Children's Home run by Able Health Care Ltd in Suffolk

Unique reference number SC408714 Inspector Joanna Heller Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Able Health Care Limited Registered person address 45 Wolsey Road NORTHWOOD Middlesex HA6 2ER Responsible individual Aruna Kukadia Registered manager Thomas Russell Thurlow / POST VACANT Date of last inspection 08/05/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 18/02/2015

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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

At the last inspection in May 2014 the home was judged as good, and one requirement and one recommendation were set. The previous Registered Manager left in September 2014. The current manager has been in post since December and has appropriate experience of managing a children’s home, however, their suitability for registration has yet to be determined.

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This inspection

At the last inspection the manager was asked to improve staff training and record- keeping within the home. Staff now benefit from a good quality training program. Further relevant training is scheduled which will enhance staff professional awareness and competence.

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This inspection

The management of records within the home has improved since the last inspection and young people's individual files now contain clear information about their needs and how these are met. The manager has begun to implement further central recording mechanisms to improve effective auditing within the home.

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This inspection

The manager has not ensured that suitable notifications have been sent to the local authority where the home is situated, advising them of the discharge of young people from the home. This does not have a direct impact on the support offered to young people. However, it compromises the awareness of the host authority on the number of looked after children in the area and where they are accommodated.

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This inspection

Staff maintain clear and consistent boundaries, and effective systems are in place to promote positive behaviour. Parents say that young people are more able to self- manage their emotions and behaviour. Young people say that staff are very patient and help them reflect on their behaviour and the impact it has on others. Staff are clear on the thresholds for restraint and this is used rarely. The records of incidents of restraint, however, are not always sufficiently clear. For example, the duration of 3 of 5 each restraint is not always recorded. This potentially impacts on the manager’s ability to review whether appropriate and proportionate measures have been used.

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This inspection

Young people benefit from a small staff team which enables positive relationships to develop. Staff have good knowledge of young people's individual needs. Families and placing authorities are highly positive about the home and rate staff’s ability to meet young people's individual needs as good. Comments from placing authorities include ‘staff provided brilliant care, they took time out to get to know him and meet his individual needs’.

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This inspection

Young people feel safe and staff provide appropriate guidance and support to help them make positive choices. Some young people have, however, continued to place themselves and others at significant risk which has led to placement breakdown. The new manager has reviewed the location of the home and its potential impact on future placements. This means that placements are now better planned reducing the risk of future placement breakdown. Young people’s risk assessments and risk management plans are comprehensive, and kept under regular review. Good quality individual care plans guide staff to how to meet young people's individual needs.

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This inspection

Staff work well in partnership with families and placing authorities keeping them informed of any changes in need. Staff facilitate regular contact with families which promotes young people’s self-esteem. Parents say that staff ‘go above and beyond’.

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This inspection

Young people rate the home as good to brilliant. Young people say that a particular strength of the home is that they have fun with staff and enjoy good range of activities. Staff provide individual activities outside of the home, such as, trips to local zoos, wildlife parks, air Museums and go-karting, all of which are tailored to meet young people’s individual interests. Staff also provide a variety of tailored extracurricular activities within the home to support young people's learning, for example, mechanical, horticultural and music projects.

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This inspection

Staff promote healthy living through maintaining an active lifestyle, such as, bike rides and lots of home-made cooking. Young people engage in positive work with staff developing their life skills and particularly enjoy cooking with staff.

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This inspection

Young people like the house and benefit from a spacious homely environment which is well decorated and maintained.

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This inspection

Although two requirements have been made, these do not have significant impact on the care provided to young people, staff continue to provide good quality individualised care. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to look after a maximum of six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are education facilities within the grounds of the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2014 Full good 18/07/2013 Full adequate 24/04/2013 Full inadequate 17/12/2012 Interim inadequate progress

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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

12B (2001) notify, in writing, the local authority for the area in which the children’s home is located without delay of the discharge of a child from, the children’s home (Regulation 12B (1)(b)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline in a children’s home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose of which shall include a description of the measure used. In particular; record the duration of any restraint applied. (Regulation 17B (3)(c)) 31/03/2015 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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