Children's Home run by Amegreen Children’s Services in West Berkshire

Unique reference number SC473329 Inspector Maire Atherton Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Amegreen Children's Services Limited Registered person address 2 Granary Court Fair Oak Green, Stratfield Saye READING RG7 2DL Responsible individual Gary James Carlin Registered manager Laurence John Baker Date of last inspection 15/01/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 05/11/2014

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

The staff of this home continue to make a positive difference to young people living there. An independent reviewing officer commented on the 'fantastic transformation' for one young person. The development and maintenance of good relationships between staff and young people, some in a short space of time, has provided a strong foundation from which young people make good progress in many areas of their lives. Young people variously describe the home as 'amazing', 'good', and 'a happy house'.

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This inspection

There is excellent planning for young people moving into the home. There are thorough records kept of the work carried out prior to admission as recommended in the last inspection report. A social worker and a relative both commented on how well the process had been managed for the benefit of the young person and tailored to meet his needs. A social worker also said 'It was made clear that they wouldn't accept the young person if they didn’t think he would get on with the other young people.’ Those moving on have had similarly well planned transitions to semi- independent living, in accordance with their care plans.

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This inspection

The staff are skilled at promoting a nurturing atmosphere where young people are and feel safe and well cared for. The staff team are consistent in their approach and effectively engage with young people to promote positive behaviour. As a result the use of sanctions is minimal and there has been no use of physical intervention for over a year. This is a real change for some young people who were described by a professional as 'previously placing themselves and others in danger, it's just not happening here.’ Any significant incidents are evaluated and used to further develop practice as staff reflect on their interactions with young people to determine any learning points. A professional commented that staff sensitively incorporated the difficult times into the review report. This had enabled meaningful and constructive discussion with the young person during the review. 3 of 5 Relatives of young people describe the partnership working as 'brilliant'.

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This inspection

Communication is of a very good standard, with a clear focus on achieving a consistency of approach that supports the development of individual young people. The role of keyworker is valued by young people, relatives and professionals in achieving the highly regarded communication. This also effectively promotes family contact to make it an enjoyable experience.

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This inspection

The suitably qualified and experienced manager effectively leads the skilled staff team, described by a social worker as 'insightful and committed'. Monitoring takes place as required, by the independent visitor and the manager. There is a current annual development plan which has been informed by the monitoring. Work on this is well underway. For example recent experiential learning for staff on the impact of anxiety has informed their practice with young people. However there is limited evidence of evaluation or consultation with stakeholders and young people in this process. The two requirements and two recommendation made in the previous inspection report have been met. The manager has devised systems for more effectively monitoring staff training to ensure that refresher training is timely. Written evidence of consent for the use of silent alarms on bedroom doors at night is now on file. Behaviour management plans are regularly updated and identify

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This inspection

strategies used by staff to minimise the identified risks. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned service accommodates up to four young people of mixed gender with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) evidence how the monitoring of matters set out in Schedule 6 improves the quality of care provided in the children's home and provides for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)and (3)) 31/01/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information 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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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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