Children's home run by J & R Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2591854 1

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J & R Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/behavioural difficulties. It is owned and run by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 16 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on Ofsted’s website.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place because of concerns raised by a provider-led investigation about a serious incident that occurred on 30 April 2021. Ofsted requested the investigation after receiving a notification and a complaint about the same incident. The provider’s response raised further concerns about the leaders and managers’ assessment of the ongoing risks for all the children involved.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the incident, three boys were living in the home. Two boys were living in the home at the time of this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff are not safeguarding children effectively. They failed to respond appropriately when a child was physically assaulted by an agency staff member resulting in significant injuries. Staff did not contact the police at the time of the assault, despite the child requesting this. The child was not seen by a medical professional to assess his injuries. Managers and staff failed to ensure that the child received appropriate support from external professionals. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2591854 2 Managers did not assess the risks for all the children involved. One child who was a significant part of the incident was not recognised as a witness. The impact on him has not been considered in relation to his early life experiences. This child’s social worker only became aware of the incident after being contacted by the inspectors during this monitoring visit. Consequently, the child has not been given adequate

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This monitoring visit

support to manage the potential impact on him of seeing a peer being assaulted.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s records lack structure and purpose. The care plans and risk assessments for the children have not been updated following the incident. As a result, these overlook the children’s key needs and associated risks and do not reliably inform the staff of how to keep the children safe and support their progress.

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This monitoring visit

Following the incident, managers have temporarily stopped using agency staff. However, no documented meetings have taken place with the staff who were present on the day of the incident or the wider staff team. Therefore, there is no evidence of any learning from a serious safeguarding incident, nor of any necessary changes made to care practices.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing is insufficient and not all staff have the qualifications and experience to provide appropriate care for the children, taking into account the statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not given the training and skills necessary to meet the needs of the children. Inspectors observed, and read records of, interactions which are inflammatory and escalate the children’s behaviours. Staff were observed to lack the ability to nurture children, and interactions did not demonstrate mutual respect. The overall neglected presentation of the home, particularly one child’s bedroom, and graffiti on the walls of a bathroom, mirrors this practice. Children are not experiencing care in a supportive, domestic environment.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager was unable to describe how a previous requirement to improve the safeguarding policy had been met, which is of concern. Senior leaders, including the responsible individual, have not provided sufficient oversight of the management of the home to ensure that the children are receiving safe and good- quality care in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, Ofsted served the provider with a suspension notice. Requirements are made, three of which include compliance notices. Ofsted will continue to monitor the provider’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2591854 3

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Recent inspection history

Monitoring visit 16 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2591854 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

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)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(b)) 27/06/2021

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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— 27/06/2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2591854 5 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;

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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))

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Requirement Due date

*Policies for the protection of children

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)) 27/06/2021

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i) 27/06/2021

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Requirement Due date

Fitness of registered provider 27/06/2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2591854 6 A responsible individual must—

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 address: J & R Care, Ash House South, Longfield, Kent DA3 8JF

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Inspectors

Helen Simmons, Social Care Inspector Sarah Olliver, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2591854 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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