Children's home in Lambeth

This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted an inspection of this children’s home on 5 July 2016 which resulted in a judgement of inadequate with nine requirements, one recommendation and compliance action. As a result, Ofsted issued two compliance notices on 22 August 2016. This inspection checks the actions taken in relation to these compliance notices, the issues raised by the independent visitor, staff or young people, the notifications and the requirements set at the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted a monitoring inspection of this home on 16 September 2016 to check compliance with the two compliance notices issued on 22 August 2016. The registered manager was not present during this inspection. The member of staff on duty at the commencement of the inspection had been working on the waking night care shift the night before the inspection and was not on the rota for that morning. He contacted the responsible individual and informed him that the monitoring inspection had commenced. A more senior member of staff from the neighbouring home came into the home for the duration of the inspection.

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The management of the home is not deemed to have successfully addressed the compliance notice with reference to the independent person’s visits and reports, for the following reasons. Since the last inspection, the provider has not ensured that the independent visitor provides reports to Ofsted or other parties mentioned in the regulation. Neither member of staff could supply reports for any visits since the inspection of 5 July 2016. The last report sent to HMCI was for a visit on 15 June 2016.The visitors book showed that the independent visitor had attended the home in July and August. There were no reports available in the children’s home. The responsible person made reports available for visits on 29 July and 29 August 2016. The registered person has ensured that an independent visitor reviews the quality of care once a month. However, the reports do not comment on whether children are effectively safeguarded or whether the conduct of the home promotes

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children’s well-being. The reports do include recommended actions for the registered manager. The provider has not ensured that, as part of the commissioning arrangements for the independent visitor, he provides reports to Ofsted. The registered person has not met this component of the compliance notice.

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The independent visitor could not access records as required and as detailed in the notice. In his report on the visit of 29 August, he said, ‘The information above was established through discussion with management. Evidence was not gathered due to the home having issues with the computer.’ This information, supplied to him verbally by the registered manager, included that there is an updated pathway plan, an internal care plan and promoting positive behaviour plan, and an update in the risk assessment to include increased criminal activity, with the child being arrested for class A drugs. This information was not on the young person’s file at this monitoring visit and staff said that it was not on the electronic record. There was no personal education plan and no effective risk assessments. During the inspection, the responsible individual sent through an updated risk assessment. It was dated 16 September, the day of the inspection. The registered manager’s

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name and that day’s date were on the end of the risk assessment, despite her being absent due to a hospital appointment. The risk of drug dealing in this risk assessment is low, despite the young person having been arrested on suspicion of this following the last inspection. It does not include the information on increased criminal activity said to be within it when the independent visitor discussed it on 29 August 2016. The registered manager could not show the independent visitor the training records, and informed him that staff could access their training records. However, neither member of staff on duty during the inspection could access their training records. The independent person was not able to access records as required and as specified in the notice, including the training records. The effectiveness of scrutiny of how well children are safeguarded by the home is seriously undermined by the lack of access to information and the provision of

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inaccurate information to the independent visitor. The responsible person has not made available such records as the independent visitor requires to conduct a quality of care review. This includes training records. The management of the home has not met this component of the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has not acted on feedback from the independent visitor. The risk assessment record does not record all risks and threats to the young person and some information in it is misleading. For example, it includes an incident where the young person was involved attempting to assault the child next door. The record says, ‘This was resolved through talking and listening, and the care managers talking with both boys. However, he is manageable on a one to one.’ However, the notification to Ofsted said that police were called and resolved the incident with an on-the-spot community resolution. In addition, the independent person includes a recommended action in his August report, which is not included. He had said, ‘The young person has recently become a Muslim. Staff need to ensure that measures are in place to support him and the risk of radicalisation and exploitation. Further to this risk.’ This is not included in the risk

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This monitoring visit

assessment and there are no records of key-worker sessions discussing this with the child. The risk assessment updated on 16 September does not include risks identified by the independent visitor, including one that the registered manager said was in it, following the young person’s arrest for possession of class A drugs, as mentioned in the independent visitor’s report for 29 August 2016. The registered manager has not used the feedback from the independent person’s report to inform service development, nor demonstrated how they have considered taking action or not in response to the recommendation made in the reports. The registered manager and responsible person have not met this component of the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

The management of the home is not deemed to have successfully addressed the compliance notice in reference to the protection of children standard for the following reasons. Risk assessments on the young person’s file date between 23 October 2014 and 25 May 2015. Thus, the risk assessment is not up to date and does not identify any actions to reduce risks. Staff were unable to produce any more up-to-date risk assessments. The responsible person provided a document entitled’ Robust risk assessment record’, dated the day of the inspection. The document included misleading information, as detailed above. It does not provide a clear evidence base for identified levels of risk and does not provide effective guidance for staff actions. The management of the home has not met this component of the compliance notice.

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The lone-working risk assessment is dated 3 March 2016 and 12 September 2016. The guidance is mainly generic and does not deal with the risks presented by this young person. The risk assessment does not refer to this young person until page 8 of 13. The document is confusing and provides conflicting advice. For example, it says restraint is to be avoided, but staff are to use team teach handling techniques. The notification says that child and adolescent mental health services were conducting a structured assessment of violence risk assessment in youth assessment. This assessment is not on file and, as mentioned in the inspection of 5 July 2016, the registered manager has not included the advice from the psychologist’s assessment in the risk assessment. Where the home has sought expert advice, it has not used this in the risk assessment and does not explain why. The plan does not advise staff on how to call for assistance, if this is

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required. The plan is not linked to the assessed risks posed by the young person and does not provide guidance to staff on how to reinforce boundaries or when to use restraint. During the inspection, staff did not enforce boundaries and did not attempt to get the young person to engage in his programme. There were no actions taken with him, including verbal advice, encouragement, loss of privileges, sanctions or discussion when he did not take part in his programme. Staff have no effective means of supporting the young person to make progress. The management of the home has not met this component of the enforcement notice.

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The young person has recently converted to the Muslim faith. He says that this is not linked to radicalisation but to the love provided to him. He says that staff have been supportive of him, in particular the manager, who ensures that he receives Halal meat. The staff on duty had read the home’s policy on radicalisation, but did not think that it applied to this young person. One of the staff believes that the risks are exaggerated and does not believe that anyone has been radicalised. The member of staff working that day was not aware that the young person had converted and did not believe that he was at risk. However, the young person’s current situation includes all of the factors in the home’s indications of vulnerability. The independent visitor suggested that staff should read and understand the policy. In addition, in his August visit, he had said, ‘Staff need to ensure that measures are in place to support him and the risk of radicalisation and

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exploitation. Further to this risk.’ This is not included in the risk assessment created on the day of the inspection, and is not in his personal risk assessments on file. There are no recorded discussions or key-worker sessions on this and no other actions to explore the young person’s current beliefs and attitudes. The policy in the home does not provide any guidance to staff on what actions they should take if they believe that a young person is at risk. The failure to address the target set by the independent visitor leaves the young person vulnerable and unsupported.

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The staff do not maintain an accurate record of medication. There is no record of the quantity of medication received into the home, no running total of medication remaining, and no audit or checking of the accurate issuing or disposal of medication. Staff do record when medication is issued, but do not record how much medication is remaining. The record is difficult to read and does not provide a safe record. Staff are not ensuring the safe control and issuing of medication, placing themselves and the young person at risk.

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The young person says that he does not believe that this home is inadequate, and that he loves living here. He loves the staff, in particular the manager and responsible individual. He described the staff as heroes who should get better rewards than merely their salary. He says that he is not a risk to others unless they try to handle him. This includes police, staff and any others. He is concerned at the seriousness of potential charges from his recent arrest and feels supported by his religion in this. He is adamant that his conversion is linked to the positive aspects of his new religion and not any extremist elements. He says that he is keen to progress and do well, but admitted that his current behaviours were not in keeping with his religion or ambitions. He said that his discussions with staff were ones where they did not encourage him to change his religion but helped him to understand it and to support him in his decision. There is no evidence of staff

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exploring any risks associated with this, despite the advice of the independent visitor. This lack of action by the responsible person leaves the young person exposed to potential risk with no support or guidance.

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Information about this children's home

Ofsted have registered this privately owned home to care for no more than six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is currently providing specialised care for individual young people who require a period of intensive support on a one-to-one basis.

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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. out 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

to 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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