Children's Home run by Curam Domi Solutions Ltd in Barnet

Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 1 Registered provider: Curam Domi Solutions 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 owned and provides care for up to two children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in August 2017. The registered manager post has been vacant since July 2023. The current manager has not yet submitted a full application to register.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/12/2022 Full Good 09/03/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 3

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improvement to be good

There is only one child living at the home, however, the report also considers the experiences of children who have recently left the home. Children struggle to settle in the home and spend the majority of their time outside the home with their friends and family. The child living at the home moved in recently. Another child recently left the home due to being arrested.

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improvement to be good

The child has been missing from the home on various occasions, despite staff’s efforts to support them to return to the home. Staff continue to use formal and informal conversations to discuss potential risks with the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not engage children in sufficient activities to stimulate their interest and make remaining at the home an enjoyable experience. For example, the child currently at the home has only engaged in two activities on two occasions since being at the home. A child who recently left the home also did not engage in many activities. This has not disrupted the pattern of children going missing and spending time on other activities which are not aways in their best interests. It also does not help staff to build positive relationships with the children.

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improvement to be good

The home has a warm cosy atmosphere. However, there is insufficient privacy for children using the lounge as there is also a staff work area there. The home has limited space, however, this may have the effect of confining children to their rooms when they need privacy.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to spend quality time with their family and friends. Staff promote children spending time with people who are important to them. Staff have daily communication with families and ensure parents are provided with daily updates.

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improvement to be good

Key-worker sessions are planned and children engage in these sessions well. Staff have used these sessions to support children to understand the rules of the home and to voice their wishes and feelings.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care plans are thorough, however, they do not include children’s views, wishes and feelings. This does not support the child’s understanding of their plans and the care planning process.

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improvement to be good

Staff work in partnership with external professionals to promote children’s educational needs. However, the child now at the home has not engaged with the education provisions that have been offered. This is in part due to the child not being at the home for prolonged periods. Staff have advocated for a reduced timetable for the child. They show understanding towards the child, who has not been in education for a long time and is struggling to make this transition. Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 4

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improvement to be good

When incidents occur in the home, these are managed appropriately, ensuring children are supported. However, records do not consistently include all the details of the incidents, including how staff managed the incident. Management oversight is also absent from records, and on one occasion there was no incident report. This can leave children and staff vulnerable if allegations are made and records do not fully reflect what has occurred.

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improvement to be good

The child currently living at the home has had a high number of missing-from-home episodes. Staff ensure the police, the child’s parents and social worker are notified of these incidents. Staff request network and strategy meetings with partner agencies. They ensure up-to-date information about the child’s friends and whereabouts are shared to disrupt the pattern of going missing. However, management oversight is not included on reports of children going missing and debriefs are not consistently recorded. This prevents much-needed information-sharing that could safeguard children.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff check the home to ensure that it is safe for the child, staff and visitors. Staff conduct room searches when there are concerns about increased risks to children, and staff ensure that accurate records are kept.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment procedures for new staff are in place and have improved since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are detailed but do not consistently include all strategies to support staff to mitigate risks to children. For example, the child living at the home is at risk of going missing, however, their risk assessment is generic and does not include guidance on rewards and incentives or liaison with partner agencies. Risk assessments refer to supporting the child but do not outline how this would be done. Staff know about this child’s vulnerabilities, however, there is a risk that new staff may not know how to safeguard the child. Risk assessments are not consistently updated following incidents and new risks are not consistently added to the assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The current manager started in September 2023. Leaders have not ensured that the current manager has submitted an application within 12 weeks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The current manager has primarily been based at the provider’s sister home and this has impacted their ability to remain fully aware of day-to-day life at the home and to provide management oversight. Current arrangements do not provide consistency of management oversight, or accountability by the manager for the running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have ensured there is a stable permanent staff team in place. The director is based at the home and is aware of the experiences of the child in the Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 5 home. They recognise that turnover of staff has impacted the stability of the home in the past and have been proactive in addressing this issue.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff training and inductions are adequate to meet the needs of staff learning and equip them with the skills to support children. Further training is offered to staff who remain in employment longer term. One staff member said they enjoyed working at the home and were benefiting from the training they have received. They said the new manager is supportive, and they enjoyed working with children. The current manager is focused on developing the skills of the staff team to ensure staff are confident in their interactions with children and partner agencies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. Staff benefit from team discussions and training updates. Children’s progress and safeguarding issues are thoroughly discussed in meetings, and staff support each other in developing effective interventions with children. The team meetings are helping to develop good staff relationships and staff receive regular supervision which supports their professional development and interventions with children. Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 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

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 manager must apply to register with Ofsted in a timely manner. 31 July 2024

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 31 August 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 7 In particular, ensure management oversight of all reports of incidents and episodes of children going missing.

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 31 August 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are sufficiently recorded. This specifically relates to children’s expressed views being captured in care plans, behaviour management plans and risk assessments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 1257182 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Curam Domi Solutions Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 86-90 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE

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Inspector

Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1257182 9 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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