Children's home run by Albrighton Care Ltd in Cannock Chase

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . This home continues to provide excellent care for a young person with complex health needs and learning disabilities. The young person continues to make excellent progress, despite recent health issues. His positive relationships with staff, and the excellent links they have forged with his family and in the community, benefit him enormously.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A long-standing staff team is continuing to gain in experience and skill. Staff are continuing to improve the ways they record and celebrate the progress the young person is makes. They have created a huge scrapbook of happy memories. He enjoys looking at these. They have also improved the ‘learning journey’ records so that each piece of progress is clearly described, dated, categorised by subject area and sometimes accompanied by a relevant photo. Staff and the manager are improving the format still more with a place for staff to evaluate the significance of each piece of progress. Although the young person does not regularly read his ‘learning journey’, the new format is easier to use with him. Every day, staff reward and celebrate the young person’s progress. They use praise, certificates, ‘high fives’, a new DVD or a milkshake reward, because these work well.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person has made excellent progress since the last inspection. For example, he can now handle hospital and other appointments. He can dress without assistance. He is wearing his glasses for more extended periods. Staff continuously evaluate how well their explanations, preparations and teaching work. They discuss the timing, the circumstances and the content amongst themselves. Staff have found that preparation a few days beforehand often works well when stressful hospital appointments are coming up. They create a ‘social story’ to explain to the young person where they are going, who is going and what will happen. They check that he understands, and are delighted when he is able to say longer and more complex sentences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff continue to be well organised and pro-active with professionals who are involved in the young person’s care. They have advocated well to overcome delays in getting hospital assessment and reviews of the young person’s health, due to increase seizure activity. They also work well with specialist nurses, school staff and their own psychology clinician to help them provide the best quality care. They are highly organised, careful and well trained to ensure that medication is administered correctly, including the administration of temporary and new medications. Their recording and planning systems work robustly to support this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff and the manager contribute well to the ongoing assessment and care plans for the young person. Staff’s reports for looked after children reviews are written clearly and helpfully, as if from the young person’s point of view. Therefore, the independent reviewing officer, parents and the social worker all have a realistic view of what it is like for the young person and the progress he has made. Staff’s practice clearly identifies and addresses the emotional and behavioural difficulties that are associated with his changing health needs. They recognise that some of his recent increase in agitated behaviour is linked to feeling tired and unwell. They are being mindful that he needs more time to rest. They know he feels safer when he can come straight home if he becomes too anxious to complete an activity or trip. They are providing more physical and emotional warmth to reassure him. They have put on temporary hold previous plans to match a second young person

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

into the home. This is because they believe the time is no longer quite right for this necessary next step in preparation for adult care services.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager continues to provide excellent leadership to staff. She is now registered to manage the organisation’s other home. However, no children are currently living there. The staff group currently benefits from two extra members because of this. All staff receive regular and supportive supervision. They continue to show high levels of skill and motivation, because they are well managed. For example, staff have development plans that arise from their appraisals. Staff have benefited from a three-month course in learning disability, as well as refreshers in behaviour management and administration of medication. They are enrolled on a level 2 mental health diploma which the manager believes will upskill them even further.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has almost completed her level 5 diploma in leadership and management for the children and young people’s residential management pathway. She fulfils regular monitoring and review of all practice in the home. She ensures that other staff understand this and play an active part in evaluating its work. For example, staff meetings are used well to share practice, learn lessons from incidents and act on recommendations made by the home’s monthly visitor. However, it is not clear that the messages from such consultation are skilfully gained or well used to inform the review and development of the home.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to care for up to two children with learning disabilities. A small private company owns the home and has one other children’s home locally.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22/02/2015 CH – Initial registration Not applicable

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the system for reviewing the quality of care provides for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff (Regulation 45 (5)). 04/04/2016

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work, and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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