Children's home run by Amos Aftercare Moving On Scheme Ltd in Wolverhampton

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 judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, Ofsted raised six requirements and three recommendations. The registered manager has taken sufficient action to address the six requirements and one of the recommendations made at that time. However, following this inspection, two recommendations are outstanding and one requirement and a further recommendation have been made.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The acting manager in post at the time of the last inspection has now registered successfully with Ofsted. This has bought stability to the staff team. The registered manager makes sure that all staff now receive regular practice-related formal supervision. These sessions provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on their performance and identify their training and learning needs. This means that staff are better able to support the one young person currently in placement. Furthermore, the registered manager has reviewed all staff recruitment files to make sure that these include all necessary checks and information. This confirms that staff are subject to appropriate recruitment procedures and are suitably vetted. This promoted young people’s safety and welfare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no admissions or discharges to or from the home since the last inspection. Staff continue to support the young person currently residing in the home to attend his education placement, form suitable relationships with others and take responsibility for his actions and behaviours. The success of this support is variable at this time, although the registered manager and staff team continue to work in partnership with other agencies to make sure that the young person has access to the additional specialist services needed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has introduced additional waking night staff to support the young person. This improvement to day-to-day working arrangements in the home means that the young person is no longer subject to continual ‘lone-working’ with staff. This positive change promotes the young person’s safety and helps to manage any challenging behaviours. There have been no incidents of physical restraint since the last inspection. However, there has been an increased use of sanctions because of an escalation in unacceptable, risk-taking and negative behaviours. These behaviours include the young person going missing from the home, or being away from the home without permission. The registered manager and the staff team continue to work with local police to locate the young person and to make sure that he is safe. However, the placing authority does not consistently provide the young person with the opportunity to have an

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

independent ‘return home’ interview. Ofsted raised this shortfall at the last inspection and the registered manager has not addressed this issue sufficiently with the placing authority.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff regularly perform fire safety checks and practice evacuations. The registered manager has revised and amended the fire risk assessment. Furthermore, commissioned external professionals are now responsible for making sure that all fire safety requirements are actioned. This promotes the safety of young people and staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has reviewed the statement of purpose for the home to make sure that this accurately reflects the service. This improvement means that placing authorities and other agencies are able to determine if the support packages available meet young people’s individual needs. However, the registered manager has not used this review to devise a workforce development plan. This shortfall is outstanding from the last inspection. This means that the registered manager does not have detailed vision for the ongoing development of the service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Management oversight of the service has improved. The registered manager completed a review of the quality of care provided by the home. However, this review did not enable the registered manager to identify the strengths or weaknesses of the service, or to assess the link between the young person’s progress and the quality of care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered provider has commissioned a new independent person to visit the home. This visitor has not provided Ofsted with copies of their reports as required and the registered manger has not challenged this shortfall. This limits the regulator’s ability to monitor this provision effectively.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. A private company owns and operates the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/05/2016 Full Requires improvement 26/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 15/06/2015 Full Requires improvement 05/03/2015 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44(7)(a)) 31/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, that the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that a workforce plan is in place, which can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person is responsible for deciding what each quality-of-care review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be

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Recommendations

addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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 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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