Children's home run by London Borough of Waltham Forest

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2563530 1

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London Borough of Waltham Forest

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

 The home is comprised of a short-breaks unit/day-care centre plus a unit for medium- to long-term placements.  The home provides care for disabled children.  The registered manager has been in post since the home was registered in January 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place because of concerns about the quality of the independent visitor’s reports and about the building.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the manager has not been able to offer as full a service as planned. The unit for long-term residential placements is not yet operating. However, children have accessed short breaks and day care for most of the year.

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This monitoring visit

Continuing to attend the home is helping maintain children’s routines and helps them feel secure. Staff are working hard to help children understand the changes, for example, why no outings in the community are taking place. Families spoken to say they appreciate what the staff are doing to keep their children safe.

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This monitoring visit

This is a purpose-built new home for disabled children. Some issues have arisen with the layout and safety of the premises, which the builder is rectifying. Due to a covenant, staff have not yet been able to put up pictures to make the building more homely.

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This monitoring visit

An independent person visits the home every month to check that children are safeguarded and their welfare is protected. These visits are written as reports and Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2563530 2 sent to Ofsted for review. However, these reports do not always make clear the independent person’s opinions about their findings. Nor do they always include stakeholders’ views and observations of or discussions with children, as required.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager also reviews the service but has not included children’s or adults’ views in his report. Staff do generally seek children’s feedback and opinions, for example, in regular children’s meetings. However, children’s views are not sufficiently represented in the home’s monitoring reports.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2563530 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 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

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, these reports should include observations of children and/or children’s views and stakeholder’s feedback, and more analysis/evaluation of the independent person’s findings. 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2563530 4 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; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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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)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children’s and stakeholders’ views are captured in the report. 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2563530 5

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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 registration.

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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 Waltham Forest

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sycamore House, Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 4JF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Darren McAughtrie

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Anthony Lyseight-Goslin

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Inspector

Jacqueline Graves, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2563530 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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