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 Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private organisation operates this home on behalf of the host 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 autism spectrum disorders, profound and multiple physical disabilities, learning disabilities and complex health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since January 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Following a monitoring visit on 25 June 2019, Ofsted commenced urgent enforcement action against the home. On 27 June 2019, Ofsted issued the provider with a notice to suspend the registration of this children’s home. This means that the home is suspended from operating as a children’s home and is, therefore, prohibited from providing care or accommodation for children.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to check the home’s compliance with the suspension notice and to assess the progress that the home has made in meeting the requirements that have been set.

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This monitoring visit

During this monitoring visit, the inspector met with the interim managing director, the home’s independent safeguarding consultant and members of the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

No children are currently living in the home. This means that the provider is complying with the notice to suspend the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit, the home’s Managing Director has resigned from the board of the children’s s home and is awaiting a disciplinary hearing regarding their employment. They continue to be suspended from their role. Also, the acting manager who was going through the process of registering as the registered Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: 1256364 2 manager has left the organisation by mutual consent.

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This monitoring visit

The training of staff continues. Since the last monitoring visit, most staff have completed positive behaviour support and inclusive communication training. However, the interim managing director of the organisation acknowledged that not all staff have undertaken relevant training. Several staff members have still not undertaken safeguarding or restraint training. The training of all care staff in safeguarding children and the use of physical restraint is a key aspect of the organisation’s action plan to improve the safety and quality of services provided to children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are actively involved in developing the home’s new policies and procedures.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit concluded that the provider is complying with the notice to suspend the registration of the home. Furthermore, progress is being made to address the requirements that were set at the first monitoring visit in June.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted will continue to monitor the suspension of the home. Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: 1256364 3

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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 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

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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

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

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 31/10/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: 1256364 5 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)) The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular–

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Requirement Due date

provides for the suspension from work of an employee if necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children; and

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Requirement Due date

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 local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer. (Regulation 33(1), (2)(a)(b), (3)) 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees–

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that agency staff receive formal supervision. 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

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–

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 31/10/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: 1256364 6 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)) Review of quality of care

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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

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating–

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1), (2)(a)(b)(c), (3), (4)(a), (5)) 31/10/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: 1256364 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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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Good Support Group Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kenneth Mackness

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: 1256364 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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