Children's home run by Headway Adolescent Resources Limited in Monmouthshire

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 judges that it has improved effectiveness . At the full inspection on 16 August 2016, four requirements were made. These have all been met. Records of sanctions are now linked to key-worker sessions to enable the young people to understand the impact of their behaviours on others and themselves. In addition, discussions take place with the registered manager and young people regarding reparation rather than sanctions. The registered manager reviews all sanctions. One record inspected had a note saying that the sanction would be reviewed after one week. There was no evidence of this review taking place. Since the last inspection, there have been five incidents when restraint has been used. One recorded stated that medical assistance was offered, but the nature of the assistance was not recorded. In another, the debrief following an incident of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

restraint with the young person was carried out by the registered manager. He was involved in the restraint. Debrief should be carried out by a member of staff not involved in the restraint. Consultation with young people on all aspects of their care has improved. House meetings are taking place. Staff also use key-worker sessions and general discussions with young people to gather their views on their care and how the home is run. Young people’s placement plans are reviewed with them every three months. One of the current plans inspected had only been signed by the key worker and not the young person. When young people spend time out of the home, the staff phone them to check that they are safe and well. When a young person fails to respond to these welfare checks, staff will instigate the missing-from-home protocol for that young person. The home’s missing-from-home protocol has been shared with the local authority

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and the police. The records maintained by the home are now more child-focused. They provide an overview of the young person’s day and their time at the home. They are written in a child-friendly manner and include the young person’s contribution. The recording systems have been streamlined to reduce the amount of repetitive recording. The home’s location risk assessment has been improved. It now contains information on the impact of crime in the local area, transport links, exploitation and radicalisation. The registered manager stated that this was still a work in progress as he is awaiting feedback from the police about their input. The registered manager’s monitoring systems within the home have improved .Since the last inspection, a new independent visitor is providing detailed reports which will assist the staff in driving forward improvement. These reports do not consistently evidence the independent person having contact with young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people’s parents. In addition, the independent visitor’s discussions with staff on duty are not reflected in the report.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people who may have behavioural and/or emotional difficulties. This home is one of a number of children’s homes that are operated and managed by the same private company in the surrounding area.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

11/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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

36: Children’s case records The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 31/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person, if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. In addition, these discussions should be reflected within the report. (Regulation 44(1)(2)(a)) 31/05/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and that the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. In particular, where sanction records state that the sanction will be reviewed after a set time, leaders and managers need to ensure that this review takes place and that this is recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  Any child who has been restrained should be given the opportunity to express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the restraint into account. In some cases children may need longer to work through their feelings, so a record that the child has talked about

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Recommendations

their feelings should be made no longer than five days after the incident of restraint. (Regulation 35(3)(c)) Children should be encouraged to add their views and comments to the record of restraint. Children should be offered the opportunity to access an advocacy support to help them with this. (Regulation 7(2)(b)(iii)) In particular, the person who carries out the debrief with the young person should be a member of staff who was not involved in the restraint and records should state what medical intervention was offered. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.60)

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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 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 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. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

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 0300 123 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 children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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