Children's Home run by Amegreen Children’s Services in West Berkshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 1 SC473329 Registered provider: Amegreen Children‟s Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned service accommodates up to four young people, irrespective of gender, who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are two other homes run by the same provider in the local area; this one specialises in assisting young people to make the transition to adult life and gain the skills they need to live independently.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home uses „Systems-Centered‟ methods of working with children and young people who have experienced developmental trauma.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

outstanding

The children‟s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children‟s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 9 February 2017

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Outstanding

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children‟s home is outstanding because:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Staff know the young people, their characteristics, preferences and motivations extremely well. This means that they are able to work with them in ways that are specifically tailored to suit the young person‟s personality and circumstances.  A professional described having a „deep sense of home and safety here‟. This atmosphere is created by the manager and staff putting „heart and soul‟ into their work and by young people, certainly those who have lived here for more than a few months, investing in the communal life of the home. One young person commented, „This is not a “care home”; you walk in here into a home – and it is your home.‟  Staff radiate unconditional positive regard for young people, who respond by taking advantage of the support offered to them. They are thus better able to overcome the challenges of their lives and make considerable progress – much unexpected at the start of placements.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Young people have as much autonomy as possible while also being offered guidance to make good choices. Staff hold young people accountable for actions in a way that promotes personal responsibility rather than conformity to rules. Sanctions and physical interventions are therefore extremely low.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

The children‟s home‟s areas for development:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff request documentation from placing authorities and others when it has not been forthcoming, but do not escalate sufficiently promptly to ensure that this is effective. Sometimes the need to chase paperwork, such as local authority health plans and consents for first aid, is overlooked.  Case files have some entries that do not identify the author, are not signed and/or are undated. Placement plans do not indicate whether they have been shared with others, including the young person, social workers or parents.  Key workers write up the content of sessions well but do not clearly identify actions and outcomes to be followed up, and do not sign the records themselves or demonstrate that they have been shared with young people by asking them to sign the record too.  The help that the manager and staff give to young people to prepare them to move on from the home has largely gone unrecorded.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 3

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/02/2017 Full Outstanding 14/10/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/02/2016 Full Good 21/05/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) In particular, escalate concerns promptly if it appears that the placing authority or the relevant person is not responding appropriately. 30/09/2017

p.4

Recommendations

 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) In particular, actions agreed in key work sessions should be reported to children and recorded.

p.4

Recommendations

 The children‟s guide must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure they understand it. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 24, paragraph 4.21)

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child‟s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 57, paragraph 11.9) In particular, ensure that transition plans and their implementation are well documented.

p.4

Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date, signed, and dated by the author of each entry. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

p.4

Recommendations

 The Regulation 45 report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 5 („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 64, paragraphs 15.2 and 4)

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people talk exceptionally highly of the home and the staff who look after them, frequently describing it in terms of being like a family: „We are like brothers and sisters here,‟ and, „We are all one big happy family‟. The manager and staff have engendered a remarkable sense of belonging and of facing struggles together, giving a secure base from which young people can deal with past traumas and look to the future with confidence.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One professional said that a young person „would not have challenged herself on her own‟, but, by staff providing the right environment, „she has done the hard work herself‟, making „a marked improvement in her emotional well-being‟. Another described how staff persevere „when others may have just said, “it‟s your choice” and not provided the encouragement [to overcome apprehensions] and [they] miss an opportunity‟.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff know each young person very well, which allows them to provide highly individualised care. They quickly get to know young people‟s characteristics, motivations, likes and dislikes, devising interventions that develop strengths or motivating them to work on issues that will help them to achieve and grow. For example, one young person had worked hard to obtain a part-time job but had been unsuccessful, so the manager agreed to pay her to do voluntary work, rewarding the efforts she made.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One parent summed up the impact of the approach taken, saying, „The staff are being marvellous with my daughter; she is able to establish relationships with them and [they] are not daunted by anything. They work well with me and her.‟ Staff inform, offer suggestions and promote responsibility but do not „lecture‟ young people. This encourages young people to be responsible for their choices and behaviour, while knowing that staff have high expectations of and high aspirations for them. The use of sanctions and physical intervention is extremely low.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff value the difference that educational attainment can have on life chances and promote this among the young people, with notable success. For example, they encouraged one young person to return to school when he became disillusioned and refused to go, and took great satisfaction when another received a school trophy for overcoming adversity to achieve.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

In each case, staff have worked at the young person‟s own pace to help them to take the next step towards their goals, some of which the young person may have given up on or eschewed before being helped to this point. All young people are making progress, some of it beyond expectations held at the start of placements. Progress includes confidently using public transport, increasing maturity, improving relationships with Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 6 family members and developing independent living skills.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people‟s experience of life is enhanced as a result of being in the home. They express themselves through art, dress sense and developing new interests. Staff promote all these and provide new opportunities to take part in activities, either individually or as a group. They help each young person to expand the variety of things they try, enjoy and/or become competent in; this includes food, socialisation and managing money. One parent described how her son „is enriched in many different areas‟ since living at the home.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff recording of key work sessions and significant conversations covers a wide range of issues pertinent to each young person. However, actions and outcomes are not drawn out or specifically addressed in later sessions, which means that some may be lost. Neither the staff member nor the young person signs the record. However, a new format was devised during the inspection that prompts this to take place.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Admission records reflect the careful consideration that the manager and staff give to the potential effect on young people already living in the home and the care they provided to introduce a new arrival.

p.6

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

The manager and staff make careful and effective judgements about safeguarding young people while promoting increasing freedom and independence. This includes helping young people to make their own decisions about friendships, giving guidance and information, but, when a relationship is thought to be unsuitable, working with family members and others in the community to create a network of open communication to provide as safe a situation as possible.

p.6

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

Staff are aware of the policies and protocols to follow if they have safeguarding concerns. Their overriding priority is to ensure that action is taken to protect those they care for. One parent commented on how reassured she was that staff know what to do if a young person does not return to the home when expected. Absconding is very infrequent, and work done with those who, for example, have refused to come back home at the time agreed, means that it is almost never repeated.

p.6

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

The combination of excellent trusting relationships between staff and young people and resourceful strategies produces an environment in which young people are protected and have their well-being promoted. There are frequent conversations about social and welfare issues, often generated by what young people have heard in the news. This enables staff to have helpful conversations about safeguarding subjects, such as misuse of alcohol, grooming on social media or appropriate sexual behaviour. These are underpinned by written agreements, for example regarding the use of mobile phones, which set expectations for young people, and by sophisticated Wi-Fi monitoring software.

p.6

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

The home has a young person‟s guide, but it is a lengthy document and densely written. This results in young people rarely doing more than glancing at it, and this contributes to Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 7 the fact that none could recall services other than ChildLine available to help them with concerns. None of the young people have made a complaint about the home (although one said that staff had offered him the opportunity to do so), and they reported that they feel comfortable in raising any issues directly with staff. They are confident that the provider, from the director to residential workers, would take seriously any matter raised.

p.6

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

The provider has identified, but not yet taken up, training through the Local Safeguarding Children Board. The main source of networking concerning the protection of young people is through the local constabulary. This includes meetings with an officer who provides intelligence on such matters as local crime „hot spots‟ and who will advise on specific concerns. Plans are in place to meet with other providers to pool information. This represents excellent use of reliable community resources to safeguard young people.

p.7

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

Safer recruitment practice is thorough, and there are clear records of managers having investigated gaps in employment and having followed up references verbally. This helps to ensure that unsuitable people are not employed to work at the home. Since the last person was appointed, the provider has strengthened the interview process by including a question that directly addresses safeguarding issues.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager sets high expectations of staff and provides a role model for work undertaken with young people. One member of staff commented, „I take a lead from the manager. I observe how he reacts to stuff and try to do the same thing.‟ This demonstrates that the provider‟s theoretical approach permeates the team and leads to consistent practice. Supervision records show that supervisors discuss the principles of the model with staff members.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a strong team spirit among the staff group. Staff pull together, for example, to cover gaps on shifts due to current vacancies. This avoids the need to employ workers who do not know the home, to provide care for young people. Young people said that staff leaving the home has had minimal impact in terms of the care they are given, but that they miss them due to the significant relationships they had made.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff strive to collaborate with other professionals and family members (where appropriate) to excellent effect. Almost everyone from outside the home, asked for their views, mentioned how friendly they found the welcome by staff and the „fantastic‟ communication from them. This leads to extremely high levels of confidence in the care and protection offered to young people. One parent said, „To trust someone else with your child is the hardest decision you can make, and only now my daughter is here do I feel happy about where she is.‟ A professional commented on the good relationship he has with the manager, saying, „He always gives good advice.‟

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When agencies have not sent documentation in a timely way, the manager and staff chase but do not escalate it promptly enough when it is not forthcoming. Sometimes the Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 8 need to obtain paperwork, such as local authority health plans and consents for first aid, has been forgotten. This was rectified during the inspection.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The provider sends the home‟s relevant paperwork to social workers and parents, but staff do not ask to sign plans to show that they have been seen and agreed. Moreover, authors and young people do not sign plans, assessments or key worker records. It is therefore not always clear who the author is, whether contents are agreed and what a young person‟s contribution has been.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Placement plans and the provider‟s child and adolescent needs and strengths assessments provide the most insightful and detailed knowledge of young people, their backgrounds and current issues. These lead to clear strategies and tasks to be undertaken. In one case, actions from a local authority care plan were not included in the assessment, but were being actively worked to. The assessments demonstrate progress over time, comparing findings from previous versions, and chart progress since the first one was undertaken.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Key worker session records generally have a good narrative, but actions and outcomes from the conversation are not clearly identified or reported in subsequent sessions.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager‟s review of care provides an excellent analysis of the six months that it covers, demonstrating a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. It lacks actions to take forward for the next reporting period. Nevertheless, the manager and staff talk enthusiastically about improvements they are making. This includes piloting the compilation of pathway planning and independent living skills work that sets out the areas covered and what remains to be done. The objectives for, and success of, this work are clearly demonstrated and will be rolled out to all young people.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The assistance given to young people moving on from the home prepares them for the transition, most often into more independent living. However, records of the planning and work undertaken are poor. It would be hard to give an accurate picture were the young person, or anyone else, to want to find out what happened at some point in the future.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One young person, who family, professionals and staff universally think has made great progress over his time at the home, counts himself as being very fortunate to have lived here. „They have done loads for me,‟ he said, adding, „Someone should give them a medal.‟

p.8

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 and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children‟s home knows about Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 9 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.

p.8

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: SC473329 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amegreen Children‟s Services Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Granary Court, Fair Oak Green, Stratfield Saye, Reading RG7 2DL

p.10

Inspector

Chris Peel, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC473329 11 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspector

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

p.11