Children's home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Hertsmere

Natalie Burton

This monitoring visit . There have been eight visits by Ofsted to this home between February 2016 and 30 August 2016. A total of seven compliance notices have been issued in respect of the quality of care, protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. Two of these visits were full inspections, both of which found the home to be inadequate overall.

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Natalie Burton

This monitoring visit took place following the full inspection of 11 July 2016, when the home was judged as inadequate overall. One compliance notice was issued at the full inspection, relating to the leadership and management of the home. The monitoring visit on 30 August 2016 was carried out in order to assess the provider’s progress in addressing the compliance notice.

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Natalie Burton

On arrival at the monitoring visit, a senior residential worker informed the inspectors that a five year old child, a relative of a member of staff, had stayed in the home the previous night. This was without the knowledge of the responsible individual or senior management within the organisation. The child was not recorded as a visitor to the home, and there are concerns over the sleeping arrangements and environment during this period. There is no agreement in place that a child who is not admitted to the home can be accommodated in this home. Because of Ofsted’s intervention, safeguarding concerns have been raised by a senior manager within the organisation with the designated officer in the local authority and an internal investigation is due to be conducted. The decision to accommodate a child who is not in the care of the home demonstrates a lack of professional boundaries and calls in to question the decision-making of staff left in

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Natalie Burton

charge of the home at that time. A member of staff queried this arrangement with the senior team leader, her concerns were dismissed yet this member of staff did not escalate her concerns in a timely manner. This demonstrates that staff do not have the confidence to effectively raise their concerns with higher level managers.

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Natalie Burton

There are no children currently living in this home. Children who have moved on have not had their wellbeing adequately promoted because staff have failed to ensure their records are stored confidentially, and have failed to forward their mail to them.

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Natalie Burton

During the monitoring visit, the inspectors discovered personal mail addressed to children who have left this home some time ago. Some of these letters were from dentists and from children’s banks. These letters may have contained important and urgent information which the children needed to act on. Staff have not sent these letters on to the children’s new addresses or to their social workers. As a result, the children may have missed opportunities for advice or treatment which would promote their wellbeing.

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Natalie Burton

The provider has failed to meet the requirements of the compliance notice in respect of the leadership and management of the home. The monitoring of the home by senior managers has failed to identify shortfalls in investigations to concerns about staff conduct. Senior managers have not robustly investigated allegations nor have they notified the appropriate authorities with regard to these matters.

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Natalie Burton

The senior management failed to identify an incident as an allegation against staff. Records of an incident on 13 July 2016 detail a complaint by a child that has not been recognised as a safeguarding issue. As a result, the provider has not followed their own policy or made appropriate arrangements to investigate this allegation. Consequently, the child has not had an opportunity to have their complaint heard or received any feedback in respect of this allegation. Senior managers have not ensured that staff recognise and act upon allegations. This is a failure to provide safe care for children. Concerns remain over the internal monitoring of this home and the management’s ability to keep children safe.

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Natalie Burton

There are gaps in the recording of physical interventions which have taken place in the home. There is no clear record of the length of time each intervention lasted. Consequently, the records cannot be used to reflect openly on the suitability of the intervention in order to protect children.

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Natalie Burton

The lack of clear systems for documentation and recording of significant incidents and events demonstrates that the home continues to be poorly managed. The responsible individual has failed to provide appropriate support and scrutiny of the home.

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Natalie Burton

The provider has recently appointed a new manager who is beginning to implement systems to promote safe care and improve recording. There has been some improvement in the supervision of staff, but not all staff are receiving supervision in line with the agreed arrangements set out in the provider’s policy. This is with particular reference to staff who are on probation. Again, the regular visits by senior managers have failed to identify these deficits or take action to ensure compliance with the regulations. Consequently, there are serious weaknesses in the management of the home and systems have not improved sufficiently to demonstrate the capacity to provide safe care for children.

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Natalie Burton

While there is recognition that the appointment of a new manager may enable improvement, there has been an ongoing lack of effective senior managerial oversight and scrutiny of the home. Staff who have been given day-to-day responsibility for the home in the manager’s absence have not adhered to professional boundaries and have made decisions that question their ability to safely care for children.

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Natalie Burton

There has been some improvement in the decoration of the home. The newly appointed manager is reviewing the training pathway for the staff, in particular, the induction process.

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Natalie Burton

The lack of effective, robust management and oversight of the home means that the delivery of care is still not adequate to meet the needs of children or to provide care that promotes children’s wellbeing and ensures their safety. It is likely therefore that this home will be subject to further enforcement action.

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private organisation operates this setting. The on-site school provides education for young people up to 16 years of age where they can gain formal qualifications.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered person(s) 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. 23/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must ensure enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that::

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Requirement Due date

(1)(b) promotes children’s welfare; and (2)(a) 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; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. 23/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered must ensure that there are facilities to send and receive post and, if the necessary facilities are provided for the use of children, electronic mail in private. This is with particular regard to ensuring children who have left the home receive their mail. (Regulation 22 (3)(b)) 23/09/2016 The registered person must ensure that 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: the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the

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Requirement Due date

measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i-viii)) 23/09/2016

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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 children's home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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