Children's home run by Area Camden Limited

Inspection report children‟s home: 1272461 1 Registered provider: Area Camden Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a limited company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children. In the statement of purpose, the provider states that it provides care for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Four girls currently live in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 5 November 2018

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children said they like their home because it is quiet, their rooms are nice, they feel safe and they get on with staff. One child said it is „the best home‟ they have lived in. However, they would prefer it if cupboards in the living room were not locked, as this detracts from the homely environment. The building is very well maintained, providing children with a high standard of accommodation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are helped to gain skills which promote their independence. They clean and cook, and enjoy saving for special items that they need. The children appreciate that staff buy the foods that the children add to the shopping list and cook meals from scratch. Inspection report children‟s home: 1272461 2 Managers have met the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection, improving the service. An independent person has visited the home each month. However, reports of their visits have not been provided to Ofsted. This means the regulator is not kept informed of their findings.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two interim managers have been in post while the registered manager returns from maternity leave in stages. The team is currently female, although occasionally a male member of staff from another home covers a shift; this situation is not explored in the home‟s statement of purpose. There has been some slippage in making sure crucial information is on children‟s files, while Ofsted has not been informed of incidents.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most children have experienced a settled and stable period, continuing in their employment or education. One child left the home suddenly, following some challenging incidents, which resulted in staff calling the police. Incidents such as this are rare. However, it appears that staff‟s training in managing challenging behaviour may be insufficient in defusing such situations and in keeping staff safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A few children continue to go missing from the home. However, there is improvement in that children now stay in touch with staff while they are away. Staff help children understand the risks and dangers to them when missing from the home. Staff work well in partnership with other professionals to try to reduce missing from home incidents.

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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 particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child‟s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in 30/04/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1272461 3 the child‟s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‟s behaviour, in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child‟s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child‟s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child‟s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children‟s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, review staff training and skills in conflict resolution, restraint and managing challenging behaviour, to enable staff to de-escalate situations and avoid calling the police. The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— 30/04/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1272461 4 include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, keep records up to date and ensure that managers have oversight of crucial records. The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 30/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person‟s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 30/04/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1272461 5 Specifically, provide a copy of the independent person‟s report to Ofsted in a timely manner.

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Recommendations

 Whenever possible, staff in day to day contact with children should include staff from the different gender groups. Where the home‟s Statement of Purpose makes it explicit that the home uses staff of one sex only, clear guidance will need to be in place and followed as to how children are enabled to maintain relationships with people of a different gender. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 54, paragraph 10.22)

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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 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 address: 1 Turnpike Lane, London N8 0EP Inspection report children‟s home: 1272461 6 Responsible individual: Nuala Harrington

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Inspector:

Jacqueline Graves, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1272461 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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