Children's Home run by Sozo Care Homes Limited in Redbridge

Inspection report children's home: 2577036 1 Registered provider: Sozo Care Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care and accommodation for up to three children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home registered with Ofsted on 8 April 2020. The registered manager left on 21 November 2020. The responsible individual resigned from the organisation on 12 May 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

The home temporarily closed on 25 May 2021 and plans to reopen in July 2021. The provider has informed Ofsted that a new manager and a new responsible individual are in post.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection no children were living at the home.

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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 10 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2577036 2 Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report children's home: 2577036 3

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inadequate

Children have not benefited from care which helps them to reach their full potential. Staff do not keep consistent records which detail children’s daily experiences, progress or achievements. It is difficult to see how living at the home has had a positive impact on children’s lives.

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inadequate

Children’s care plans outline their individual needs and the support they require. However, children have not received consistent support with their education. Concerns were evident in relation to children sleeping all day and their lack of any academic progress.

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inadequate

Children’s care plans detail their interests, such as music. However, there is very little evidence of staff nurturing children’s interests or talents. Children do not have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities or new experiences.

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inadequate

Some children enjoyed spending time at the home. They liked playing table tennis, gaming, listening to music and watching movies. Children have also been able to entertain their friends at the home.

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inadequate

Recently, children were noted to benefit from regular meetings with their key worker. These meetings enabled children to discuss various topics and express their thoughts and feelings. Staff used these meetings to help children make positive choices.

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inadequate

Staff have encouraged children to develop independent living skills. Children have taken responsibility for their laundry and cleaning their rooms. They have also learned the importance of budgeting, through the management of their personal allowances.

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inadequate

The home has recently been redecorated and is well maintained. Motivational quotes are on display throughout the home. Welcome packs are provided to children which include toiletries and a new towel set.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The safeguarding arrangements in relation to incidents of restraint, fire safety and staff recruitment do not ensure that children are safeguarded from harm.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Restraint practice is unsafe. Staff do not receive training in de-escalation techniques and do not learn how to physically intervene safely to prevent a child from harming others. Records demonstrate that on one occasion, staff did not record the duration of a restraint and a ‘bear hug’ was used to hold the child. During another incident of restraint, one child was lifted up in the air and then pinned to the floor by a member Inspection report children's home: 2577036 4 of staff. This incident was reported to the necessary professionals and Ofsted. The staff member was also dismissed.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not follow safer recruitment guidance, which means that unsuitable people could be caring for children at the home. There are incidents of people in authority not following safer recruitment procedures and employing staff because they know them. For example, a relative of a senior leader was employed without an application form or two references. The reason for appointing staff is not recorded on recruitment records and leaders and managers do not complete a risk assessment if a staff member has convictions. Consequently, recruitment processes do not ensure that children are safeguarded effectively.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Poor fire safety practices mean that the home is not a safe environment. The tumble dryer has an excessive amount of fluff, which is a fire hazard. The certificates to confirm the safety of the fire extinguishers and the fire alarm system have expired. Furthermore, the last fire alarm test was in April 2021, despite the usual timeframe being for staff to undertake weekly tests.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The home’s surveillance practices also infringe on their neighbour’s privacy. One of the home’s close circuit television cameras monitors the neighbour’s back garden. Leaders and managers are aware of this issue, however, no action has been taken to turn off this camera.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

When children live at the home, staff complete risk assessments for them that highlight how staff will manage concerning issues. Staff discuss dangers with children, such as grooming, criminal exploitation, carrying knives and gang affiliation. Furthermore, staff help children to reduce the number of times that they go missing from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are ineffective in prioritising children’s safety and meeting their needs. Poor practice has not been promptly challenged. The provider recognised this and dismissed the staff team and temporarily closed the home in May 2021.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children have not benefited from stable management arrangements. The home has been without a registered manager for approximately eight months. Ofsted has not received an application to register from the newly appointed manager and responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children have not received care from a well-supported staff team. Staff have not had a comprehensive induction, regular training opportunities or regular professional supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the closure of the home in May 2021, the setting has not been monitored by an independent person. As the home is still registered, it is a legal requirement that an independent person continues to visit the home on a monthly basis. Inspection report children's home: 2577036 5 Record-keeping is poor. Staff do not record all of the required information in the register of children, keep sufficient daily logs or a log of complaints. This compromises management oversight and monitoring and review systems at the home. A neighbour reported to the inspector that they have made various complaints to the provider and to the police.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Two of the requirements from the monitoring visit in February 2021 have been repeated. These relate to the leadership and management of the home and the staff recruitment practices. Leaders and managers are focusing on recruiting a child- focused staff team, who have aspirations for children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are aware of the areas for development. The provider took the decision to close the home and recruit new leaders and managers and a competent staff team. Leaders and managers have a vision for the future and a determination to improve. Inspection report children's home: 2577036 6

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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 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—

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Requirement Due date

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)) 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, 30 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2577036 7 if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, staff must have an application form and two references. A reason for appointment must be recorded and a risk assessment carried out if an employee has convictions.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)) 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, record all the required information in the register of children. 30 August 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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)) 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 30 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2577036 8 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of a restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 30 August 2021

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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. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)) 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure fluff is removed from the tumble dryer, fire alarms are regularly tested, and the fire alarm and fire extinguishers are regularly serviced. 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)) 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 30 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: 2577036 9 undertake appropriate continuing professional development and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 30 August 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. (Regulation 44 (1)) 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

Any person who carries on or manages an establishment or agency of any description without being registered under this Part in respect of it shall be guilty of an offence. (Regulation 11 (1) Care Standards Act 2000)

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the appointed manager and responsible individual must apply to register with Ofsted. 30 August 2021

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children's home: 2577036 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sozo Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 34 Swansea Court, London E16 2RT

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2577036 11 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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