Children's Home run by London Borough of Hounslow in Hounslow

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062128 1 SC062128

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London Borough of Hounslow

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides care and accommodation for up to six children. The home’s statement of purpose states that it looks after children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It also states that the home provides individual care packages for children who have faced significant loss and trauma in their lives.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since the 12 January 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this visit took place off site using video and telephone calls, emails and other technologies. The visit was conducted to address specific concerns that there has been no registered manager in the home since January 2020, and that the monthly independent monitoring reports do not meet regulatory requirements. There are currently six children living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The monthly monitoring reports provided by an independent visitor do not meet regulatory requirements. The provider fails to provide an opinion as to whether children are safeguarded effectively, and whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. The reports are not comprehensive and there is limited evaluation.

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This monitoring visit

In addition, recommendations made by the independent visitor to improve staff practice and the care and support offered to young people in the home are not followed up during subsequent visits. This means the provider’s shortfalls are not adequately monitored nor their progress improved. The responsible individual recognises these shortfalls and says that steps are being taken to improve the quality of the reports. It is too early to see any evidence of the impact of these improvements. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062128 2 The provider has failed to appoint a registered manager at the home and the position has been vacant since January 2020. The responsible individual did not reply to Ofsted’s letters enquiring about the vacancy for a registered manager. The responsible individual said that a recruitment drive has been unsuccessful and that the permanent manager’s post will be re-advertised shortly. There is an interim

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This monitoring visit

manager in day-to-day charge of running the home and staff spoken with praised the support they received. The lack of a suitable registered manager impacts on the overall organisation and improvement of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team is stable. The acting manager proactively seeks additional training for the staff. The staff members are all long-standing and provide consistent care and attention to the well-being of the young people living in the home. A young person said, ‘They are always approachable, and they really help me.’ A social worker described the staff team as ‘nurturing and supportive’ alongside their ‘good communication and regular updates’.

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This monitoring visit

A parent spoken with said that staff are ‘brilliant’ and ‘helpful’, and they make sure that important relationships with family and friends are maintained. All young people living in the home say that they feel safe.

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This monitoring visit

The home has managed the challenge of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic well. Rigorous safety procedures are in place to help protect the staff and young people living in the home. Staff have also adapted their shift patterns to ensure that young people can remain in a secure ‘social bubble’ to maintain their safety during the pandemic.

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This monitoring visit

During this visit, the inspector did not review the requirements and recommendations set at the last inspection and these have been restated at this visit. One further requirement has been set following this visit in relation to the appointment of a manager.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 18/02/2020 Full Good 20/11/2018 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Outstanding 30/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062128 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.

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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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments clearly identify the known risks for children and set out procedures to minimise these. 30 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and 30 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062128 4 the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the independent person must include in the independent person’s report—

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Requirement Due date

details of the conflict of interest; and

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Requirement Due date

the reasons why the independent person did not notify the registered provider of the conflict of interest before the visit.

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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 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5) (6)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. 30 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062128 5 If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide helps children to understand what the day-to-day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’); how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedures; and how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 4.22, page 24)

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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: London Borough of Hounslow

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, Lampton Road, Hounslow TW3 4DN

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC062128 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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