Children's home in Hillingdon

This monitoring visit

At the home’s first full inspection on 13 October 2015, a requirement was made to comply with the regulations for staff recruitment. On 4 March 2016, an interim inspection identified these shortfalls had not been rectified. As a result of this continuous failure to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with the young people, a compliance notice was served. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 28 April 2016 to assess whether the home had complied with the notice. The leadership and management had failed to ensure that all required recruitment checks had been retrospectively obtained. When attempts at gaining information had reportedly occurred, the actions described were not evidenced. All staff have had checks carried out with the disclosure and barring service. However, there are a number of gaps for the longer standing staff, which means their suitability to work with children has not been fully assessed. It could not be

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This monitoring visit

evidenced in every case that:  two references had been obtained for every member of staff  one reference was from the most recent employer  all references that had been obtained had been verified with the writer  all gaps in staff’s employment histories had been explored  the reasons why a person’s employment ended if they have worked with children or vulnerable adults had been explored  the required number of identification checks had been obtained. In addition, the proof of qualifications documented on application forms were not on files for every member of staff. For the one staff member who has commenced work since the interim inspection, recruitment shortfalls were found. One of the references had not been verified and the employment history did not include the months of employment. This means any gaps in employment that are shorter than a year had not been identified or explored. The three requirements made at the full inspection on 13 October 2015, which were

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This monitoring visit

repeated at the interim inspection on 4 March 2016, were also examined. The first, in relation to notifying Ofsted of significant events that occur in the home, was not met: not all serious incidents had been notified to Ofsted in a timely way. This requirement is repeated. It was not possible to assess progress in meeting the second and third requirements that relate to shortfalls in the record keeping of restraints and complaints. This is because there have been no restraints and no complaints that the manager has needed to follow through. These two requirements have been repeated and will be assessed at the next inspection. During this visit, information about an incident that had been recorded on a young person’s risk assessment was requested. No incident report relating to this could be found and the manager stated this incident had not occurred. This means that the record was inaccurate and the assessment based on incorrect information.

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This monitoring visit

Additionally, the staff rota for the 7 March 2016 was not an accurate record of which staff were working on this day. One staff member had called in sick but was recorded as having worked. The manager is not being adequately supported through supervision with a person with relevant experience and background of children’s social care. The manager reported, and the responsible person verbally confirmed, that efforts had been made to find someone who could fulfil this role, but as yet there are no firm arrangements. There was no record of the one supervision stated to have occurred between the manager and the responsible person since the interim inspection. Ofsted is taking further action in relation to the provider’s non-compliance with the notice and the regulatory breaches identified at this visit.

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned home which is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2:  proof of identity, including a recent photo

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Requirement Due date

 an enhanced criminal record certificate

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Requirement Due date

 two written references, including a reference from the person’s most recent employer, if any

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Requirement Due date

 if a person has previously worked in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults, verification so far as reasonably 31/05/2016 practicable of the reason why the employment or position ended

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Requirement Due date

 documentary evidence of any qualifications which the person considers relevant for the position

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Requirement Due date

 a full employment history, together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment, in writing.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete; full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2. This paragraph is with reference to collecting, retrospectively, the required information for staff already working in the home then adjudging their ongoing suitability to be employed in the children’s home (Regulation 32 (1) (2) (a) and (b) (3) (a) (b) (c) and (d) (7) (a) and (b)).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must without delay notify HMCI of all significant events in the home as defined in the corresponding regulation (Regulation 40 (4)). 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. It would also be good practice to ensure that it is recorded that children have been asked to comment on the action and have been asked to sign the record (Regulation 39 (3)). 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— (a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— (i) the name of the child; (ii) details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure; (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure; (iv) a description of the measure and its duration; 31/05/2016 (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; (vi) the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user‘), and of any other person present when the measure was used; (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person‘)— (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure (Regulation 35 3 (a) (b) (c)).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records‘) for each child which— (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; (b) are kept up to date; and (c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry. With specific reference to ensuring that case records are accurately maintained. (Regulation 36 (1) (a) (b) (c)) 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. This is with specific reference to ensuring that the manager receives appropriate support and supervision. (Regulation 33 (4)) 31/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date. This is with specific reference to ensuring the copies of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home record the actual rosters worked. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a) and (b)) 31/05/2016

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the home since their last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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