of inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2731503 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2731503 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 4 children have lived in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive and trusting relationships with children and understand their needs well. This helps children feel supported and helps them make progress from their individual starting points. Social workers consistently give good feedback regarding the quality of care. One social worker said, ‘This is the most settled [they have] been in any placement, and it is evident that the consistent structure, nurturing environment, and strong relationships with staff have played a key role in [their] development.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff actively explore barriers to education and find creative ways to support children’s learning and development. The service is now AQA accredited, helping staff to support children to build essential life skills and achieve recognised qualifications. This will help children to prepare for future opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain meaningful relationships with family and friends and go the extra mile to encourage these connections. One child was able to spend quality time at home with a parent, sharing food and conversation, while another child was surprised when their best friend was invited to join them on an overnight trip to a theme park. These thoughtful efforts help create lasting and positive memories for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in enjoyable activities both at home and in the community. They are supported to explore and connect with their cultural heritage, for example, by dining at restaurants that serve Caribbean dishes. Staff also celebrate children’s birthdays in the home, which helps children feel cared for and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s health needs and meet these consistently. They support children to attend specialist health appointments. Children’s emotional well-being is also prioritised, and an in-house therapist has been employed. The therapist works at each child’s pace, allowing trust to develop naturally, leading to meaningful and effective therapeutic support. In one case, the therapist continued to provide support to a child after they moved on from the home, ensuring continuity and emotional stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before a child moves into the home, assessments are completed to consider their individual needs and any potential risks. However, these assessments do not always consistently consider the skills, experience and training of the staff team. This may result in missed opportunities to ensure staff are fully equipped to meet the child’s specific needs. When a child’s time at the home comes to an end, a placement review is carried out to reflect on their experiences and identify any lessons learned to support ongoing development with the staff team.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2731503 4 Staff understand children’s risks and needs well. Risk management plans are clear and regularly updated in response to new information. For example, if a child returns home with unexplained gifts or clothing, staff remain alert to signs of potential exploitation and promptly inform managers. The registered manager works closely the wider professional network to reduce risks, safeguarding the child from harm, and responds effectively to their complex needs.

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

Staff take swift and appropriate action when children go missing from home. They make a great effort to find and locate them to help them return home. They work closely with the external agencies and communities, including the police, Transport for London and local shopkeepers to locate children. Staff welcome children when they return home and show professional curiosity to explore where they have been. They also listen to children’s views about wanting more independence. One child is being supported to spend age-appropriate periods in the community without being reported missing, demonstrating a balanced approach that promotes their independence and safety.

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

Staff regularly spend time talking with children to support them in understanding their individual risks and vulnerabilities. Staff gently and respectfully challenge behaviours of concern, helping children to think about their choices and actions. These meaningful discussions have encouraged children to develop greater awareness of socially acceptable behaviours. For example, some children have recognised when their behaviour has affected others, and have chosen to apologise, showing growing self- awareness and care for those around them.

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

Distressed related behaviours are managed effectively by staff, who respond consistently in line with children’s individual risk assessments and behaviour support plans. They use calming techniques to help children feel better and reduce risks. After these situations, the registered manager speaks with staff to reflect on what happened and identify learning points. Support plans are then updated accordingly, with practical changes implemented, for example, completing regular checks of children’s bedrooms to maintain health and safety.

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

The registered manager has made some improvements to safer recruitment procedures since the last full inspection. However, staff recruitment checks do not consistently explore staff’s full employment history. These shortcomings could potentially compromise the safety and welfare of any children living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively by a qualified, experienced and committed registered manager who knows the individual needs of children well. They are well supported by the responsible individual and senior members of staff. The registered manager is ambitious for children and makes full use of opportunities to ensure that children make meaningful progress in all areas of their development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731503 5 The registered manager takes allegations of harm seriously and responds promptly when concerns arise. They work closely with safeguarding agencies and ensure that concerns are thoroughly investigated. This responsive approach helps children to feel safe and confident that they will be listened to and taken seriously. The registered manager notifies Ofsted, which allows for regulatory oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and provide a valuable forum for discussing children’s needs and safeguarding concerns. Topics include planned admissions of new children with detailed discussions about their risks, needs and culturally sensitive care. Emergency meetings are also held in response to serious incidents or allegations, ensuring staff are well informed and able to respond appropriately. Through this proactive approach, staff build confidence and strengthen their safeguarding and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision that supports their ongoing development and focus on children’s individual risks and needs. Supervision provides opportunities for staff to reflect on specific situations they have been involved in and consider how their actions may influence children’s behaviours. This reflective approach promotes positive practice and contributes to improved outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive appraisals that identify their learning needs, areas for improvement and opportunities for personal development. However, staff appraisals do not include feedback from children or other professionals involved in their care, limiting opportunities for additional reflection and growth. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731503 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice, as set out in regulations 31 to 33. This relates to ensuring that all aspects of Schedule 2 are followed so that only suitable staff are employed to care for the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) This has been re-instated.  The registered person should only accept placements for children when they have fully considered the skills and training of staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should consider the views of children and relevant professionals involved in their care to inform staff appraisals where appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 2731503 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Residential Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Brayford Square, London E1 0SG

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Inspector

Amena Begum, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2731503 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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