Children's home run by RNIB Charity in Camden

Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 1 SC485607

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RNIB Charity

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a large children‟s home that provides care and accommodation for up to 30 children and young people in five purpose-built bungalows. The children and young people have a visual impairment, a learning and/or physical disability and/or sensory impairment. One of the bungalows is also registered by the Care Quality Commission to provide a specialist service to children and young people who have high health and medical needs, who require long-term ventilation or who have life-threatening or life-limiting conditions. The establishment is owned by a large national charity. The majority of the children and young people attend a registered school on the same site. Some young people remain at the home until the age of 19 to complete their education.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since April 2018. An interim manager has been appointed.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit took place to monitor a compliance notice and previous unmet requirements. The compliance notice was not met and has been re-issued for the fourth time. This is because children and young people do not have risk assessments that clearly explain to staff how they should manage risks. Leaders and managers do not review incidents effectively and do not ensure that recommendations from internal investigations are implemented. Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff have a clear understanding about children‟s and young people‟s risk assessments and behaviour management plans and their purpose. While initial risk assessments and behaviour management plans have been shared with parents and social workers, this has not been maintained when risk assessments are reviewed and updated.

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This monitoring visit

Four requirements were judged to be met since the last monitoring visit on 11 June 2018. These include the following improvements. Medical equipment is now checked Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 2 within the required time frames. When incidents happen, some action is taken, and when physical interventions are used they are appropriate.

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This monitoring visit

While some progress has been made, this is minimal and remains slow, with repeated shortfalls continuing to be identified.

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This monitoring visit

Managerial oversight and the use of monitoring and review systems remain ineffective. Leaders and managers are unable to evidence how the many different staff employed are caring for children and young people. Staff are not consistently supervised, and agency staff still receive no supervision. Leaders and managers are still not clear about the number of different staff caring for children and young people. This impacts on the continuity of care that children and young people receive. Systems for the safe management of medication remain inconsistent. Not all staff have had medication training, and medication errors continue.

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This monitoring visit

There has been no registered manager since April 2018. An interim manager has been appointed but is yet to register with Ofsted. Other consultants and managers have also been appointed, but none are permanent. Consequently, management arrangements remain insecure.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/07/2018 20/11/2017 Full Interim Inadequate Sustained effectiveness 22/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 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

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 the home‟s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(b)) This is in respect to safe daily care planning and managerial review of incidents to ensure child safety. 14/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i))* 14/10/2018

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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 ensure– that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 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 quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a–b), (2)(b)(d)(f)) 14/10/2018

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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 14/10/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 4 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– lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home‟s statement of purpose; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1), (2)(a)(c)(e)(h)) The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s

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Requirement Due date

home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person must– keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(1), (3)(a)(b)) 14/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children‟s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 14/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained– the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32(4)(a–b)) 14/10/2018

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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)) 14/10/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 5 The registered person must ensure that– within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)(ii)) 14/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; and are kept up to date. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)) 14/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person‟s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44(1), (7)(a)) 14/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 6

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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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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 105 Judd Street, Camden, London WC1H 9NE

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Inspectors

Lisa O‟Donovan, social care inspector Christy Wannop, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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