Children's Home run by Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd in Newham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 1 SC060545 Registered provider: Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd

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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 privately owned home provides care for up to eight children, including those with social and emotional difficulties and children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in April 2005. The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 15 October 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2024 Full Good 14/02/2024 Full Good 01/11/2022 Full Good 25/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 3

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improvement to be good

Although children have a care plan produced by the home, this is not sufficiently individualised to reflect children’s unique needs or to demonstrate how staff will support each child to make progress.

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improvement to be good

Children’s educational needs are met. When children are new to the home and a school placement has not yet been arranged, staff ensure that educational activities are provided. These opportunities offer structure and a daily routine, helping children prepare for school once a placement is confirmed.

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improvement to be good

Children are given opportunities to be involved in decisions that affect their everyday lives. Regular children’s meetings are held, and staff carry out one-to-one sessions covering a wide range of topics. These practices help ensure that children’s voices are heard and considered in the decision-making process.

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improvement to be good

Children are developing their independence skills through support in cooking their own meals, travelling independently and learning how to manage a budget. However, the emphasis on independence can sometimes limit opportunities for children to spend time together and build friendships.

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improvement to be good

Children have formed positive relationships with some staff members and know which staff they can trust and talk to if they have any concerns. However, staffing levels do not always allow for sufficient quality time between staff and children, which can affect the consistency of support and relationship-building.

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improvement to be good

The standard of cleanliness in the home is inconsistent. Some areas require attention to create a warm, welcoming and comfortable environment, so that children can live in a space that promotes their sense of well-being.

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improvement to be good

Although leaders and managers have policies in place to guide staff in their safeguarding practice, these are written in a summary style. This does not provide staff with an in- depth view of how to manage risk.

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improvement to be good

Staff follow children’s individual risk assessments and protocols when children go missing from the home. They work closely with relevant external agencies to locate the child and ensure their safe return. When concerns persist, the manager escalates the matter so that a multi-agency safety plan can be developed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 4 The required staffing levels at the home have not always been maintained, leading to situations where staff have been left working alone. For example, during one incident, only one staff member was on duty when a child made an allegation. The absence of a clear contingency plan meant there was no immediate support available for the staff member, nor were there alternative arrangements in place to ensure the safe care of the children.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to attend routine health appointments. Staff have advocated for children to ensure that they have access to specialist services, including accessing children and adolescent mental health services. One child is on long-term medication. Although the medication records are correctly recorded, not all staff involved in the administering of the medication are up to date with the required training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Despite being ambitious for the children and the service, leaders and managers have not yet succeeded in bringing about the changes needed to meet the home’s aims and objectives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although leaders and managers have a good understanding of the children’s needs, this is compromised by the absence of a full, permanent staff team. As a result, temporary staff have had to be used, some of which lack the commitment to both the service and the children living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive regular supervision. However, it is not of a consistently high quality or reflective in nature. Additionally, staff have not received their annual appraisals, which is a missed opportunity for managers to support staff development and enhance their practice and care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is a strong advocate for children to ensure that they have access to education, health and support. Leaders and managers are vigorous in their attempts to gain all essential plans that relate to children in their care from the placing local authority. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 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 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is always sufficient staffing at the home to meet the needs of the children living at the home. 16 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and 16 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 6 that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

they have a contingency plan when staff are working alone to ensure that children are safeguarded;

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Requirement Due date

the home is maintained to a high standard so that children live in a safe, homely environment.

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The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care. (Regulation 6 (1) (3)(b)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the required training to be able to meet the needs of the children. 16 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1) (4)(c)) 16 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that they complete annual appraisals for all staff members employed at the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are helped to develop skills to have positive relationships with others. ‘Others’ include individuals both inside and outside the home such as other children and staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6)  The registered person should ensure that, as part of the policies for protection of children, there is sufficient information about whistle-blowing, with clear procedures for how a staff member should report to an appropriate authority any concern they have about a child in the home being at risk of, or already experiencing, significant harm. The policy should reflect the principles set out in the Francis review ‘Freedom to speak up’. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15)

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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: SC060545 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Laurel Leaf Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 42 Stavordale Road, London N5 1NE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Noorjahan Gokool Hoota

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Inspectors

Helen Daniel, Social Care Inspector Salean Bryant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC060545 9 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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