Children's home run by The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Ltd in Barking and Dagenham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 1 SC430320 Registered provider: The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) 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

A private company operates this home, which cares for up to five children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in November 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 25 September 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/09/2024 Full Outstanding 23/03/2023 Full Outstanding 09/11/2021 Full Good 02/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children achieve remarkable progress from their initial starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child, whose needs had impacted on their social interaction and physical wellbeing, now engages in social activities and attends school fulltime. The child is engaging in health appointments, and their self-care has significantly improved. One professional described the progress of this child as ‘breathtaking’ and said that the child went from a ‘boundaryless world to one of structure and stability.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children in the home make remarkable progress. Staff promote inclusivity by using a variety of visual communication aids that enable children to take part in decisions that affect their daily lives. Children who communicate non-verbally are supported to explore a variety of communication methods while ensuring that the child’s preferred method of communication is respected. One child likes to use pointing to direct staff to items they want or like; another child uses pictures and has a detailed picture exchange folder that they use in the home and at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions to the home are bespoke to the needs of the children involved. Great care is taken to support children as they prepare to move into the home. Staff use social stories and carefully consider each child’s personality and needs, working closely with parents to gain as much information as possible to understand the child’s needs. For example, a parent chose the room for their child and supported staff in understanding the child’s interests, so that their room could be decorated to their liking. Another child, who experiences challenges with their diet, attended the home during mealtimes so that staff could gain an understanding of the impact on the child and develop routines to support them. Consequently, children settle well in the home, and they are supported to understand the changes to their routine at a pace that is suitable for them. This is a major strength of this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is beautifully decorated. This helps to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Each child’s bedroom is thoughtfully personalised, showcasing their individuality. Staff take pride in displaying the children’s achievements and document the activities that children take part in. This adds a sense of belonging for every child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Leaders and managers support family time and are open to feedback from parents. Parents’ coffee mornings take place on a regular basis, and parents are kept abreast of children’s progress. Family time is promoted within the home and in the community. Staff support parents who may feel anxious about how they will be able to manage family time by being present and providing reassurance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have grown steadily in confidence since moving to this home. Their independence skills flourish and they can attend to their own self-care with the support of staff. One child, who was first thought not to have the capacity to manage their own Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 4 personal care needs, has managed to achieve this outcome with the patience and consistency of staff. Another child can cook meals with the support of staff. Staff promote daily tasks to support children to build confidence in their own abilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have an enjoyable time in this home. They engage in a wide range of activities in the home and in the community. This includes baking competitions, where children from other homes also join in. Great care is taken to discover children’s interests and to tailor activities to suit their preferences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are imaginative and find diverse ways to support children in their care. Staff build exceptional relationships with children, which help each child to feel happy and secure in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make good educational progress. Staff work in partnership with children’s schools to ensure that there is a consistent approach to how children learn. Children also benefit from attending a learning centre that is affiliated to the home.

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

The home provides a nurturing environment in which children’s safety is paramount. Staff forge strong, trusting bonds with the children, creating a foundation of warmth and understanding. These relationships enable staff to respond with sensitivity and care when children experience distress, skilfully de-escalating incidents and ensuring that children feel supported and always protected.

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

Children are supported in an age-appropriate way to understand risks and how to stay safe. One to one discussion explore how to make positive choices and develop positive relationships. Children understand that they can speak to staff about their concerns. They are supported by social stories and communication tools to learn about risks. Children are also supported to safely understand their bodies and the changes taking place during adolescence.

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

Children are supported when incidents occur. Staff take time to ensure that children are debriefed and that they understand consequences. Staff are also supported to reflect on how incidents are managed and there is a learning culture within the home. This ensures that incidents continue to be managed appropriately.

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

Staff use risk assessments and behaviour support plans effectively to help them to keep children safe. These help to ensure that staff understand when a child is becoming distressed and how to respond.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers demonstrate exceptional ambition for their service, staff and the children in their care. Their unwavering commitment to excellence is reflected in their proactive approach to continuously evaluating and enhancing service delivery. The Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 5 leadership team consistently identifies new opportunities for improvement, ensuring that high standards are upheld.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A key initiative involves equipping all staff with bespoke training to support their practice. This includes training to support staff in linking activities to children’s learning goals. Physical intervention training is specific to the needs of the children in their care and provides a theoretical foundation that helps to guide their practice. This forward- thinking approach not only empowers staff but also enhances the quality of care, creating a transformative and impactful environment where children thrive physically, emotionally, socially and educationally.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Further initiatives include monthly pictorial progress reports that support children in keeping good memories of their time at the home and contribute to life story work. These reports are shared monthly with parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff describe a family atmosphere in the home, where children’s care is prioritised. They receive regular supervision of excellent quality and feel able to speak to managers and other staff members if they need support. This support has been crucial to staff feeling settled and confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers encourage staff to develop professionally. There are now several staff who have progressed into more senior positions in which they are able to mentor new members of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers convene weekly management meetings focused on the quality standards. They identify areas of strength and where practice can improve. Achievements of staff and children are celebrated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers have plans for the ongoing development of the service to ensure continuity of care to those children who move on from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 6

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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: SC430320 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Vine Residential Services (TVRS) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Granary Studio 4, 1st Floor, 80 Abbey Road, Barking IG11 7BT

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Inspector

Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC430320 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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