Children's home run by The Good Support Group Limited

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1256364 1

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The Good Support Group Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private organisation runs this home on behalf of the local authority. The home provides residential and respite care and accommodation for up to seven children. The home‟s statement of purpose states that the home supports children who have „autistic spectrum disorders, profound and multiple physical disabilities, learning disabilities and complex health needs‟. There has been a registered manager vacancy since January 2019. The current manager has made an application to be registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to investigate concerns that children are not being sufficiently safeguarded in the home. Inspectors identified significant and concerning shortfalls in the safeguarding practice of leaders, managers and staff‟. These shortfalls place children at significant risk of harm. Inspectors viewed video footage, taken by staff members who had used their own personal mobile phones. This showed records of separate incidents where other staff were seen to be slapping children and shouting at them in a loud and aggressive manner. In addition, a member of staff witnessed another member of staff allegedly withholding food from a child last year. However, the member of staff who witnessed the alleged incident did not report it until June this year. The home‟s own safeguarding procedures require that any concerns that staff have about the welfare or safety of a child must be reported immediately to the registered

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This monitoring visit

person. This did not happen. A number of staff members had delayed reporting these serious safeguarding concerns for significant periods of time, in one case by as much as eight months. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1256364 2 Consequently, staff who had been recorded shouting at and slapping children, and allegedly withholding food from children, remained working in the home. This potentially placed children at a significant risk of harm. A number of staff have clearly used their personal mobile phones to film children who are accommodated in the home. These staff members have failed to follow company policy which prohibits such use of their personal mobile phones. Consequently, children have had their privacy placed in jeopardy. Leaders and managers failed to report an alleged serious safeguarding incident to Ofsted as required. Ofsted received the notification in question three months after

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This monitoring visit

senior managers in the home were aware of it. The allegation relates to an alleged restraint incident involving a child that concerned a senior member of staff, who is also the home‟s safeguarding lead, and two other members of agency staff. The alleged incident was believed to have occurred in April 2018. At the time of this monitoring visit, the investigation into the incident had not been completed. However, leaders and managers gave permission for the senior member of staff involved in the alleged incident to return to work in the home last month, despite the serious nature of the allegations. This may have placed children at risk. The home relies heavily on the use of agency staff. Leaders and managers have failed to provide agency staff with any formal supervision. This means that agency staff lack regular support and advice to monitor and guide them in their roles to look after the vulnerable children within the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit, Ofsted took urgent enforcement action. Ofsted issued the provider with a notice to suspend the registration of this children‟s home on 27 June 2019. This means that the home is suspended from operating as a children‟s home and is, therefore, prohibited from providing care or accommodation to children. Ofsted will monitor the home‟s compliance with the notice to suspend the registration of the service.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/10/2018 Full Good 06/03/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1256364 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 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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 19/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular— provides for the suspension from work of an employee if necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children; and provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, whether past or present, in relation to a child to the appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted. For the purposes of this regulation, “the appropriate person” is the registered person, an officer of HMCI, an officer of the 19/08/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1256364 4 local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer. (Regulation 33(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)) The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with

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Requirement Due date

appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that agency staff receive formal supervision. 19/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 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 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 19/08/2019

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to investigate information received which suggested that there may be breaches of regulations.

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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: 1256364 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Good Support Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 200 Chargeable Lane, London E13 8DW

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Inspectors

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Barnaby Dowell, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1256364 6 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

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

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