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 visual impairment, learning and/or physical disabilities and/or sensory impairment. One of the bungalows is also registered by the Care Quality Commission and provides a specialist service for 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 March 2018. An interim manager has been appointed.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection took place to ensure that there were no immediate risks to the safety and welfare of young people. This follows a previous inspection in July 2018, where the home was judged to be inadequate, and a further monitoring inspection in August 2018. The home has now been subject to a restriction of accommodation notice since December 2017.

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This monitoring visit

The home will be closing in November 2018 and arrangements are being made to positively transition young people into new placements. No young people have been admitted to the home during the period of restriction. Some young people have already left and there are firm plans for others to leave shortly. Some young people are currently without transition arrangements. However, the provider is taking steps to ensure that young people are appropriately supported. One young person‘s transition plan changed suddenly. However, managers have failed to ensure that Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 2 swift arrangements are being made to minimise disruption to the young person. A lack of routine and structure means that the young person is currently without any meaningful activities during the day, or clear plans for providing alternative educational arrangements. This has the potential to unsettle the young person and

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This monitoring visit

There has been some redecoration in the bungalows and young people‘s rooms are very personalised. Some young people were observed as being happy, relaxed and engaging positively with staff. A fire exit was, however, covered by a large mat. The inspector asked for this to be immediately removed. Staff informed the inspector that this had been put in place to reduce the likelihood of a young person deliberately setting off the adjacent fire alarm and so disturbing other young people in the home. Ofsted has notified the local fire and rescue service of this fire safety concern.

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This monitoring visit

There is some potential confusion about the use of a wheelchair for one young person. The young person has full mobility, but uses a wheelchair when accessing the community. This is for reasons of safety and risk reduction. This measure is used solely for keeping this young person safe from potential harm and injury. However, risk assessments are not clear and staff are unable to articulate a clear rationale for the use of this measure. As a result, this day-to-day occurrence has not been fully assessed and the reasons behind it have not been made clear to the staff team. This means that the use of the wheelchair is possibly an unnecessary restrictive measure.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have facilitated access to external services to improve the quality of care for some young people. The inspector observed a sleep assessment taking place. This was being led by specialist practitioners and an external company. The young person was being appropriately supported to find a more comfortable, and suitable, sleeping posture. Staff confirmed that the results from this will be clearly communicated to the young person‘s next placement.

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This monitoring visit

A social worker spoke with the inspector during the inspection. They confirmed that the staff are actively supporting the transitional arrangements and remain committed to supporting the young person during this challenging time. The social worker commented that:

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This monitoring visit

 ‗Staff have been great.‘  ‗Staff are advocating far and beyond for the young person.‘  ‗Staff are always very passionate about the young person.‘  ‗The staff really know the young person amazingly well.‘

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This monitoring visit

The staff are being supported by a relatively new management team. The previous acting manager is no longer in this role. A new manager is now overseeing the operational management of the children‘s home. Managers are sensitive and supportive with regard to the planned closure and consequent employment issues, Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 3 and how these will impact on the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

There continues to be a focus on providing positive experiences and care for young people. For some young people, this has meant an increase in activities. This is positive and is giving young people greater access to some fun and stimulating activities. There had been some good work completed with regard to seeking young people‘s views. However, this work stopped abruptly in May 2018, and has not been continued. This is a missed opportunity to seek the views of young people and provide additional support in relation to the changes that lie ahead.

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This monitoring visit

Regulatory requirements remain in place from the last inspection visit. Ofsted will monitor these, and the compliance notice, in due course. As a result, this inspection visit has not assessed the provider‘s response to these requirements. Five additional requirements have been made in respect of additional shortfalls identified as a result of this visit.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/07/2018 Full Inadequate 20/11/2017 Interim 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 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

The children‘s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who develop positive relationships with them; engage with them; and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children‘s care and welfare and their lives.

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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 express views, wishes and feelings.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 7(1)(a–c)(2)(ii)) 14/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their 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 that staff help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non- attendance and to return to school as soon as possible.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(viii)) 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i))* 14/10/2018*

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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. 14/10/2018 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 5 (Regulation 12(1)(2)(b)) 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.

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Requirement Due date

This is in respect of safe daily care-planning and managerial review of incidents to ensure child safety. 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.

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Requirement Due date

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; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(1)(2)(a)(c)(e)(h)) 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff work as a team where appropriate; that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; that they 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(1)(a–b)(2)(b)(d)(f)) 14/10/2018

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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; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 14/10/2018 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child‘s placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14(1)(2)(b)(iii)) 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.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home, the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home.

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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.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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 14/10/2018 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 7 authorised person‖) has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)(ii)) 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.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person‘s report to HMCI.

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC485607 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o RNIB, 105 Judd Street, Camden, London WC1H 9NE

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Inspector

Pete Hylton, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC485607 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 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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