Children's Home run by Educare Support Limited in Enfield

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 1

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Educare Support Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home cares for up to six children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered by Ofsted in January 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a registered manager. The previous registered manager was dismissed by the organisation.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit assessed the home’s compliance with a notice issued by Ofsted to suspend the registration of the setting on 28 October 2020.

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This monitoring visit

The home was suspended by Ofsted due to:  it allowing unrestricted access to children by a person who does not have a defined staffing role in the children’s home  an allegation of concerning practice made against a person who does not have a defined staffing role in the children’s home  the registered manager and all permanent staff either having their contracts terminated by the provider without notice or resigning in a short space of time  poor record-keeping systems that do not record who has accessed the home.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was facilitated by the company secretary.

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This monitoring visit

The company secretary confirmed that no children have been accommodated in the home since the suspension notice was served. She reported that the children had Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 2 been found alternative accommodation. This had also been confirmed to Ofsted by both children’s placing authorities. An inspection of the premises found no evidence to the contrary. Therefore, the home has complied with the suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

The home currently employs three members of staff. There is no manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

The company secretary confirmed that recruitment for a manager is underway. The company secretary reported that the plans are for the home to reopen, following successful recruitment of a new manager and the recruitment and training of staff.

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This monitoring visit

The company secretary asked the inspector if they (the inspector) would be able to review the curriculum vitae of the applicants for the manager’s post to see which one is suitable. The inspector highlighted that this would not be appropriate. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 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 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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 19/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow 19/01/2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 4 that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (1) (2)(a)) 19/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children; and

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Requirement Due date

the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

within the last 5 years, worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children; 19/01/2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 5 worked for at least one year in a role requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role; and

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Requirement Due date

the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 5 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who starts managing a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 3 years after the date on which that person started managing a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who was managing a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2017.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider may defer the relevant date if the person—

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Requirement Due date

does not manage, or has not managed, a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

manages, or has managed, a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, maintain a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home and records of: the actual rosters worked; any persons who reside or work at any time at the home and all visitors to the home, and to children, including the names of visitors and the reasons for the visit. 19/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— 19/01/2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 6 the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the excessive use of closed-circuit television cameras.

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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 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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that individuals without a defined role in the children’s home do not have unsupervised access to children or the home. 19/01/2021

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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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; 19/01/2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 7 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to staff needing to take appropriate action when children are missing.

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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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to concealing items in the children’s home without the knowledge or consent of children or staff. 19/01/2021

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 8 quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This relates to maintaining detailed and accurate records of children’s daily activities.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the compliance with the suspension notice effective from 28 October 2020 and the progress made by the children’s home since its suspension.

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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: Educare Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 453 Cranbrook Road, Ilford, Essex IG2 6EW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher O’Nions

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Inspector

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2569345 9 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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