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. There has been no registered manager since 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

Ofsted is aware that a number of serious incidents and concerns are currently under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate all aspects of the incidents and concerns, the inspector considered the actions the home has taken, alongside other relevant evidence available to them.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection carried out from 25 to 27 April 2023. As a result, a notice restricting accommodation was served to prevent new children being admitted to the home. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 5 June 2023 to monitor the provider’s compliance with the notice restricting accommodation and any progress made since the full inspection. The restriction of accommodation remained in place following that visit.

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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 and last monitoring visit. The inspector found that there has been very little improvement since the monitoring visit, and the grounds for the restriction of accommodation still apply. As a result of this monitoring visit, a new notice restricting accommodation has been issued. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 2 There is a lack of leadership and management and stability at the home, which is a concern. The responsible individual has reported to Ofsted that he has resigned from the company and that his replacement is not yet in post. However, the director has informed Ofsted that the responsible individual is still involved. The deputy manager is managing the home on a day-to-day basis but there is no clear line of senior

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This monitoring visit

Staff report that the director has told them to look for new jobs because the service is likely to close. They say that not much has changed since the full inspection and there has been a lack of focus about what needs to improve. They feel that the message from leaders and managers is that there is ‘no hope’. This does not encourage staff to work effectively or to drive improvement for children.

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This monitoring visit

The conditions of the home have not improved since the monitoring visit. The communal areas of the house remain bare and lack comfort. Some of the children’s bedrooms have been decorated with child-friendly wallpaper. However, this has not made any significant difference to the look of children’s bedrooms. Additionally, one child told the inspector that they were not asked if they wanted the new wallpaper or given a choice about the wallpaper chosen for their bedroom.

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This monitoring visit

Information-sharing and recording remain concerns. There are discrepancies in children’s records and in the information shared with professionals about significant incidents. This undermines safeguarding practice in the home.

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This monitoring visit

One parent told the inspector that they have concerns about how self-injurious behaviours are managed. For example, staff do not intervene when their child is hurting themselves in order to prevent them from coming to harm. Additionally, the parent raised a concern that the child is not being given the correct diet. The deputy manager confirmed that staff are unaware that the child has a specific dietary requirement.

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This monitoring visit

There is now a further period of restriction, for which a new notice has been issued. The requirements and recommendations raised at the last full inspection will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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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 3

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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;

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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;

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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. Leaders and managers must ensure that there is an open safeguarding culture within the home that promotes children’s safety and well- being. Leaders and managers must ensure that the premises 16 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 4 and furnishings are safe for children. Leaders and managers must ensure that records of incidents give clear accountability about what happened and the staff 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 they lead in a positive way that promotes the best outcomes for children. Leaders and managers must ensure that the number of staff on shift, day and night, is safe. 16 August 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;

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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)) 16 August 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;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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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 16 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 5 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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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) 16 August 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)

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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 6

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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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Inspector

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025657 7 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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