Children's Home run by Amelia’s House Limited in Brent

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to make progress in all areas of their lives. There is strong engagement with the local community and promotion of their independence skills. Staff positively nurture children‟s talents and interests and they succeed in providing a learning environment. Communication aids assist with helping children express their choices, thoughts and feelings. Object and identification folders help them to understand their daily activities and routines. Care plans now better reflect the child‟s voice, detailing their likes, dislikes and expectations. This enables children to make meaningful contribution and have an increased understanding of their world. Most of the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed. The home now maintains a staffing rota. Care planning, record keeping and maintenance of the property has improved. Leaders and managers are working with external organisations and have a better understanding of the new

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

regulations and the Quality Standards. There is a need for this knowledge to be further embedded into policies and procedures. The statement of purposes and children‟s guide require updating. Refrigerated medication must be stored more securely. Vocational training for all staff must be progressed. Children continue to learn valuable skills which actively promote their independence. Within the home they assist with washing up, wiping the table, hoovering and gardening. They are developing self-responsibility thorough helping to make their beds and doing their laundry. Children practise their culinary skills through baking. Out in the community they assist with shopping and learn the value of money. They travel appropriately on public transport and positively interact with others. An example of the latter is their ability to observe social etiquette and greetings. A professional highlights that a child‟s, „social skills are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

improving.‟ Staff purposefully use exercise to help children expend their energy. This includes walks, bike riding, yoga, trips to the sports centre and using the park outdoor gym. Children express their creativity through arts and crafts sessions and playing musical instruments. There is good promotion of their emotional wellbeing and reliance on medication is decreasing. A clinical psychologist confirms that a child is „much calmer in all settings.‟ There are improvements in the medication arrangements. Staff benefit from medication training which increases their knowledge and they now maintain accurate medication records. There is an issue with the storage of refrigerated medication. The current fridge locks are unsuitable. A more secure facility is needed to guard against any potential risks. The home provides an educational environment through various activities. Children receive mental stimulation through doing puzzles, practicing their numeracy and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

literacy. They visit the library and other places of interest, an example being a Royal Airforce Museum. An educational professional comments on a child‟s „good progress‟ and „increased confidence.‟ There is good continuity of care through the sharing of goals between the home and respective schools. This enables children to consistently work on their learning objectives and build on their strengths. Staff work well with relatives and facilitate appropriate contact. Quality assurance now includes collating feedback from parents. One remarks that they „love it because Amelia‟s carers are very polite and lovely.‟ They confirm that their „son has improved.‟ Another parent described the home as „great‟, stating their child is „more settled‟ and „less aggressive.‟ Ofsted receive external monitoring reports on a monthly basis and the organisation completes quality of care reviews. The latter reports do not refer to the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities or

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff. They also do not consider how the service can further improve. Efforts have been made to provide a more pleasant living environment. The wall damage in a bedroom has been repaired. The new sofa and flooring also contribute to the modern communal atmosphere. Areas within the home are subject to „wear and tear‟ and the paintwork is scuffed. These areas would benefit from internal decoration. Leaders and manger have benefitted from attending a Quality Standards seminar and networking with other organisations. There is a strong desire to further improve and resources are being collated to inform practice. Staff continue to develop their knowledge through ongoing training. There is a need for all staff to complete the required level 3 qualification in residential childcare or an equivalent diploma. For staff who were working at the home since 1 April 2014, this should be attained by 1 April 2016. For staff who started after that date, it should be within

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

two years of starting work. This will further equip staff with the skills to meet the diverse needs of children. Leaders and managers acknowledge the need to familiarise themselves with and implement new legislation. The statement of purpose does not refer to the Quality Standards and new regulations. It still mentions Every Child Matters, which has been superseded by other guidance. It also refers to the Children‟s Homes Regulations 2001, these were updated in 2015. The staff list has not been updated to include current staff. The children‟s guide still requires updating to include information on how to make a complaint, access advocacy support and the Office of Children‟s Commissioner. These amendments are required to reflect current legal requirements.

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Information about this children's home

This section should outline: Amelia House is a privately owned home which is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children. The home is able to cater for children who have a learning disability; this includes children on the autistic spectrum.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/02/2015 Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

20/03/2014 Interim Satisfactory 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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 01/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that- (a) medicines kept in the home are kept in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them. In particular this applies to refrigerated medication. (Regulation 23 (2)(a)) 01/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating- (c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(c)) 01/06/2016

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(5)) 01/06/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure the children's guide helps children to understand how to make a complaint, access advocacy support and how to contact the Office of the Children's commissioner. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 24 paragraph 4.22) 

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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, workbased 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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