Children's Home run by Destiny House in Harrow

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038906 1 SC038906

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private home provides care and accommodation for up to eight young people who have needs as described in the statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the actions undertaken to meet the two compliance notices dated 6 July 2018. These notices were issued to the home following the full inspection of the home on 12 June 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The provider was required to address two compliance notices by 13 August 2018. These related to the items below:

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This monitoring visit

Failure to comply with regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 – the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

Failure to comply with regulation 37 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 – other records with respect to children’s homes:  register of children  staff roster.

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This monitoring visit

This visit concluded that the provider had not met either compliance notice. Despite not meeting the compliance notices, progress towards meeting the notices was seen.

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This monitoring visit

In respect of regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, progress has been made in the following areas:  The home’s written procedure that provides guidance to staff and management on how to deal with an allegation or suspicion of abuse, now Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038906 2 accurately reflects the correct reporting timescales for best practice.  The home’s procedures now contain the designated officer’s details for the local authority.  The home’s procedures have one flowchart, which explains to staff the process for reporting allegations or suspicion of abuse.  The home’s written guidance on notifications now accurately references the relevant regulations.  The home’s missing from care guidance is updated to reflect the local procedures and the 2014 Department for Education guidance on children who run away or go missing from home and care.  Children’s individual risk assessments and risk assessments for activities

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This monitoring visit

children undertake are greatly improved.  The Annex A form was provided to inspectors a month after the inspection on 12 June 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The reason that regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, is not met is because of the following issues:  At the monitoring inspection, the provider was not able to demonstrate that they used monitoring and review systems effectively to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. The provider failed to ensure that records are kept of the staff duty roster, staff signing-in book and details in the handwritten children’s register. Without these required records, the provider failed to demonstrate how they promote children’s safety and welfare.  The provider has failed to ensure that the risk management practices in the home safeguard and promote children’s welfare. There were no risk assessments or management plans on how the provider will keep children safe when contractors enter the home and work is undertaken on the premises. When the provider was asked for these risk assessments,

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This monitoring visit

inspectors were given a copy of planned maintenance works at the home and not an assessment of how the provider was going to ensure children’s safety throughout the planned work.

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This monitoring visit

In respect of regulation 37, other records, compliance was not met for the following reasons:  The provider failed to record all the required information in the register of children admitted to the home. There was no admission address for the newest resident admitted to the home. The record was confusing for the existing resident, as it appeared she had left the home on 7 February 2018. The information on both young people at the home was incomplete.  It was not always clear from the staff duty roster who was working in the home and at what times. When the staff duty rosters were inspected Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038906 3 alongside the staff signing-in book, various discrepancies were seen.

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This monitoring visit

Consistent failure to keep records in line with regulation 37 removes an important tool for safeguarding vulnerable children and places them at potential risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The review of the quality of care regulation 45 report was submitted to the regulator but subsequently withdrawn. Inspectors were given another copy of the review of quality of care report at the inspection on 13 June 2018. Neither review included the outcome of the safeguarding matters that were concluded during this period. Without an accurate review of the quality of the care provided by the home, the provider is unlikely to have an understanding of the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for children and young people.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider has undertaken a significant amount of work on improving and decorating the home. Cluttered rooms have been cleared of stored items, new carpet is laid in the upstairs bathroom, window restrictors are added to ensure safety and that general repairs and repainting have taken place.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/11/2017 Full Inadequate 22/08/2017 Full Inadequate 27/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038906 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(i)(ii)) 30/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure risk assessments to keep children safe when outside contractors are working at the home.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the leadership and management standard requires the registered person to—

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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 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h))* 30/09/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038906 5 Other records

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c))*

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must:  ensure that a record in the form of a register is kept showing in respect of each child’s placing authority. (Schedule 4.1.e)  keep a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual rosters worked (Schedule 4.3)  keep a record of any persons who reside or work at any time at the home, who are not mentioned in the records kept in accordance with paragraphs 1 (children) or 2 (staff) and a record of all visitors to the home, and to children, including the names of visitors and the reasons for the visit (Schedule 4.4 and 4.5) 30/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

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

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 review report’).

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Requirement Due date

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 (1)(3)(4)(a)) 30/09/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038906 6 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Ensure homes meet the child’s basic day to day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met - doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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.

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Inspectors

Christine Kennet, social care inspector Kevin Whatley, social care regulatory inspection manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC038906 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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