Children's home run by Advising Health And Social-Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1254109 1

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Advising Health And Social-Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. The home’s statement of purpose says that it provides care for up to 12 children aged between 6 and 14 who have social and emotional difficulties. All children have complex needs and this may include mental health needs. There is no registered manager at this home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

26/06/2018 Full Inadequate 05/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1254109 2

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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

Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)) 08/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff— provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(iv)(ix)) 08/08/2018

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to understand how to keep safe; 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)(2)(a)(ii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to fire safety. 08/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are 29/07/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1254109 3 protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vi)) *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 aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 29/07/2018

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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 aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 29/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)) 08/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

*Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) 29/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (Regulation 32(1)) 08/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 29/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1254109 4

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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.

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Information about this inspection

Following the inspection of 26 and 27 June 2018, five compliance notices were issued in relation to the safety and welfare of children and in response to the leadership and management of the home. Concerns centred on poor behaviour management strategies, poor safeguarding practice and exceptionally weak management arrangements.

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Information about this inspection

At this monitoring inspection, it was found that the provider has failed to meet all five compliance notices. In addition, the responsible individual has resigned and the manager, who is yet to register with Ofsted, is currently suspended pending investigation.

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Information about this inspection

There is a lack of clarity as to who is in charge. Staff are not aware of who to pass concerns to. The process for staff complaints has been reissued to staff but there remains a lack of clarity in how to process a child’s complaint.

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Information about this inspection

Staff recording of incidents and restraints continues to be weak, as does the review and monitoring of incidents and restraints by managers. A new computerised system aimed at improving recording and monitoring by managers is not being used by all staff and managers.

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Information about this inspection

Safeguarding practice remains weak. Children are potentially at significant risk of harm through poor behaviour management strategies, including poor supervision and care practices. In addition, there is a lack of management oversight.

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Information about this inspection

Doors continue to be locked at night and records of incidents indicate that doors continue to be locked in order to manage behaviour.

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Information about this inspection

Shortfalls remain in staff supervisions. A third of staff have not received supervision since the inspection in June 2018. There is no system in place for managers to monitor planned supervisions. This failure to put in place effective and meaningful supervisory arrangements means that staff are not supported to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children.

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Information about this inspection

There are insufficient core staff to protect the children. There are a number of staff vacancies and extensive use of agency staff. Staff report that they are working long shifts and there is low morale due to staff shortages. Staff, including agency staff, lone work with children. This occurs despite some children deemed to be high risk when staff are lone working. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1254109 5 Staff lack the skills and qualifications to meet the needs of the children. Approximately two thirds of staff are not qualified to the appropriate level. The numbers of staff trained in safeguarding, restraint and the administration of medication remain very low. There are, as yet, no planned dates for training in safeguarding or restraint.

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Information about this inspection

These continued failures mean that children have been put at serious risk of harm. The level of risk to children is significant. Exceptionally poor leadership and management means that this setting continues to breach regulations. Therefore, Ofsted is considering escalating compliance action. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1254109 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Advising Health And Social-Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 231 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1AD

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Inspector

Judith Longden, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1254109 7 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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