Children's Home run by St Christopher’s Fellowship in Sandwell

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 1 SC404994 Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship

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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 provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 3 January 2023. The provider has not been able to recruit a permanent manager to manage the home since then.

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This monitoring visit

On 4 January 2023, Ofsted undertook an assurance inspection following a complaint about the shortage of staff and managers in the home and the impact that this was having on the safety and care of children.

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This monitoring visit

At the assurance inspection, Ofsted found serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children. Eight requirements and two recommendations were raised.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the actions the provider had taken to address the shortfalls and the requirements and recommendations raised.

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This monitoring visit

Two children continue to live in the home. No children have moved into the home since the assurance inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now have a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities to support children with health appointments and to promote healthier lifestyles. One child has had a medical review and their immunisations are now up to date. Concerns remain regarding another child’s misuse of alcohol and cannabis. A referral has been made to specialist support services. However, while waiting for this to be processed, staff have not undertaken any work with the child to help educate them about the risks Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 2 and consequences associated with alcohol and cannabis use. This is a missed opportunity to provide support to the child.

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This monitoring visit

Transport arrangements have been reviewed and staff who can drive are able to use the home’s car to take and collect children to and from activities, including to spend time with their friends and family members. Staff are no longer using taxis or encouraging children to get a taxi on their own.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risk assessments are updated, however, these documents still do not give staff clear guidance to about how to manage children’s behaviours. The impact of this shortfall is mitigated because there have been few incidents since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

School placements have been identified for children. This led to a child attending school for two days, however, this progress has not been maintained. Children are not receiving education. They continue to wake up when they want and have little routine and structure to their day.

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This monitoring visit

There are insufficient core staff and no registered manager. The home uses high numbers of agency staff. Although leaders have tried to arrange the staff roster so that a core team member is on shift alongside agency staff members, this is not always possible. Staff shortages continue to impact the consistency of care and support offered to children and their ability to make sustained positive relationships with staff. Children told the inspector that they feel staff do not care and they do not feel they can talk to them.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection a child has made an allegation against as a staff member. While this was appropriately referred to the local authority designated officer by staff, Ofsted was not notified as required by the regulation.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have met with the independent visitor who reviews the operation of the home and the care that children receive each month. They are working with the visitor to ensure that the monthly reports clearly set out whether children are safeguarded and their welfare promoted. This work is in progress. Managers have not completed the six-monthly quality of care report and submitted it to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders accept that it has been a challenge to meet the regulatory shortfalls from the last inspection. They understand that there is much more work to be done to make and sustain changes to ensure that children are offered consistently good safe care and support. Leaders are looking at closing the home temporarily until they can recruit a permanent manager and staff team. They are working with placing authorities to support children’s moves to alternative accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the continued shortfalls, six requirements raised at the last inspection have not been met and are restated. One recommendation was met. In addition, three new requirements have been raised at this visit. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 3 The provider has since notified Ofsted of their intention to close the home, due to difficulties in recruiting a manager and staff.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2022 Full Good 06/11/2019 Full Good 27/06/2018 Full Good 18/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(vi)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are in good day-to-day routines and are supported to take part in lessons with their tutor, address any issues relating to this and work with other professionals to coordinate a plan to get children back into school.

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

mutual respect and trust; 16 April 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 5 an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the skills and experience to work with children to address concerns regarding their risks and vulnerabilities in relationships with their peers.

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 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; 16 April 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 6 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 and,

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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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staffing arrangements are reviewed so that they can provide consistent and appropriate care and boundaries to children. Ensure that monitoring and oversight of the quality of care is effective, including reviewing expectations with the independent visitor about the quality of information contained in reports.

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that before new children move into the home, managers assure themselves that staff have the knowledge, skills and experience to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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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 (1) (7))

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and 16 April 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 7 the registered provider—

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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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

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 April 2023

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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 — is instigated; or

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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)) 16 April 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 8 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)) 16 April 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children receive support and services to help them stop vaping and using cannabis. In addition, staff should support children to have healthier lifestyles. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 9

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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: SC404994 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Christopher’s Fellowship

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Putney High Street, Wandsworth, London SW15 1SZ

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Inspector

Shazana Jamal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC404994 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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