Children's home run by Holibrook House Limited in Waltham Forest

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037248 1 SC037248

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Holibrook House 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 operated home which provides care and accommodation for up to six children. The statement of purpose states that staff use a therapeutic approach to care for children who may have social, emotional and multiple complex needs.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was triggered as a result of concerns regarding independent visitor reports, incidents involving children who go missing from the home and notifications made to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

 investigate the quality of the independent person’s reports  explore the high number of episodes when children have gone missing from the home  explore the late submission of a notification received by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The main outcomes of the visit are as follows:

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This monitoring visit

 Independent person reports do not provide a comprehensive overview of the home and fail to provide a sufficient level of independent scrutiny or challenge.  There is an absence of recommendations within independent person reports.  Independent person reports do not routinely include external feedback from social workers, parents or the views of children themselves.  There is a high frequency of children going missing from the home. However, staff understand the risks to children. Staff consistently implement the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037248 2 statutory guidance for children who go missing and the COVID-19 (coronavirus) guidance to keep children safe.  A notification had been submitted late to Ofsted. This was due to staff on duty lacking the knowledge or training in how to complete a notification in the manager’s absence.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit was conducted off site through the use of video calls, telephone interviews and a review of documents. The inspector interviewed four children, the registered manager, four members of staff, six professionals and two parents.

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This monitoring visit

There are currently five children living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Independent person reports lack comment as to the impact of care provided to children. Furthermore, the reports do not evidence that conversations were held with children or that their views were sought.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager confirmed that independent person visits, which have been conducted remotely, do not explore the condition of the premises or review safeguarding documents. This means that report findings rely heavily on conversations held with the registered manager and a proforma of information.

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This monitoring visit

Independent person reports over several months of reporting do not make recommendations for improvement, even when follow-up action was required from the home. This was not challenged effectively by leaders and managers.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager acknowledged that the independent person reports do not accurately reflect the service and fail to provide the challenge to allow the home to make continuous improvements.

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This monitoring visit

Children spoken to said that they feel safe and happy in the home. The children stated that they have good relationships with all staff members and are supported and well cared for.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector was shown around the home virtually during the visit. This confirmed that children live in a suitably maintained home. Children said they are happy with their rooms, while the living environment is described as ‘homely’ by care professionals.

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This monitoring visit

Although there are high levels of incidents of children going missing from the home, staff do all they can to keep children safe. Staff keep in contact with children when they go missing and make good efforts to deter them from leaving the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff members have worked hard to balance the safety of the children and staff. All staff interviewed demonstrated a consistent approach to supporting children through the pandemic and making every effort to keep them safe following episodes of them going missing. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037248 3 The inspector found that there was a delay in reporting one regulation 40 notification to Ofsted. While this safeguarding incident was managed effectively, the registered manager acknowledged that the delay was due to not having a trained staff member to complete notifications in her absence. The registered manager has taken steps to address this shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection have not been assessed during this monitoring visit. One new requirement is made regarding independent visitor reports.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/10/2019 Full Good 06/12/2018 Full Good 28/09/2017 Full Good 29/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037248 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 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

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listen in schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI.

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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

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. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that independent monitoring reports accurately and comprehensively reflect the service and provide challenge and independent scrutiny 4 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037248 5 to allow the home to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. Specifically, in relation to ensuring that one manager does not write and sign off their own records. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  As part of reviewing and revising where appropriate the statement of purpose (regulation 16(3)(a)), the registered person should review and update the children’s guide as necessary, and make sure children are given an explanation of any changes. Specifically, in relation to ensuring that the children’s guide is updated in relation to Ofsted information. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.23)

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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: Holibrook House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: First Floor, 172 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17 4QH

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Inspector

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037248 6 Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037248 7 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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