Children's home run by Sherico Care Services Limited

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC007293 1 SC007293 Registered provider: Sherico Care Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who may have learning and/or physical disabilities. The home is wheelchair-accessible and offers a short-break service.

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Judgement at last inspection: not judged

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2018

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Judgement at last inspection: not judged

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged as requires improvement at the last full inspection in August 2016. 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 provided care or accommodation for children since March 2017. This inspection focuses on whether the children‘s home meets its statutory requirements to maintain its registration, and whether it is ready to accept placements. As a result, no judgement is made.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home remains temporarily closed to enable the organisation to focus on its other operational services. The provider also wishes to recruit a suitable person to manage the home. The provider advised that the manager post has been advertised, and interviews will be taking place soon.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been limited progress in meeting the requirements made at the last inspection in February 2018. However, only one requirement has been fully met. This requirement is in respect of providing a gas certificate and proof of employer‘s liability insurance Interim inspection report children’s home: SC007293 2 cover. It is necessary to repeat the remaining requirements and the recommendation from the last inspection. A number of additional requirements have resulted from this inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The lack of any consistent quality assurance remains a concern. Only one external monitoring report has been received by the regulator since May 2017. The provider advised that a new independent visitor has now been appointed, and monthly monitoring visits will become more consistent. The lack of independent monitoring does not assist leaders in developing and improving the home. The regulator relies on such reports to understand what is happening at the home and whether it is suitable to admit and care for children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders do not carry out quality of care reviews at six-monthly intervals as required by regulation. These reports should be helping leaders to assess the quality of care and help them to improve and develop their service. The regulations require these reports to be completed at six-monthly intervals and submitted to the regulator. However, no reports have been submitted since February 2016.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider intends to start admitting children later this year. However, the decor and facilities in the home require attention. There are damp patches in the kitchen and in one of the bedrooms. The cooker door does not shut properly, which is a risk to children. One of the bedrooms has an old stained sofa and another has broken drawers in the furniture. One of the mattresses has visible lumps and old bed linen, a pillow and duvet from the last resident who left in March 2017. All the rooms require some cleaning and freshening up as they are grubby and dusty. The provider plans to change the sensory room into a private, relaxing zone.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The outside space also requires attention. Play equipment is dirty and covered in leaves and the soft flooring is peeling up, creating a trip hazard for children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Fire safety equipment is evident throughout the home; however, the provider could not evidence a recent fire risk assessment. The first-floor fire escape is boarded up, preventing safe evacuation in the event of a fire.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2018 Interim Not judged 31/10/2017 Interim Not judged 16/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Requires improvement Interim inspection report children’s home: SC007293 3

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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

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must;

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Requirement Due date

appoint a person to manage the children‘s home. appoint an individual to manage the children‘s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the children‘s home. (Regulation 27(1)(a)) 03/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

45: (1) The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (―a quality of care review‖) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

(2) In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

(a) the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

(b) the feedback and opinions of children about the children‘s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

(c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(a)(b)) 03/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

(3) After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (―the quality of care 03/10/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC007293 4 review report‖).

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must— (a) supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(4)(a)) Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‘s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

(2) When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

(a) if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

(b) to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home‘s records (except for a child‘s case records, unless the child and the child‘s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44(1)(2)(a)(b)) 03/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

(4) The independent person must 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

(a) children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

(b) the conduct of the home promotes children‘s well-being. (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)) 03/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child‘s health. (Regulation 12(1)(d)) 03/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‘s home a statement (―the statement of purpose‖) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16(1)) 03/10/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC007293 5 The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request to—

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Requirement Due date

a child, or a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered;

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Requirement Due date

a parent or a child, or a parent of a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered;

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Requirement Due date

a child‘s placing authority. (Regulation 16 (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 03/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 03/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children‘s home. (Regulation 25(1)(a)) 03/10/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children with disabilities have appropriate opportunities to have fun. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 32, paragraph 6.10) In particular, that the home improves equipment available in the sensory room.

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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 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC007293 6 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.

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Information about this inspection

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: 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

Christine Kennet, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC007293 7 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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