Children's home run by Cocoon Children Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2730667 1 Registered provider: Cocoon Children Services Ltd

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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 four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the visit, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection of the home was carried out in April 2024. Several regulatory breaches were identified. Ofsted carried out an assurance inspection in September 2024 and found that leaders and managers had not taken effective action to address the shortfalls identified at the full inspection. Several requirements and recommendations were restated.

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This monitoring visit

At this visit, inspectors identified significant concerns with the condition of the home. Children’s bedrooms were found to be in an unhygienic and neglected state. Staff are not ensuring that children’s bedrooms are regularly cleaned. Consequently, children are exposed to avoidable risks to their health and well-being.

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This monitoring visit

When children have made allegations about staff, the registered manager has not taken sufficient action to ensure children’s immediate safety. Additionally, when allegations require investigation by the registered manager, these are not robust, and they lack professional curiosity. This has the potential to put children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not providing appropriate supervision and monitoring in relation to one child’s online activity. Consequently, this child has been engaging in online gaming Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2730667 2 with an inappropriate peer. While staff recognise the possible safeguarding implications of this, they have not taken effective action to resolve their concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not consistently following children’s plans. One child is subject to a deprivation of liberty order (DoL order). Despite this, staff are not consistently implementing the necessary actions required to keep the child safe. For example, staff are not cleaning this child’s bedroom regularly as this previously led to allegations and physical interventions. Staff lack the confidence they need to provide the support and care this child requires.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has not engaged effectively or in a timely manner with the placing authorities in determining any restrictions that are necessary to promote children's welfare and best interests. The registered manager does not possess a copy of an order for one child, and this may hinder their full comprehension of what is allowed within this.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has not responded effectively to requirements made at the last inspection. For example, notifications of significant incidents continue to be delayed, which has undermined regulatory oversight. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2730667 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2730667 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s bedrooms are always maintained to a clean and hygienic standard and that staff carry out regular monitoring and cleaning each day. 14 December 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; 14 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2730667 5 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that any hazards or items of concern are removed from children’s bedrooms as soon as possible and that all areas of the home are safely maintained.

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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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all allegations of harm by children towards staff are appropriately investigated in a thorough and transparent manner. All information should be shared with relevant safeguarding agencies as appropriate. 10 January 2025

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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— 10 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2730667 6 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f))

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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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

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 10 January 2025

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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: 2730667 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cocoon Children Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 80 Astra Close, Hornchurch RM12 5NJ

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Inspectors

Ashley Edwards, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Glen Strowbridge, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2730667 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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