Children's home run by Action for Children in Watford

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . The home is currently providing short-break care to 45 children, aged between 12 and 17 years old, who have additional needs. Since the last inspection, two children have joined the home, and one has moved on to adult services. Children and families accessing the service experience well-considered introduction plans. From referral, staff meet with the child, their parents and the wider professional team. This ensures the gathering of meaningful information to inform the care plan and to meet the very specific, individual needs of each child. Children experience a smooth move into the service, which is set at their pace. Children and their parents say good things about coming to the home. One parent commented, ‘I feel like they look after my child, and all the children very well. I

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

feel positive and have a good feeling about it.’ Children are relaxed and engaged in the company of staff. Staff have good knowledge of the children’s likes and dislikes. They provide situations and circumstances to meet these, ensuring that each child feels comfortable and that their preferences are valued. One child reported, ‘I like it here. I like everything.’ For children moving into adult services, the managers and staff have been particularly persistent in developing relationships with the transitions teams. Staff are now regular attenders of transitions meetings. Here, they share their knowledge and understanding of children whom they have cared for over significant periods of time. One social worker commented, ‘They know the children very well, and it really helps to have their input.’ The tenacity and skill of the staff team help make the transitions out of the service as successful as they can be.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team works well with its education colleagues. Observations on children in their classroom settings offer a unique opportunity to consider how individual needs are met. While education responsibility remains with parents and school settings, in collaboration staff set individual targets for children, to support their learning and independence skills. One parent commented, ‘They involve him in the cooking. He really enjoys it.’ Children accessing the service have a range of complex health needs. All staff receive training in the safe storage and administration of medication. Close liaison with parents and medical professionals ensure that staff have the most recent health information. Strict processes are in place to ensure that staff meet children’s health needs. The staff team remains stable, offering predictable and familiar care to children. This is particularly relevant as the usual package of care for children is one

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

overnight stay a month. Managers and staff remain committed to delivering services that make a difference to the lives of children. To this end, they have completed specialist training that actively supports children with additional needs to achieve and learn new skills. Staff continue to expand their knowledge base with ongoing training, and all have completed the required diploma in residential childcare or are on track to do. To improve the quality and standards of care, the last full inspection raised one requirement and one recommendation. Since that time, comprehensive recording systems are in place. These demonstrate that all staff have up-to-date knowledge of the children accessing the service, as staff sign and date information once they have read it. The recommendation that a child is given the opportunity to express their feelings following a physical intervention by staff has not been met. Staff have begun to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

look at creative methods of communication to meet this. However, these are not yet in place. Therefore, it remains a recommendation. During this inspection, the following shortfalls are noted. While the home has a general sense of being a warm and welcoming environment, closer inspection highlighted the wear and tear of fixtures and fittings of a home well used. The home is in need of some decoration and furniture. Particularly, sofas and chairs are worn and frayed. This does not offer children an acceptable, valued environment, and it detracts from the high standards of care given. An isolated incident of verbal bullying occurred. Responses from staff were not effective in either working with the perpetrator of the bullying or supporting the victim. Staff lack specific training in how to manage bullying and strategies to support children should it occur. Staff’s recording is generally of a good quality. However, there are occasions of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

poor recording in which staff have not kept a professional stance. This type of recording can blur the professional boundary between the child and staff. In summary, children continue to receive quality care by a committed team that works in their best interests. The home has sustained its effectiveness.

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Information about this children's home

A charitable organisation owns and operates this home. It provides short-break care and accommodation for up to six young people at any one time.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/08/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

09/07/2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c) that staff have the skills to meet the needs of each child. This is with particular reference to staff undertaking training to gain specific knowledge in managing incidents of bullying. 22/09/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that the home provides a homely, domestic environment, with specific regard to decoration and furniture being of suitable quality and presentation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)   Ensure that any child that has been restrained is given the opportunity to express their feelings about their experience of the restraint. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.60)   Ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 that 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 whom 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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