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

Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 1 SC424103 Registered provider: Action for Children 04764232 1097940

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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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 who have 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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 13 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager is a strong and consistent leader who has implemented solutions to the issues identified at the previous inspection.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Safeguarding training and regular reviews of risk assessments have improved staff’s understanding of how to keep children and young people safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children and young people benefit from the activities offered and from their positive interactions with staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff work closely with stakeholders, especially parents, school staff and the local authority. This leads to consistency and cooperation to improve the outcomes for the children and young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Productive relationships with the child and adolescent mental health team have improved staff’s understanding of challenging behaviour.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Monitoring processes are not followed up by reviews of actions identified.

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Key findings from this inspection

 There are no e-safety risk assessments applicable to young people’s use of their own devices.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The location risk assessment is not up to date and therefore not as informative as it should be.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 05/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/09/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

13. (1) In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 29/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirements in regulation 12 (2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1)) 29/09/2017

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Recommendations

 Children should be consulted regularly on their view about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Any external agency staff should meet the requirements in regulation 32 (4) regarding mandatory qualifications and the registered person should consider their skills, qualification and any induction necessary before they commence work in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.16) Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides short-break services for children with disabilities. They, along with their parents, benefit from the care provided. Staff have a thorough understanding of each child, including their complex medical needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experience of moving into the home is positive. Effective planning takes place prior to them moving into the home. Staff consult with professionals involved in their care, as well as their parents, which ensures that staff have all the information required to meet children’s needs. They help children to settle and monitor their well-being. A matching assessment ensures that children are compatible with those already receiving the service. Children make good progress and enjoy staying. A social worker said of a child, ‘His behaviour has improved since he has been going due to the input from the staff.’ A parent said, ‘The move went smoothly, he looks forward to coming.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Positive interaction between children was observed. Staff enjoy being with the children. The home has a range of resources, including an activity room, sensory space and a large garden. Staff continually adapt the resources to meet the children’s needs. They offer a range of activities to stimulate children. Recently bought equipment for the garden is popular. A risk assessment ensures that children and young people can play safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress; initiatives such as an achievement tree displayed in the communal area ensure that children and young people’s achievements are celebrated. An outcome ladder sets targets that are achieved in small steps. Staff review these after each stay and new ones are set once children have consistently accomplished them. For example, one young person is now able to play more independently, another young person to make his bed, an achievement that has been transferred to his home environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff gain children’s views by offering choices throughout the day. Children’s meetings help them to have a say about how the home is run. However, these are not sufficiently regular, but the manager is looking into addressing this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good relationships with the parents, who appreciate the home. One parent said, ‘The home is fantastic, like a second family, for us and him.’ Another parent said, ‘He (her son) is more independent, calmer and confident as a result of attending the home.’ Staff communicate effectively with parents and ensure that they receive feedback regarding their children’s time here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Strong links are forged with other professionals involved in the children’s care. Staff share information and visit the schools that children attend to ensure continuity across both settings. For example, staff attended a school meeting to learn how to use a communication package on a young person’s iPad, which now aids his communication while staying at the home. A child and adolescent mental health worker attends team Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 5 meetings to offer consultations with staff. This has continued to improve the staff capacity to meet children’s emotional and behavioural needs. There are fewer physical intervention incidents as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff share information and plan meticulously to ensure that children are prepared for when they leave the home. On one of the days of inspection, one young person’s peers and staff celebrated his last night. A social story and leaving party helped mark the occasion. Staff presented a photograph album of his time spent at the home for him to keep as a memento. Staff work closely with parents and professionals to ensure that young people have a positive move to new placements.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff have had recent safeguarding training. The residential manager ensures that staff’s understanding of safeguarding training is evaluated by discussing scenarios during team meetings. This is effective in embedding the message learned.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk assessments are individualised and implemented effectively. Children and young people are closely supervised, so do not go missing. However, staff were able to demonstrate a good understanding of how to prevent an occurrence and respond accordingly. Staff are well prepared for outings in the community. Prior to taking children out of the home, a missing from home pack, including children’s photographs, identity cards and a leaflet to give members of the public regarding staff’s caring roles, is prepared. This ensures that staff can respond effectively to any incidents that may arise.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff reinforce boundaries clearly and children adhere to them. Staff discuss children’s behaviour in team meetings and supervisions and effective strategies are put in place to manage this. Physical intervention logs and behaviour records demonstrate a good standard of recording, reflection and analysis. The registered manager monitors and evaluates physical interventions to learn from and minimise the need for them; this helps in safeguarding children’s welfare.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The registered manager attends professional meetings to review children’s care plans and child protection plans. The multi-professional team works together well. Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities to ensure the well-being and welfare of the children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The recruitment process is robust. Applicants are not able to work at the home until all the necessary checks have been completed. The registered manager is currently recruiting for casual staff to support the permanent staff and provide consistent staffing. This will ensure that staff familiar to the children and young people work with them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff clearly understand internet use policies. They promote safe use with children and young people. They supervise children and young people closely while they use electronic devices. Staff were observed to engage well with a young person while he used his iPad. However, an individualised risk assessment for this was not in place. Safety precautions restrict the use of the internet to prevent children from accessing inappropriate sites. However, there is no agreement with parents and children in respect Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 6 of devices brought from their own homes and this means that children are not as clear as they could be about safe use.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The physical environment has improved since the last inspection; rooms are no longer locked and window restrictors ensure ventilation without undermining children’s safety. Monitoring devices ensure that children are kept safe and their privacy is protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager obtained her registration with Ofsted in November 2012. She has also completed a level 5 qualification in leadership and management. She provides strong, consistent leadership. The registered manager devised a thorough development plan to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. She has led the staff forward to make the necessary changes despite challenges in relation to funding and resources.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is of a high standard, regular and effective. Safeguarding is discussed as an agenda item to ensure that staff are given the space to consider issues relating to the children’s welfare. Accountability and reflection underpin the learning for supervisees, which increases their confidence. Children remain at the centre of all discussions, including the registered manager’s supervision and annual appraisals. Monthly staff team meetings focus on the children to ensure staff consistency and good practice. They are at the forefront of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The use of agency workers complements the permanent staff and ensures that they are supported. Information obtained from the agencies ensures that staff are experienced to care for children and young people. However, not all agency staff have the level 3 diploma. Agency staff have protected time to read children’s and young people’s care plans prior to working with them. However, one agency worker had not signed an agreement outlining what was expected of him while working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good professional relationships between the home and partner agencies result in effective multi-disciplinary working. The registered manager retains good links with the local disability service to ensure effective joint working. A social worker reported, ‘I have no concern; communication is good and they (staff in the home) contribute to all meetings.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that monitoring of health and safety checks is robust, including fire drills and personal evacuation plans. However, better auditing of these processes would ensure that staff record information clearly and actions identified are implemented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose accurately describes the aims and objectives of the home, which are followed in practice. A children’s guide is appropriate for those who use the service. External independent monitoring visits take place monthly and the registered manager uses these reports to improve the service. The registered manager has made improvements to internal monitoring processes, such as auditing of files. However, Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 7 checking that actions identified have been competed would further enhance this process.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action for Children 04764232 1097940

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Action for Children, 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford WD18 8AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Yolanda Hampshire

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 9 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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