Children's Home run by Creating Care Choices Limited in Lewisham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC025657 1 SC025657

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care and accommodation for up to 11 young people who have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this unannounced visit was to investigate concerns received by Ofsted on 19 April 2017. Some of these concerns related to safeguarding, health and safety and care practice, while others related to staffing and how the home is being managed. Interviews were conducted with members of the staff and the deputy manager, as the registered manager was away on leave. Practice observations of young people were also undertaken. Young people’s files, medication logs, incident recordings and other documents were reviewed. Public and private areas of the premises were checked.

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This monitoring visit

There were no signs of problems of hygiene in the living quarters. Bathrooms were also clean. No significant health and safety issues were identified. Sleeping arrangements for young people and staff were found to be appropriate, with mattresses available for all.

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This monitoring visit

Medications are administered to young people according to their plans and administration is witnessed by another staff member and recorded in the medication log. All staff are required to complete the restraint training, and the home is due to deliver updated training soon. On each shift, there is at least one member of staff who is fully trained in restraint with another who has yet to complete the training. No bruises or suspicious injuries were observed on the young people or have been reported by the home.

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This monitoring visit

Food items in the refrigerator are properly labelled and within use-by dates. The deputy manager checks to ensure that cooked food is put in the refrigerator. Staff receive training on food hygiene and handling. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC025657 2 Staff recruitment checks are in accordance with regulations. Staff are allowed to leave the premises for breaks, but if the young people are unsettled for any reason they are advised not to leave the house. Staff can have their breaks in the kitchen, for example, so that if the young people need their support, they are available for them. This is something that the staff team members have all agreed to.

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This monitoring visit

One young person was observed having her snack and interacting with the staff members with ease and comfort. The young person appeared healthy, happy and amenable to redirection by staff who were caring as well as direct with the young person. Another young person was observed talking with another member of staff, also with ease. Staff were also observed managing the escalating behaviour of another young person with care and with firmness. The young people in the home were observed to have constant supervision

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This monitoring visit

Staff members who were interviewed stated that they enjoy working with the young people. They have a good understanding of the young people’s vulnerabilities and the support that they need to make progress.

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This monitoring visit

The outcome of the visit was that the allegations made in the complaints were not substantiated. However, there are learning points for the home that were identified at the last inspection. The recommendations made at the interim inspection remain:

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that the young people are supported by staff to understand what abuse is, and that staff report any allegation of abuse immediately. The relevant officer in the local authority should be informed promptly of all allegations. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraphs 9.16–9.18)  Ensure that notifications of serious events are sent to Ofsted. In particular, the registered person is to notify the regulator of any allegations made against staff working in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraphs 14.9–14.10)  Ensure that the workforce development plan is used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, and, in particular, that it includes a training plan for the coming year and monitoring of

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Recommendations

staff supervision. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  Ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, and that the record provides evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC025657 3 61, paragraph 13.3)  Provide a homely domestic environment for young people, and in particular ensure that repairs are conducted and completed in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Ensure that the independent visitor makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. In particular, ensure that the reports contain

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Recommendations

interviews with young people, their parents and relatives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  Ensure that the processes put in place to review the quality of care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children are underpinned by the quality standards. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraphs 15.2, 15.3)

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/06/2016 Full Good 17/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/06/2015 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC025657 4 SSEVASEVSE This SESDVA

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the workforce development plan is used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff and, in particular, that it includes a training plan for the coming year and a monitoring of staff supervision. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  Provide a homely, domestic environment for young people, and, in particular, ensure that repairs are conducted in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Ensure that the young people are supported by staff to understand what abuse is, and that staff report any allegation of abuse immediately. The relevant officer in the local authority should be informed promptly of all allegations. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraphs 9.16-9.18)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that notifications of serious events are sent to Ofsted. In particular, the registered person is to notify the regulator of any allegations made against staff working in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraphs 14.9-14.10)  Ensure that the independent visitor makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. In particular, ensure that the report only contains relevant and current information and, where possible, interviews with young people, their parents and relatives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ , page 65, paragraph 15.5)  Ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, and that the record provides evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC025657 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Creating Care Choices Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 38 Castle Drive, Ilford, Essex IG4 5AE

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Inspector

Linda Kim-Newby, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC025657 6 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, 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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