Children's home run by Sherico Care Services Limited in Westminster

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 1 SC010700

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Sherico Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is one of a number of homes owned by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties .

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged requires improvement to be good at the full inspection on 6 December 2017. Following this monitoring visit, there is no change to the judgement.

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This monitoring visit

Nine requirements and two recommendations resulted from the last full inspection. The home has addressed four requirements and neither of the recommendations. An additional five requirements and one recommendation result from this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The home has addressed requirements in relation to the young person’s register, appointment of an independent visitor, staff access to national vocational qualifications and the staff rota. Additional concerns, in relation to structured educational input, staff challenging poor behaviour, and poor case recordings, are highlighted at this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The home does not have a registered manager in place. The last registered manager left her post in April 2017. The home has been without a registered manager for over 26 weeks. At present, two deputies from another home within the organisation are overseeing the day-to-day management of the home. No progress has been made on appointing a permanent manager.

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This monitoring visit

Feedback from placing professionals is not positive. One social worker referred to a worrying pattern of missing from home behaviour and a lack of engagement from the staff team with their allocated young person. Feedback from young people is Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 2 equally not positive. One young person stated, ‘Nobody does anything for me around here; I do f**k all.’

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This monitoring visit

Visiting police have noted their concerns about the state of young people’s rooms. The police have also noted concerns about the fact that the care workers in the home were unable to provide any detailed information on the young people living there. Further concerns were raised about the number of young males congregating outside the home. The police are of the view that staff have very little control over the young people living in the home or their friends who gather outside the home.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment has deteriorated. Apart from the replacement of one window width restrictor in one bedroom and the replacement of bedroom floorboards, no progress was noted in relation to the previously raised concerns. In addition, this inspection identified the collapse of the front wall outside of the home, poor-quality and damaged bedroom furniture, dirty sinks in the young people’s bedroom and damage to bedroom locks. In the back garden area, the inspection found a damaged serrated piece of Perspex with sharp edges and damaged garden fencing. The communal areas of the home are in urgent need of redecoration and a large tear remains noted in the living room curtain. Overall, this presents as a poor, unkempt environment and, in the case of the garden area, a potential risk to young people.

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This monitoring visit

Local police have issued a notice stating that anyone found engaging in anti-social behaviour within the vicinity of the home will receive a community protection notice and likely prosecution. This is clearly visible on the front window of the home and has limited young people congregating outside the home address.

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This monitoring visit

A new independent visitor is in place. He has completed two visits to the home, in December and January 2017. The quality assurance manager has reported an improvement in the quality and challenge of the independent visitor’s reports. Due to technical problems, the home was unable to provide a copy of December’s report for assessment during the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Educational attainment for young people is mixed. One young person has re- engaged with tuition after an extended absence. However, this inspection noted staff failing to offer educational support when the daily planner clearly indicated educational activity between 10am and midday.

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This monitoring visit

Case recording is poor, with limited evidence of management audit. Case files do not evidence any semi-independence work nor progress reports for one young person since November 2017. This limits the scope of the inspection and assessment of the progress achieved by young people.

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This monitoring visit

Fire safety is a concern. Due to young people’s poor behaviour, staff had removed the fire hydrants from the kitchen area, presenting a potential fire risk.

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This monitoring visit

Updates to the children’s guide have occurred. However, the guide does not contain Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 3 the contact details for the children’s commissioner, limiting the scope of support and advocacy for young people.

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This monitoring visit

It was not possible to fully assess the risk assessment used by the home for potential new admissions, as it was not available on the case file nor on the home’s computer system. Staff stated that it is stored on a computer in the head office of the home, hence it was not available for assessment during this inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/05/2017 Full Good 06/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 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

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered provider must:

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff’s recording of information is accurate, comprehensive and clear. 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving the educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure-(a) that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(I) help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets as recorded in the child’s relevant plans

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Requirement Due date

(v) promote opportunities for each child to learn informally.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this refers to the consistent monitoring and support of young people’s progress in education. 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

The independent person produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 20/03/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 5 44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44 (7)(a)) 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

(b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

This is in order to ensure that staff have the skills to offer consistent and appropriate behavioural management boundaries. 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

(1) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop and to benefit, from relationships based on— (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; (c) positive response to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this refers to staff consistently challenging poor behaviour in accordance with the home’s behavioural management policy. 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered provider must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the provider cleans or replaces stained carpets; ensure that all bedrooms have appropriate curtains and lampshades; and remove unsafe hazards from the garden area. The step leading into the garden area is loose and presents a possible danger of tripping and falling. Replace torn curtains in the lounge, and wardrobes and bedside cabinet in one bedroom. In addition ensure the cleaning and removal of all stains from one sink in the bathroom. 20/03/2018 * Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 6 27: Appointment of a manager

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Requirement Due date

(1) The provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— (a) there is no registered manager in respect of the home. 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered provider must

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Requirement Due date

(c) keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7 (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the contact details of the children’s commissioner are listed. 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)) 20/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff comply with relevant health and safety legislations. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, ensure that fire doors are kept closed and that there is a fire extinguisher available in the kitchen area.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s placement plan. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4.) In particular, managers are to consider this in cases where a therapeutic environment is identified as a need.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person and staff work closely with the placing authority so that the young person is supported and enabled to resume full- time education as soon as possible. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 27, paragraph 5.5) The focus should be on the provision of support to sustain or regain confidence in education and engagement in suitable structured activities. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 7

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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: SC010700 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sherico Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sherico Care Homes Ltd, 2–4 Balmoral Road, London E10 5ND

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Inspector(s)

Barnaby Dowell, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC010700 9 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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