Centrechild House Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Centrechild House Ltd 1 Centrechild House Ltd

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Registered provider: Centrechild House Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

A private provider owns and operates this supported accommodation service. The service can accommodate up to eight children living in three shared premises that are not limited to looked-after children and care leavers. At the time of the visit, three children and two young people aged 18 and over were being supported.

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provider

The service manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2024.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in response to third-party concerns about recruitment of staff, children’s records and health and safety checks. Following this visit, three compliance notices were issued.

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This monitoring visit

The procedures for recruiting staff are inadequate and place children at potential risk of unnecessary harm. There is no evidence that suitability checks have been completed for workers from overseas. In addition, examples were found of an insufficient Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, gaps in employment history not being explored and a lack of thoroughness in ensuring references are suitable.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s support plans and risks assessments are lacking in detail and do not provide an accurate and up-to-date picture of children’s known and emerging needs, risks or behaviours. This means that staff do not have key information that enables them to effectively manage children’s known and emerging needs, risks and behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not implement effective health and safety checks and do not ensure that any necessary repairs are completed in a timely way. For example, in the premises visited, a child had removed the smoke detector in their bedroom and Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Centrechild House Ltd 2 the closing mechanism on one fire door was missing. Routine fire checks have not been carried out to ensure that preventative measures, such as fire alarms and smoke detectors, remain effective. In addition, empty bedrooms had not been cleaned and made ready for when newly admitted children arrive.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff complete training relevant to their roles. Training records do not provide an accurate picture of training completed by staff. For example, dates of completed training were either missing or suggested that staff had completed training, despite them not starting with the organisation until after the training had been delivered. In addition, staff do not receive any form of professional supervision. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Centrechild House Ltd 3

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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

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;

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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

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 for the supervision, training and development of staff. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(c)(e)(g))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must implement safer recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with vulnerable children. In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff receive supervision and training relevant to their role and development, and that detailed and accurate records are maintained in this respect. 4 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

*The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment. 4 May 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Centrechild House Ltd 4 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 are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child individually and all children collectively;

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Requirement Due date

comply with all relevant statutory provisions dealing with health and safety or fire safety matters. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(v)(x)

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must maintain effective oversight and implement systems and checks that ensure that suitable standards of fire safety are maintained, and that children’s accommodation is clean and ready for new admissions.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s support plans and risk assessments provide an accurate picture of children’s known and emerging needs, risks and behaviours, and that these plans include strategies that staff can implement to meet these needs and support children. 4 May 2025

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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: Centrechild House Ltd 5

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Centrechild House Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 1 Weirbrook, Rayleigh SS6 7GX

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Vida Anorson

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Inspector

Emily Stevens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Centrechild House Ltd 6 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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