Children's Home, Residential special school run by Amberleigh Care Limited in Shropshire

Unique reference number SC448209 Inspection date 18/03/2014 Inspector Michael Williams Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 02/05/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This company owned children's home offers an integrated residential therapeutic care and education package to young women. This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 12 young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress .

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Progress

In May 2013, the full inspection of the home judged its overall effectiveness to be good; outcomes for young people and the quality of care were also judged to be good. It required the Registered Manager to take account of one area for improvement and recommended they take account of another. This inspection found that since then the manager has addressed both areas for improvement and overall has maintained good outcomes for young people and good quality of care; it did not find any new areas for improvement.

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Progress

The Registered Manager of the home at the time of its last inspection is now its responsible individual and a new Registered Manager is now in post who has the relevant qualification for the role. Together they are exercising effective leadership of the home's staff and operation so that a good quality of care continues to be delivered that meets the individual needs of each young person.

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Progress

In response to a previous requirement, the home now ensures that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of restraint in the home a written record is made in a volume kept for this purpose which includes all the information required. Specifically, this information now includes the name of the young person concerned and confirmation that they and the member of staff involved have been spoken to about the use of the measure.

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Progress

In response to a previous recommendation, the young person's guide to the home now includes details of how they can contact their independent reviewing officer (IRO), so if they wish to they can directly raise any concern with them. A young person recently admitted to the home had such a guide with the contact details for their IRO.

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Progress

Since the last inspection, Ofsted has received a copy of the Registered Manager's report reviewing the quality of care at the home over the three months from July to September 2013. At the time of this inspection, they were completing such a report for the six months from October 2013 to March 2014. These reports cover the matters required to be monitored by the Registered Manager. Together with the monthly registered provider visits to the home, reports of which are also sent to Ofsted, this monitoring and reporting provides sufficient oversight of the home. The Registered Manager was aware of an upcoming amendment to The Children's Homes Regulations that will require them to amend their internal monitoring and reporting to Ofsted.

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Progress

Since the last inspection, as required, Ofsted and other relevant authorities have been notified about the number of significant events that have taken place relating to the protection of young people accommodated in the home. Appropriate action has been taken following each event, such as a Local Authority Designated Officer safeguarding strategy and resolution meeting. None of the incidents have raised concerns for Ofsted about the home's continued compliance with The Children's Homes Regulations. The young person who was the subject of most of these significant events, and most of the home's use of restraint over the same period, has since moved on from the home. Their placement has left the home with added focus on only admitting young people who suitably match the current group of young people and the home's Statement of Purpose. A key worker commented that a young person's recent admission had been a breath of fresh air and had really changed the

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Progress

Although the home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 12 young people it has always operated with a considerably lower number of young people in placement at any one time; its integrated independent school, which only young people at the home attend, is only registered for six young people. For example, only three young people were accommodated at the time of this inspection and the previous one. Having fewer young people in placement has overall resulted in a good standard of care and good outcomes and safeguarding for young people. Since the last inspection, good outcomes include young people having more access to and involvement with the local community, for example at Sunday school, a local farm, charity shop and food bank, and young people having increased self-esteem and independence within the home.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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