Children's home run by Jamores Limited in Bexley

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 1

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Jamores Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and run by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since May 2017.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the admission processes of the provider. The concerns arose from a notification submitted by the provider which indicated to Ofsted that a child was admitted without the information necessary for safe placement matching and decision-making. Consequently, staff did not have sufficient information to care for and safeguard children, resulting in a serious allegation and the subsequent rapid, unplanned move of a child.

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This monitoring visit

A previous monitoring visit in July 2019 checked compliance with a notice about decision-making relating to children moving into the home. The report noted that the provider had reviewed and made changes to the admission and matching process. The emergency admissions procedure states that the provider will only move a child into the home if they are satisfied that there is no risk to the other children in placement.

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This monitoring visit

The decision-making by senior managers in the organisation for the most recent admission of a child was hurried. There were just four hours between the receipt of the referral and the offer of a place in the home, with the understanding that the child would move in on the same day. Prior to the decision, the referral was shared with the acting manager in the home, and he requested additional information about the child’s history. The impact risk assessment was completed, the offer of a place in the home made and the child moved before the requested information was received. This is not consistent with the emergency admissions process. The provider did not Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 2 wait to receive the requested information to assess potential risks to other children living in the home before offering a placement.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager learned of relevant additional information about the child at the placement planning meeting held two days after the child moved in. The risk assessments identified as necessary at the placement planning meeting were not completed that day. They were completed two days later after an incident and an allegation of assault had been made by the child against another child. The risk assessments, when completed, did not provide staff with detailed guidance. Staff were not well enough informed to prevent a recurrence of one child hiding in another’s room, which was the beginning of the circumstances leading to the assault allegation. The lack of prompt and meaningful risk assessments failed to safeguard both children.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments related to internet and social media use are not consistent. Children deemed to need supervised use of the computer, due to known concerns, are not assessed as needing similar oversight of their internet use or social media access on their smart phones. There is no rationale for this distinction.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of this visit, sufficient staffing levels in the home had been maintained with on-call support by senior managers, on the phone and in person, provided when needed. The required checks have been undertaken for staff recently recruited to work in the home.

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This monitoring visit

A child who has lived in the home for some time has good relationships with a consistent staff team. When there has been the need for behaviour management intervention, this has been proportionate. Children are given, and use, the opportunity for reflection after an incident. The management sign off on one record was completed by the person involved in the incident. This does not provide an objective overview. Records do not always demonstrate the necessary level of professional curiosity about incidents, such as how a child obtained alcohol, that staff describe.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/05/2019 Full Inadequate 18/12/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 27/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 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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Statutory requirements

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; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; and 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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(iv)(b))* 17/05/2020

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Statutory requirements

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.

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Statutory requirements

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(a))* 17/05/2020

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Statutory requirements

The registered person must ensure that (b) 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 authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)) 17/05/2020

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Statutory requirements

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 4

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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 address: 2 Thames Innovation Centre, Studio 52, Veridion Way, Erith DA18 4AL

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Inspector

Maire Atherton, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234163 5 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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