Children's Home run by Creating Care Choices Limited in Lewisham

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 1 SC025657 Registered Provider: Creating Care Choices Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to 11 children with learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in 2001. The manager registered with Ofsted on 22 June 2022 and resigned on 20 April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There were five children living in the home at the time of this monitoring visit.

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Information about this children’s home

During the visit, the inspectors were aware that a serious incident was under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, the inspectors considered the actions the home has taken in response to the incident, alongside other relevant evidence available to them.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 25 to 27 April 2023. As a result, a notice restricting accommodation was served to prevent new children being admitted to the home.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to monitor the provider’s compliance with the notice restricting accommodation and any progress made since the full inspection. The inspectors found that while there has been some small improvement since the full inspection, the grounds for the restriction are still applicable, and the restriction notice remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

Since the notice restricting accommodation was issued, two children have left, and no new children have been admitted into the home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 2 Since the full inspection, there have been two significant incidents that raise concerns about the children’s care. The relevant bodies are investigating the concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Slow progress is being made in relation to the poor home conditions and environment. Children have new bedding. A new sofa has been purchased, and a new carpet has been laid. However, children’s bedrooms and communal living areas remain bare and do not feel comfortable or homely.

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This monitoring visit

The fire extinguishers are now safely stored and are accessible to staff.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s care plans and risk assessments have been updated. However, some still lack important information about children and do not provide clear guidance for staff. This limits the staff’s understanding of children’s needs and how to support them.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have spoken to staff about the whistle-blowing policy and what staff should do if they have a concern. The whistle-blowing policy has also been updated. Staff did not raise any new concerns during this monitoring visit. However, it is too soon to determine if the working environment has improved to allow staff to be open and honest about their concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Two significant incidents have been reported as required under regulation 40. However, Ofsted was notified of an incident after the monitoring visit, which involved a child sustaining an injury on the morning of the monitoring visit. The provider did not inform inspectors of this incident during the monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual reported that an additional waking night member of staff was in place temporarily until the number of children living at the home had recently been reduced. The responsible individual also informed inspectors that the lone working risk assessment has been updated. However, despite requesting this several times, it was not provided during the monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight of incidents and records is poor. Records of incidents lack important detail and are unclear. This makes it difficult to determine what happened and what action staff took. Furthermore, it makes it difficult for leaders and managers to identify and address any areas of concern. The notice restricting accommodation will remain in place. The provider has made some progress in relation to addressing the requirements raised at the full inspection. However, these have not been met and will remain in place. One additional requirement and recommendation were raised at this monitoring visit. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2023 Full Inadequate 06/07/2022 Full Good 09/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 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, 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 with 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; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there are up-to-date risk assessments and safety plans in place for children when situations change.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there is an open safeguarding culture within the home that promotes 30 June 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 5 children’s safety and well-being. Leaders and managers must ensure that the premises and furnishings are safe for children.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that records of incidents provide a clear account of what happened, the action taken by staff and the details of those involved.

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the home is led in a positive way that promotes the best outcomes for children.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the staffing levels at all times are safe. 21 July 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

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; and

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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)(b)(c)(e)) 21 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; 21 July 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 6 seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; and

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; and

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding;

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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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii)(viii)(c)(i)(ii) 30 June 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 7

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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: SC025657 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Creating Care Choices Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 38 Castle Drive, Ilford, Essex IG4 5AE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Parmeswar Gopee Singh

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Inspectors

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Miss Aneta Wasilewska, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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