Children's Home run by Centre 404 in Tower Hamlets

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 1 Monitoring visit

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation. The home provides short breaks for up to five children with autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities and physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 10 June 2021. The registered manager resigned in April 2022. The current manager has been in post since 1 August 2022 and has now submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 1 November 2022 in response to concerns about the home. As a result, three compliance notices were issued under Regulation 32: fitness of workers, Regulation 12: the protection of children, and Regulation 13: the leadership and management standard of the Children’s Homes Regulations (England) 2015.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was completed on 21 November 2022 to monitor the progress made against the compliance notices. The inspector found that good progress has been made and the compliance notices have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Since the monitoring visit on 1 November 2022, no agency staff have been used. Leaders and managers have reviewed and strengthened the process for the use of agency staff in the future. Recruitment files will now be obtained for all agency staff, and all agency staff will be inducted into the home before they work with children. Additionally, agency staff will be debriefed at the end of their shift.

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This monitoring visit

Staff recruitment files for permanent and bank staff are up to date. Records evidence that all staff have a disclosure and barring service (DBS) certificate. There are tracking tools in place to ensure that these are updated in line with the organisation’s policy. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 2 Staff training has been reviewed and plans are in place to ensure that all staff are up to date with mandatory training. There have been three staff meetings to discuss the concerns identified at the monitoring visit on 1 November 2022, to ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibilities. All staff have received supervision and there are systems in place to ensure that staff receive supervision from the new manager every six weeks.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring and review systems have been strengthened. Children’s records viewed at the monitoring visit were sufficiently detailed and have been reviewed by the manager. The manager will now routinely review children’s daily records following any overnight short breaks. Furthermore, the responsible individual is also now undertaking regular audits and visits to the home.

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This monitoring visit

The on-call system and process has been reviewed. The responsible individual has delivered training specifically about regulatory responsibilities to the on-call team.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has met the compliance notices. Leaders and managers are making good progress in meeting the requirements and recommendations raised at the previous monitoring visit. However, these are not yet fully implemented and embedded. The progress in meeting the requirements and recommendation will be reviewed fully at the next full inspection. No additional requirements or recommendations were raised from this monitoring visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2022 Full Good 22/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 9 December 2022

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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— 9 December 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 5 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, body maps and accompanying documents should contain relevant information to trigger further safeguarding action if needed; the status of social care involvement with children should be clear on children’s files; and exploration of reported poor practice should be clearly recorded.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 9 December 2022

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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

promotes their welfare. 9 December 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 6 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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to and involving, and responding to, the children they care for. This specifically relates to children’s views being used to inform the review of their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children. This specifically relates to updating the tired paintwork and implementing plans to improve the garden. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that systems are in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice. In particular, the provider should implement

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Recommendations

a clear policy in relation to the supervision of agency staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 7  The registered provider should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 8

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Inspector

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2644282 9 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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