The London City Care and Support Services Limited

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited The London City Care and Support Services Limited

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Registered provider: The London City Care and Support Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

The London City Care and Support Services Limited registered with Ofsted on 16 August 2023 to provide non-ring-fenced supported accommodation. The same person is the registered service manager and the nominated individual.

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provider

At the time of registration, the provider had two properties offering supported accommodation for up to 10 children. At the time of this visit, the provider had seven properties, offering supported accommodation for up to 27 children.

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provider

This monitoring visit was announced approximately one hour in advance. On the day of this visit, 13 children from seven different local authorities were placed with this provider.

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provider

The inspectors visited two properties and spoke to the nominated individual/ registered manager, one support worker, one member of administrative staff, one parent and one child.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 19 June 2024 to focus on how leaders and managers safeguard children and how staff members are recruited, inducted, supervised, and supported in their roles. The purpose of this latest monitoring visit was to review the progress made by the leaders and managers in addressing shortfalls found at the previous visit. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited Leaders and managers have continued with poor practices which increase the risks to children. The progress in addressing the significant shortfalls identified at the last monitoring visit has been slow. Leaders and managers have failed to demonstrate that they are providing their service with sufficient care, competence, and skills. Additional shortfalls and further concerns have been identified as a result of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

The leaders and managers have continued to provide a service which is outside the scope of their current registration. They are not registered to operate a residential family centre. However, since January 2024, they have provided high levels of monitoring and support to a mother and their child. Additional concerns were identified during this visit about the physical environment in which the parent and child were living. The accommodation was not safe for the child as hazards were within easy reach. For example, there were brambles in the garden and a bathroom cabinet was unstable.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers are also operating a single occupancy supported accommodation premises when they are not registered to do so. They have operated this property since March 2024. The child currently living at this property is supported by a minimum of two staff at all times during the day and at night. This high-level staffing ratio is not in line with the regulations for supported accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The leaders and managers have continued to fail to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm. They have not fully reviewed the staff recruitment files. Further shortfalls were identified during this monitoring visit. Leaders and managers have allowed some staff to start working with vulnerable children before obtaining a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service, and/or a police check for those who have lived abroad. Many staff work alone, which compounds the risk of children not being safeguarded effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Since the monitoring visit on 19 June, staff have received supervision and face-to- face safeguarding training.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted will continue to monitor this provider. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited

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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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider and the registered service manager must, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the number of premises used as supported accommodation by,

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Requirement Due date

the number of children accommodated in the premises used as supported accommodation by,

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Requirement Due date

the geographical scope of the premises used as supported accommodation by,

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Requirement Due date

the category or categories of supported accommodation provided by

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Requirement Due date

the supported accommodation undertaking concerned, carry on or manage that undertaking with sufficient care, competence, and skill. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 13 August 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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose; 13 August 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications, and skills appropriate for the work that they are to perform;

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Requirement Due date

implement recruitment practices that ensure staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(c)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met.

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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

are protected from harm. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 13 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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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 premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are designed, furnished, and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(ix)) 13 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (5), the registered person must ensure that the supported accommodation undertaking is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (4) requires or authorises the registered person to contravene or not comply with—

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Requirement Due date

any other provision of these Regulations, or any conditions in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000. 13 August 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited (Regulation 9(4)(5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of this regulation, “director” includes any individual who performs the functions of, or functions equivalent or similar to the functions of, a director, by whatever name called.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the nominated individual has the decision-making powers that are equivalent to those of the director. (Regulation 11 (9)) 13 August 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

Subject to paragraph (4), the registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual for the purposes of the provision of supported accommodation,

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person is satisfied that 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 experience, qualifications, and skills appropriate for the work that the individual is to perform,

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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 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work for the purposes of providing supported accommodation or, as the case may be, for the supported accommodation undertaking, despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 1 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of that Schedule are incomplete, 13 August 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 1,

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional, and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 1, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person. (Regulation 17 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (4)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 18 (1)(a)) 13 August 2024

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to follow up information received by Ofsted and/or to ensure that the supported accommodation provider was complying with regulation.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: The London City Care and Support Services Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 45 St Georges Walk, Croydon CR0 1YL

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Yvonne Urhobo

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Inspectors

Seka Graovac, Social Care Inspector Sharon Payne, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: The London City Care and Support Services Limited 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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