Children's home run by ERA Care Limited 5921904 in Epping Forest

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC462809 1 SC462809 Registered provider: ERA Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is one of a small group run by the organisation. It provides care and support for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Judgement at last inspection: not judged

Date of last inspection: 13 November 2017

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection the home was ‘not judged’.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has not had any children placed since September 2016.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s manager, who is experienced in delivering residential services to vulnerable children, is one of the directors from the company. He intends to apply to Ofsted to register as the manager for this home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The company is currently recruiting new staff to work at the home, and the provider has indicated that the home is likely to be operational from March 2018. Should the home decide to accept placements it is required to inform Ofsted of its intention before it does so. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC462809 2 The regulations and quality standards raised at the last full inspection in September 2016 have not been tested. These will be reviewed with the provider at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/11/2017 Interim Not judged 28/02/2017 Interim Not judged 12/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 08/03/2016 Full Requires improvement

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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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)) 27/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children to aspire to their full potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child and 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 27/04/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC462809 3 quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(f))

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Recommendations

 Ensure that placements are only accepted for children where the registered person is satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Ensure that beyond local authorities, other agencies, specifically the police, receive information about children referred to and leaving the home (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.7)  Ensure that staff seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) This is with specific reference to bedding, removing sharp implements from

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Recommendations

bedrooms and painting woodwork in bedrooms.  Ensure that the review of the home’s location is robust in the identification of any risks, and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  Ensure that, just as in a family home, children are able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) This is with specific reference to the routine locking of the kitchen from 11pm to 8am.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC462809 4 Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit G22 Allen House, Station Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire CM21 9JX

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Inspector

Rosie Davie, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC462809 5 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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