Vera Chilly Social Care

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Vera Chilly Social Care 1 Vera Chilly Social Care

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Registered provider: Vera Chilly Consultancy Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

Vera Chilly Consultancy Services Limited registered with Ofsted on 27 March 2024 to provide ring-fenced accommodation.

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provider

The same person holds the roles of registered service manager and nominated individual.

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provider

At the time of registration, the provider had one property offering supported accommodation for up to six children.

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provider

The monitoring visit was announced approximately one hour in advance. On the day of this visit, the provider had two properties offering supported accommodation for up to eight children. Two children from two different local authorities were placed with this provider.

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provider

The inspectors visited one property. They spoke to the one child at this address, and to the nominated individual/registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

Due to significant shortfalls in the leadership and management arrangements, a restriction of accommodation notice was imposed following the last monitoring visit on 24 September 2024. This notice prevented the provider from accepting any new children into their premises. Three compliance notices, relating to the leadership and management arrangements, safe recruitment and tailored support to children, were also issued. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Vera Chilly Social Care 2 This monitoring visit was undertaken to monitor the registered person’s compliance with meeting the steps identified in the compliance notices, and to establish if the restriction of accommodation notice had been adhered to and is still required.

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This monitoring visit

No children have moved into any premises since the restriction of accommodation notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has failed to ensure that children’s wishes and views about their key worker are listened to. This has prevented one child from understanding how their behaviour may place them at risk of harm, as the child has not engaged in key-work sessions with their key worker.

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This monitoring visit

One child said that they are unhappy in their accommodation, and that their privacy is compromised in the community due to the staff’s presence. The child’s privacy is further compromised as surveillance is being used to monitor their actions in their home. A risk assessment for this child states that they will be monitored using CCTV in communal areas and during staff conversations. The manager has failed to explore this further with the child.

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This monitoring visit

Children are exposed to risk because staff are not provided with clear guidance to follow, so that they can support children to become safer. Children’s support plans and risk assessments lack detail, are not complete in parts, contain contradictory information and are not kept up to date.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers fail to ensure that staff are equipped to meet the needs of the children when they move into their home, as staff are not made aware of all the children’s known behaviours. Leaders and managers have also failed to ensure the staff are updated when children’s needs change, so that the staff can best support the children.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight when vetting the suitability of staff is poor. The registered person has yet to implement a system that ensures safe recruitment practice is followed. A reference for one member of staff was missing, and gaps in three members of staff’s employment histories had not been explored.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the staff have the necessary training to meet the needs of the children they support. The training files for staff highlight significant gaps in their training, despite the training being identified as mandatory. Relevant training to support the staff to manage children’s risks, such as staying safe online and self-harm training, has not been carried out.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has yet to demonstrate that there is an effective system to assess if they can safely meet the individual support needs of any new children who may use the service in the future. While the manager has a draft version of what they intend to consider before they offer a placement to a child, this approach has not been agreed with others working in the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Vera Chilly Social Care 3 The registered provider has updated the statement of purpose. This now refers to children having access to mental health support from a mental health nurse.

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This monitoring visit

Three compliance notices, relating to the leadership and management arrangements, safe recruitment and tailored support to children, have been issued again and the restriction of accommodation notice remains in place. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Vera Chilly Social Care 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 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 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

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

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)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff are equipped with the skills necessary to manage and support children’s individual needs and risks. This includes providing any relevant training and having an effective system to ensure that staff have all the necessary information about children before they move in, to demonstrate they are suitably placed. 8 December 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, or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work for the supported accommodation 8 December 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Vera Chilly Social Care 5 undertaking in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work for the supported accommodation undertaking,

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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 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. (Regulation 17 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must review every member of staff’s recruitment files, to ensure all the required checks have been completed and recorded for those staff currently employed by the organisation, including any explanations for gaps in employment and following up on necessary references.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that unless staff have full and satisfactory checks in place, they do not have unsupervised access to children.

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Requirement Due date

*The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs.

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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 plans for support are based on initial referral information, are meaningful and are created in full consultation with the child, taking account of relevant plans for the child;

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Requirement Due date

keep the child’s support under review, taking into consideration the plans for support, and relevant plans, to ensure that the child’s needs continue to be met and that the child is kept safe. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(b)(c)) 8 December 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Vera Chilly Social Care 6 In particular, the registered person must ensure that each child has an accurate support plan in place that reflects their individual needs, including known risks, and that these support plans are kept up to date and are reflective of the current risks for each child.

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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

only use devices for monitoring or surveillance in communal areas and then only if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to each child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(i)(iv)) 8 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: Vera Chilly Social Care 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Vera Chilly Consultancy Services Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Suite 41 Wentworth House, High Street North, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 1JJ

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Vera Nnadozie

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Inspectors

Leah Stannard, Social Care Inspector Rachel McIntyre, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Vera Chilly Social Care 8 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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