Children's Home run by Destiny House in Harrow

Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC038906 1 SC038906 Registered provider: Destiny House

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private home provides care and accommodation for up to eight young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to check the actions taken by the provider to meet the three compliance notices dated 15 September 2017. This is the second monitoring visit to check compliance with these notices.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was initially undertaken on 2 October 2017. This visit concluded that the provider had not addressed the compliance notices. However, there was some evidence that actions to address the shortfalls were in progress. The registered provider stated that they would be completed in full by 31 October 2017. This was largely due to the contracting of an external agency to revise the home‟s policies and procedures manual.

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This monitoring visit

The provider was required to address three compliance notices by 1 October 2017. These related to the below:

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This monitoring visit

Failure to comply with regulation 13 of the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 – The leadership and management standard

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This monitoring visit

Failure to comply with regulation 37 of the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 – Other records with respect to children‟s homes Staff roster

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This monitoring visit

Failure to comply with regulation 40 of the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 Notification of a serious event

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit on 2 October 2017, there have been no allegations Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC038906 2 against staff. Therefore the registered provider has not had the opportunity to put into practice their compliance with regulation 40. This relates to notifying Ofsted and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse.

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This monitoring visit

The notification policy has been updated; however, it does not comply with regulations. It still refers to regulation 30 and not regulation 40 of the Children‟s Homes Regulations 2015. The policy also refers to notifiable events from the previous legislation and old terminology. An example of the latter was the term „prostitution‟ being used and not „child sexual exploitation‟. As a result, the notification policy does not comply with regulation 40.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider has complied with regulation 37. This relates to maintaining in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensuring that the records are kept up to date; in particular: a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home. This is kept and details the various shifts and whether staff are not working. A record of the actual rosters worked are on individual timesheets. These were seen and detailed the actual hours worked. The logbook also records when each person comes on shift.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider has updated the complaints procedure. The information on how to manage complaints against the manager has changed. However, the complaints procedure only identifies Ofsted as a point of contact if there are complaints made against the manager.

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This monitoring visit

The new policies and procedures manual includes a series of child protection and safeguarding procedures. The policy quotes the regulations, and details having a safeguarding culture and ethos. It includes policies and procedures in support of this quality standard, such as abuse, anti-radicalisation, bullying, safe/positive touch, unauthorised absence/missing, cyber bullying and internet grooming, financial abuse, self-harm and whistle-blowing. The policy covers managing referrals to the designated officer for the host local authority, Harrow, and their contact details.

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This monitoring visit

The managing allegations policy does not reflect good practice necessary to safeguard children. It states that in the event of the child, a visitor, friend or relative alleging the abuse, the matter should be dealt with according to the home‟s complaints procedure. This is incorrect: alleged abuse should not be managed through the complaints procedure. The policy states: „requests to “keep it quiet” (even from the victim) will, ordinarily, have to be refused‟. This is misleading, as staff have a duty of care to refer on any allegations. They must not „keep it quiet‟. The policy also states: „The manager of the home or person in charge must undertake an investigation.‟ This is incorrect.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector saw the workforce planning policy. The registered provider has not met this element of the leadership and management standard. It does not include all the details outlined in the „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 53, paragraph 10.8. For example, it does not include the management structure and staffing structure, staff qualifications and experience, Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC038906 3 core training and mandatory training. Following the inspection the inspector received an email from the registered provider, which had an attached workforce policy. The registered provider explained that they had been unable to show the full workforce planning policy, due to the number of pages which required printing. However, this policy did not include the qualifications and experience of the staff. It also appeared to be a plagiarised policy from a national provider of residential care and contained

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This monitoring visit

The workforce planning policy refers to „No 66‟, and the organisation‟s „head office‟ throughout. Examples are page 1, „This plan identifies core and mandatory trainings for those staff that will enable them to deliver on No 66 Statement of Purpose.‟ Again on page 9: „ If it’s not good enough for our own children it’s not good enough for children at 66!’ Page 12, states ‘ [name of national provider] is committed to improving the delivery of its services.‟ Page 15 refers to „Attachment Style Interview‟, which is used primarily when working with parents in residential family centres.

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This monitoring visit

In conclusion, the registered provider has met two of the three compliance notices dated 15 September 2017. However, one compliance notice is not met.

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This monitoring visit

Although a new policy and procedures manual is now in place the child protection and managing allegations procedures do not reflect good practice to safeguard children. The complaints policy, apart from providing details of Ofsted, fails to provide any additional information where complaints against the manager must be reported. Furthermore, the workforce planning policy is a plagiarised document, contains errors and it does not include the experience and qualifications of staff.

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This monitoring visit

Failed to comply with regulation 13 of the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 – The leadership and management standard.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/08/2017 Full Inadequate 27/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 25/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC038906 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

13: The leadership and management standard* 01/10/2017 16: Statement of purpose 01/10/2017 32: Fitness of workers 01/10/2017 33: Employment of staff 01/10/2017 34: Policies for the protection of children 01/10/2017 36: Children‟s case records 01/10/2017 37: Other records* 01/10/2017 39: Complaints and representations 01/10/2017 40: Notification of a serious event* 01/10/2017 44: Independent person: visits and reports 01/10/2017 13: The leadership and management standard 01/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC038906 5

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC038906 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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