Children's home run by Albrighton Care Ltd in Cannock Chase

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to thrive. One young person has lived here for over a year. His plan is to stay until he is ready to move into adult residential care. He is making steady progress to maximise his independence skills in readiness for adult life. Staff are now working hard to ensure that they provide every opportunity for young people to develop life skills. The staff liaise well with school to ensure that young people are provided with an independence-based curriculum. Staff teach young people how to use money and how to cook, launder, tidy up, and see to their own personal hygiene. This integrated approach means that young people are achieving a number of new milestones. For example, one young person is now able to load his washing into the machine, add the capsule of liquid and start the wash cycle. He is also able to walk from the house to catch the school bus at the end of the drive, unaccompanied. He is able to get his things ready for school and put his

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

shoes on in advance without expecting that he must go out straightaway. This progress is significant, given his learning disabilities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s relatives, and other professionals that are involved in their care, are impressed by the high quality of care that staff and the manager consistently provide. The newer young person’s mother said, ‘It’s like a home from home – they are lovely and kind. They are thoughtful about me and can’t do enough for my son.’ The social worker for the young person who is working towards adulthood said, ‘He continues to make excellent progress in all areas. He is developing independence and self-care skills and is supported by staff to work towards achievable and realistic targets.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are well matched. Both young people respect each other’s privacy and will lay the kitchen table with places for one another and staff. Both young people know all of the staff and are confident in them. They feel safe and confident because staff are vigilant, helpful, and always respectful to them. One young person can now make hot drinks for everyone, with the support of staff. The other young person has made real progress in feeling relaxed when there are male rather than female staff supporting him.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The newest young person has been here almost four months. He is now settled and noticeably less anxious. He really benefited from a holiday in a caravan with one member of staff and the manager. The staff found that he relaxed and showed his sense of humour. He enjoyed going on walks, swimming and relaxing in the caravan. Staff and the manager took advantage of their clinician’s advice on how to reassure him, soothe him and help him overcome his anxious outbursts. They use hand and foot massage to soothe him. Staff sit with him and respond reassuringly and carefully when he uses his computer to show them symbols or pictures. They all know that this is his way of initiating a conversation and expressing how he feels.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

During January and February 2017, one young person was significantly upset and anxious about whether he was going to return home soon. He ran off from staff and displayed aggression that necessitated a number of physical interventions. Staff and the manager became unsure as to whether they could continue to keep him safe and meet his needs. Staff were unable to obtain the input of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) or clarity about the long-term plan from the placing local authority. The manager decided to give notice to the placing authority and took the young person to visit another residential placement. She did not ascertain his views about this potential move and quickly realised that she had made a mistake in giving the notice. She withdrew the notice and the placing authority then committed to a long-term plan for the young person to stay. The young person has noticeably settled since this time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A stable staff team benefits from continued training, especially in relation to autism, learning disabilities and mental health. Staff who are new to residential care work start promptly on the required professional training. All staff receive regular supervision and meet together to reflect on how the work affects them. This enables staff to provide and sustain well-planned and high-quality care. The registered manager and the responsible individual have made clear succession plans that will ensure that high standards and outcomes are sustained for young people. The organisation’s senior care coordinator has completed his level 5 diploma in leadership and management for children’s residential care. This is with a view to managing the organisation’s other home. The registered manager here will then be able to revert to managing only this home, which will create more capacity for her to focus on continuously improving young people’s outcomes.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to care for up to two children who have learning disabilities. A small private company owns the home and has one other children’s home locally.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15 November 2016 Full Good 01 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18 September 2015 Full Outstanding 20 February 2015 Registration Not applicable

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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

 Ensure that staff and managers work in more effective partnership with relevant people, as appropriate, in order to make sure that each child is provided with support (appropriate to their age and understanding) to communicate their views, wishes and feelings and participate as fully as possible in all aspects of their care planning. This may include the use of, and support to use, communication aids, equipment and/or any necessary language support. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.6)

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Recommendations

 Further develop the registered person’s key role in forging effective working relationships with each child’s placing authority and with other relevant persons. These working relationships will be key to success in delivering the care planning standard (regulation 14). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.3)

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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 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

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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