Children's Home run by S P Homes Limited in Lambeth

Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 1 SC065535 Registered provider: SP Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to six children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The post of registered manager is vacant. The manager has not applied to register.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were three children living at the home.

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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 serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: Following an assurance inspection on 22 November 2022, Ofsted issued three compliance notices, in relation to regulation 12, the help and protection standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 40, notification of a serious event. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 9 January 2023 and although there was evidence of some improvements in these areas, further work was needed to ensure that the improvements were embedded and sustained. Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/06/2021 Full Good 04/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 3

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inadequate

Weaknesses in safeguarding practice and leadership and management are undermining children’s progress and experiences. Children are not receiving the care and support that they need to ensure that their progress and safety are adequately promoted. The shortfalls identified at the assurance inspection in November 2022, remain and the relevant requirements are repeated.

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inadequate

Staff do not support and monitor children’s health and medical needs effectively. For example, staff have not monitored or administered a child’s medication as prescribed, neither have they followed the child’s medical safety plan consistently. These repeated shortfalls are compromising children’s health and well-being.

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inadequate

Children’s educational outcomes are mixed. For one child, poor routines are negatively impacting on their school attendance and educational attainment. Another child, who moved to the home four weeks before this inspection, does not yet have a school placement. There was little evidence of staff supporting this child to undertake any structured learning at the home. Another child, who is also new to the home, has continued to attend school daily.

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inadequate

Staff’s inconsistent practice and boundaries are confusing for children and hindering their progress. The children’s guide clearly sets out the home’s routines, boundaries and expectations, including bedtimes. However, staff do not consistently follow these. For example, children are not getting enough sleep because they are able to play on their games consoles throughout the night, which negatively impacts on their progress and outcomes.

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

Children’s welfare and safety are undermined by staff’s lack of curiosity and awareness of risk. Despite well-documented concerns that a child may be at risk of criminal exploitation and substance misuse, staff failed to recognise and act on signs that they may have been drawn into selling cannabis. These serious concerns and shortfalls were found at the assurance inspection in November 2022. Improvements to help and protect this child have not been sustained.

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

Staff are not following the agreed strategies set out in the home’s risk assessments. There is very little evidence of staff conducting welfare checks on a child’s bedroom to ensure that illegal substances are not being brought into the home.

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

Risks for children moving into the home are not swiftly assessed, including the risks of child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. Furthermore, risk assessments are not kept up to date to ensure that all staff are alert to and understand the risks to children. Staff spoken with were unaware of sexual exploitation risks for one child, Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 4 who they allow out of the home without a staff member until well past their curfew time.

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

The manager, as the designated safeguarding lead, failed to follow the home’s safeguarding policies and procedures. She was very slow to share information of significant concern about a child’s safety with the placing authority. She also failed to notify Ofsted of these serious concerns, as required.

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

There are no clear procedures or systems in place for staff to report and record restraint. As a result, the manager’s oversight of restraint and restraint practice is weak. Additionally, the majority of the staff team have not had restraint training, which undermines their ability to skilfully and safely intervene when necessary to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Inconsistent and weak leadership and management have undermined the home’s improvement journey. The actions taken to address the serious shortfalls in safeguarding practice have not been embedded or sustained. Some serious safeguarding concerns for one child in particular continue.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has not been a registered manager at this home since August 2022. Two managers have been appointed since then but have not been registered. The first did apply to register but withdrew their application before Ofsted had received all references. The current manager, who was appointed in January 2023, has still not applied for registration. Her oversight of the quality of care and protection provided at this home is inadequate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders, managers and staff lack the professional curiosity to support and safeguard children from exploitation and harm. The manager and staff have not considered that a vulnerable child’s repeated episodes of going missing during the night may indicate a risk of child criminal exploitation. In addition to this, the manager was unaware that the child had brought home an expensive e-scooter, which was parked in the home. There was very little evidence of either the staff or manager making attempts to establish where and how the child had acquired this. The child’s social worker had not been informed of all concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are not ensuring that the home is being led in a way that is consistent with the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose. In addition, Ofsted has not been sent the home’s revised statement of purpose as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to provide Ofsted with internal and external monitoring reports as required. The manager also failed to provide a number of documents during the inspection. Not only does this undermine external scrutiny of the home, but it also highlights serous shortfalls in the manager’s oversight of the quality of care and protection provided to children. Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 5 Leaders and managers have not monitored the skills of staff effectively or taken action to ensure that training matches the needs of the children living at the home. Records indicate that the staff team lack the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to meet the specific needs of the children they care for. Leaders have failed to ensure that all staff undertake training in diabetes management, safe restraint, administration of medication, child sexual exploitation, substance misuse and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not demonstrate a capacity to make and sustain the necessary improvements to ensure that children are safe and receive a good standard of care. Six requirements set at the previous inspection and monitoring visit have not been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following this inspection, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice. Monitoring visits will be undertaken to assess the provider’s compliance with the notice. Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 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, The 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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills and strategies to motivate children to attend and engage with their education provision.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

that staff help each child to— 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 7 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to meet the health needs of all children living in the home.

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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

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 develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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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; 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 8 help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff foster positive relationships with children that are based on respect and trust. Staff must consistently promote the home’s routines, boundaries and expectations and help children to understand and adhere to them.

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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. 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 9 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders, managers and staff must be alert to risk and take swift, effective and consistent action when there are concerns about a child’s welfare and safety. Risk assessments must be kept up to date and followed consistently.

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must have effective systems in place that ensure that they have strong oversight of the quality of care and protection provided in the home. Any shortfalls must be swiftly identified and addressed, and improvements sustained.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 10 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home;

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(e)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a child’s placing authority is contacted when the risk of harm has increased, for example, frequent absence from the home without permission and returning home with expensive items.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 11 a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children; and

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Requirement Due date

the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the manager applies to register with Ofsted so that their suitability for registration can be assessed. 30 June 2023

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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

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff undertake appropriate training to meet the needs of the children living in the home. 30 June 2023

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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. 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 12 The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred;

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff, including the manager, follows the home’s safeguarding policy and procedures consistently.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 13 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a record is kept of any measure of restraint relating to children living in the home.

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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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(e)) 30 June 2023

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 14 children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

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

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. (Regulation 45 (1) (3) (4)(a)) 30 June 2023

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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 for children's home: SC065535 15

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 163 Manor Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 1JT

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC065535 16 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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