Children's home run by Roxwell Care Ilford Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 1 Registered provider: Roxwell Care Ilford 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 four children with learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 15 October 2022. The manager of the home resigned on 17 January 2023 and there is currently no manager.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 3

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improvement to be good

Only one child has lived in the home since it was registered in October 2022 and there have been no children living in the home since August 2023. Since October 2023, the home has been under new management and they are recruiting a new staff team. The house is currently being redecorated and refurbished. This inspection found significant shortfalls in the care the child had received, which has led to the judgement of requires improvement to be good.

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improvement to be good

The child’s experiences were adversely affected by shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. The child did not benefit from consistent high-quality care, which impacted on their experiences and progress.

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improvement to be good

The child made limited progress during their time at this home. Their risk-taking behaviour and the number of incidents significantly increased. Leaders and staff did not identify suitable strategies to mitigate these risks at the time.

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improvement to be good

Support plans to guide staff on how to care for children were weak. The child’s care plans were incomplete and contained irrelevant information. Furthermore, key information was missing from the child’s plans and assessments. As a result, staff did not understand the child’s needs and it is unclear if they had the skills and experience to support the child effectively.

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improvement to be good

The child was not developing age-appropriate skills. Staff did not sufficiently engage the child to help them learn how to independently undertake tasks such as cleaning their bedroom, cooking, washing dishes and doing their laundry.

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improvement to be good

Working relationships with external professionals were poor. Consultation between the child’s professional network and staff was inconsistent and limited. Leaders and managers did not promptly request that professionals’ meetings took place to explore concerns about the child’s progress and safety. One social worker said, ‘I expected that there would be more involvement from the staff team, such as attending meetings.’

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improvement to be good

The child enjoyed activities in the home and in the community. This included visits to central London and playing table tennis. The child was also supported to spend time with people who were important to them.

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improvement to be good

The child’s risk assessments did not reflect all known risks and concerns. Leaders did not consistently update the child’s assessments following incidents. This hindered Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 4 staff’s ability to understand the child’s risks and vulnerabilities and how to respond effectively.

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improvement to be good

Incident records lack detail. For example, it is unclear why physical intervention or consequences were used, as some information is missing from the records. This limited the effectiveness of management oversight and monitoring of the service and the care provided to the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff did not use information about the child to understand them or plan meaningful key-work sessions that focused on their individual needs. Consequently, the child did not receive appropriate help and support to manage their behaviours and feelings.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers did not report incidents to the child’s social worker. Furthermore, they did not report safeguarding incidents to the local authority designated officer for advice and investigation, or report to Ofsted as required. This prevented scrutiny from external agencies and prevented the child from receiving the support they required.

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improvement to be good

Safe recruitment procedures have not been robust. Leaders and managers did not always obtain verification of references and proof of address for new staff. Some staff files do not contain any proof of identity for new staff and some members of staff did not have Disclosure and Barring Service checks carried out as part of the recruitment process. The recruitment files for new staff are now satisfactory and meet requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leadership and management of the home have been inadequate. Since the home was registered in October 2022, the management and staff teams have not been stable. There has been high use of agency staff. Despite an ongoing recruitment campaign, the home has had no registered manager for over 12 months. This undermined the continuity of care for the child. There is now a new responsible individual and leaders are in the process of recruiting new staff for the home, as well as a new manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Oversight by senior leaders and managers has not been sufficient. This is reflected in the quality of some key documents, such as care plans and records of key-work sessions and staff supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not received regular supervision. Supervision records were missing for a number of staff who worked directly with the child. It is particularly concerning that staff did not receive supervision following incidents and it is not clear how previous managers were overseeing staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not been appropriately trained. Senior leaders are unable to demonstrate that staff who worked with the child had completed the required training for their roles. For example, the senior leader was unable to show that staff had an induction or basic training such as in first aid, safeguarding and medication. Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 5 Leaders and managers have reviewed the use of internal and external CCTV. Internal CCTV has been removed from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are appropriately concerned about the shortfalls identified at this inspection. They are taking immediate action and have plans in place to ensure that the shortfalls are addressed before children are admitted to the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 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

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

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders, managers and staff must work effectively with children’s professional networks to ensure that children’s needs are met. 21 April 2024

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s risk assessments include known and potential risks 21 April 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 7 and that key-work sessions are focused on addressing known areas of concerns to help children learn how to keep themselves safe.

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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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the monitoring and review processes improve the quality of care provided and how this is recorded. 21 April 2024

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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;

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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) (2)(a)(b)) 21 April 2024

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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 registered person may only— 21 April 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 8 employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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

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

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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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 21 April 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 9 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, leaders and managers must ensure that all forms of physical intervention and consequences are recorded.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 21 April 2024

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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

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. 21 April 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 10 A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)(5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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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: 2684147 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Roxwell Care Ilford Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 416 Green Lane, Ilford IG3 9JX

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Inspector

Melvin Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2684147 12 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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