Children's Home run by Action for Children Services Ltd in Buckinghamshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the last 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

Young people were observed to enjoy their stays; they make progress within a stimulating and caring environment. Young people are cared for in an individualised way and staff have a good knowledge and understanding of each young person. However, there remain shortfalls in staff’s understanding of safeguarding and when to communicate safeguarding information to managers and external professionals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, a requirement was made in relation to ensuring staff have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk. Senior staff including the three team leaders and the manager have undertaken a two day safeguarding training course since then. The registered manager has also booked face-to-face safeguarding training for staff to take place in January 2017. However, there has been no information or training provided in the interim for staff. Team meetings, for example, have not been used to convey information relating to safeguarding practice and processes to staff. In addition, staff are also required by the organisation to complete yearly online training in safeguarding. Information supplied by a senior member of staff during the inspection indicated 16 out of 20 staff have not completed this within the last year. During the inspection, information found on a young person’s file relating to a large bruise being seen by

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff when he had visited from home had not been reported to the necessary professionals. This demonstrates that staff do not understand their role and responsibilities fully.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service is monitored and subject to regular internal auditing by the manager and external scrutiny by other professionals. The manager now has more awareness of the strengths and weaknesses in the service. She has revised the previous development plan to give it more of a focus on improving experiences for young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people’s needs and the impact on their well-being is considered when admitting new young people to the home. Staff work in partnership with parents and professionals to assess young people’s needs prior to visiting the home. Transitions have been managed remarkably well by staff and this is clearly a strength of the service. Young people are seen to progress as a result of accessing this short breaks service and there is now an achievements tree in place; this is enhancing young people’s confidence. They now try new activities and foods and are interacting more with other young people. Staff spoken with gave lots of examples of how young people are progressing. Targets and outcomes are now being recorded more accurately and in more detail and frequency, however this could further be improved to evidence how young people have progressed from when they first started accessing the service. The targets are currently difficult to evaluate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work in close partnership with parents and professionals. Comments include, ‘they are excellent, we feel we can trust what happens and they communicate all issues’ and ‘staff are like an extended family, they are approachable, will listen and action any requests. My daughter has made friends and trusts her staff.’ Young people’s views are now more central to how the home operates; their voices are heard in many aspects of shift planning. They were seen to choose activities and food during the inspection. Communication boards are in a child-friendly format to enable this choice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Planning and risk assessment documents have been reviewed. Risk assessments are now being amended and revised when new behaviours are observed or communicated from parents and carers. The staff are in the process of implementing new care planning documentation for young people. These are much more child focused and fully incorporate young people’s views. They give staff clear guidance on how to effectively support a young person and contain useful information on young people’s individual vulnerabilities. Young people’s files however do not all currently contain review paperwork from the young person’s placing authority. The absence of this information means that staff do not have an authoritative indication of the outcomes to be achieved or any actions that need to take place. Since the last inspection, the home has undergone some redecoration and further work is due to take place. A window restrictor has now been fitted in the upstairs

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

bedroom so this no longer poses a risk to unsupervised young people. The bedroom doors are currently fitted with locks that cannot be opened from the inside. This is to prevent young people entering bedrooms when not in use. A recommendation has been made to review the bedroom door locks currently in operation. Privacy is now maintained for the young people accessing the service. The doors that have vision panels in now have blinds on them and staff understand when listening devises may be used. In addition, young people’s daily care planning is now stored in a cabinet within the communal area to ensure confidentiality is maintained. Young people have a good relationship with the care staff and they respond well to the praise and encouragement received. Staff set clear boundaries and young people know what is expected of them. As a result, young people continue to receive structured care, which is meeting individual needs.

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Information about this children's home

This is a short-breaks service run by a national charitable organisation. The home accommodates up to eight children and young people with learning disabilities. The children’s and young people’s needs range from moderate to severe learning disabilities with associated physical, health and sensory impairment and/or complex multiple needs.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 05/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/09/2015 Full Requires improvement 25/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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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

12 The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure— (2)(a)(iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm, (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s procedure under Regulation 36 (1) (policies for the protection of children) (Regulation 12(2)(a)(iii)(vii)). 23/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

Maintain records for each child in Schedule 3. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))This specifically relates to ensuring that a copy of any plan for the care of the child prepared by the child's placing authority is obtained. 23/01/2017

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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 that staff engage proactively to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child's care on an ongoing basis. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56 paragraph 11.3)This specifically relates to demonstrating progress in targets in operation from young people’s starting points.  Ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment. (The Guide to Children's Homes Regulations, Page 15, paragraph 3.9) This specifically relates to reviewing the locks on the bedroom doors to ensure they can be opened from the inside.

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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

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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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