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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 1 SC065535

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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 home registered with Ofsted on 30 September 2005. The home has not had a registered manager since 11 August 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been in post since 26 January 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 May 2023. Due to the serious shortfalls found at the inspection in help and protection and with leadership and management, a restriction of accommodation notice was served on the provider.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was conducted on 27 June 2023 to monitor the provider’s compliance with the restriction of accommodation notice and any progress made since the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of this monitoring visit, there were two children living in the home. The home is complying with the restriction of accommodation notice, and there have been no new admissions.

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This monitoring visit

There continue to be gaps in the training undertaken by staff to ensure that they have the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to meet the needs of the children in their care. However, staff have now completed restraint training and mandatory safeguarding training.

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This monitoring visit

Daily room checks now take place regularly. However, the children’s understanding and the process for staff remain unclear. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 2 Risk assessments are up to date and demonstrate some improvement in quality. There have been no significant incidents of harm. There has been one missing-from- home incident, which was managed appropriately.

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This monitoring visit

In response to the risks identified for children, there have been appropriate and targeted key-work sessions to address the concerns, such as substance misuse, children going missing from home and exploitation. Furthermore, the child and professional network participate in discussions about risk.

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This monitoring visit

The use of consequences is proportionate. Children understand why consequences are in place. Disagreements between children are addressed appropriately.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s bedrooms are personalised with photos and pictures on the walls, and they have appropriate furniture and bedding. Children are encouraged to keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. All of the requirements raised at the last inspection were not fully considered at this monitoring visit and will be considered at the next full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has made some progress in addressing the shortfalls identified at the last inspection and has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice. However, further improvement is required, and the improvements need to be embedded and sustained before more children move into the home. Therefore, the restriction of accommodation notice will remain in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2023 Full Inadequate 27/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/06/2021 Full Good 04/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 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 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. 25 July 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— 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 5 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)(c) (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; 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 6 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;

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Requirement Due date

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; 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 7 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))

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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 should be sustained.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 8 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.

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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)(b)(ii)(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. 25 July 2023

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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)) 25 July 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— 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 9 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

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Requirement Due date

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. 25 July 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. 25 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which— 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 10 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.

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Requirement Due date

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, follow 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; 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 11 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;

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Requirement Due date

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 there is a record 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)) 25 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 12 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—

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Requirement Due date

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)) 25 July 2023

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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)) 25 July 2023

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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: SC065535 13

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Amanda Burrows, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC065535 14 and inspects 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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