Children's Home run by Area Camden Limited in Camden

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2535376 1

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Area Camden Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home is registered to care for up to three children. The home’s statement of purpose confirms that the home cares for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home has applied for registration with Ofsted and is awaiting a date for a formal interview. She has been in post since May 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted this visit on site after receiving a notification of a serious incident regarding a child in the home. This visit focused on the progress and safeguarding of the child concerned.

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This monitoring visit

There were two children living in the home at the time of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

This visit involved meetings with the home’s manager, deputy manager, allocated key worker and operations manager. It was not possible to speak with children during the visit. In addition, an allocated social worker, a youth offending team worker and a specialist police officer provided feedback regarding the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers accept that there has been some delay in notifying Ofsted of a recent serious incident. As a result, one new requirement has been made relating to the timeliness of informing Ofsted of significant events in the home. This shortfall has not impacted on the care offered to children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff engage well with the professional network to support the child concerned. Staff provide daily updates to the allocated social worker and attend weekly meetings to share key information, such as any behaviours of concern. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2535376 2 This is reflected in the positive feedback the inspector received from professionals. One professional commented, ‘They’ve been amazing, really proactive and really supportive.’ The allocated social worker of the child concerned reported that it is the first time that the child has felt cared for and ‘loved’.

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This monitoring visit

Case records evidence that children receive good levels of support. Regular key-work sessions address risk-taking behaviours, such as being late home for curfew times set by police bail conditions and the impact of associating with a negative peer group. Children’s behaviour is carefully monitored and recorded in risk assessments and care plans.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are proactive and advocate strongly on the behalf of children. Family members are encouraged to visit and enjoy mealtimes at the home. Strong efforts are made to obtain bespoke education provision when required.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have acted quickly to support staff. One staff member commented, ‘Managers have really been there for us after what has happened.’ This supports a strong team dynamic in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Because of the limited scope of the visit, the requirements and recommendations that were set at the last inspection were not assessed on this occasion.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2535376 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 may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

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)) 1 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document; 1 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2535376 4 ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with; and

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Requirement Due date

what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(iii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to the response to and management of complaints.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 1 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2535376 5 This is with reference to ensuring that Ofsted is informed of all notifiable events in a timely fashion.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are 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. This relates to the clear recording of medication, particularly where medication has been discontinued. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: Area Camden Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Turnpike Lane, London, Middlesex N8 0EP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nuala Harrington

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Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2535376 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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