Children's Home run by Amelia’s House Limited in Brent

Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 1 SC448693 Registered provider: Amelia’s House Limited

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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 privately owned home is registered to provide care and accommodation for four young people. The home is able to cater for young people who have a learning disability. This includes young people on the autistic spectrum.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 27 February 2017

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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: SC448693 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people thrive in all areas of their lives as they settle in a nurturing environment.  Staff have high ambitions for the young people, enabling them to make considerable progress from their starting points.  Regardless of young people’s communication difficulties, staff ascertain their views and act on them.  Young people enjoy a wealth of stimulating activities that enhance their overall experiences.  Staff encourage healthy eating and exercise, which ensures that young people lead healthy lifestyles.  Staff practice is informed by current research and best practice guidance.  Staff employ specialist behaviour support strategies that encourage positive behaviour in young people who have autism or learning disabilities.  Young people are calmer and more sociable as a result of the care they receive at the home.  Young people receive good support, help and protection from a stable staff team. Staff describe themselves and the young people as a ‘family’.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff encourage young people to maintain regular family contact.  Leaders and managers are highly visible in the home and support an enthusiastic and committed staff team.

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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

 Not all records are fully completed or up to date. This shortfall does not impact on the good quality of care.  Leaders and managers do not ensure that robust recruitment procedures are followed on every occasion.  Reports that assess the quality of care provided at the home do not include the views of young people or their parent.  Leaders and managers should make consistent decisions whether records are kept electronically or physically.  Leaders and managers should ensure that the staff training schedule is reviewed regularly. Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/08/2016 Full Good 09/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/10/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 4

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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

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement of purpose which covers matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to details of the management and staffing structure of the home. 03/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care at least once every six months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (1) (2) (b)) 03/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) and (3) (d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to written records failing to confirm that references have been verified. 03/12/2017

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Recommendations

 Care must be taken to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15). In Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 5 particular, ensure that young people’s individual medication routines are clear and up to date.  Records of restraint must be kept (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59). In particular, leaders and managers should clarify the home’s recording format, either hand written or electronic.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5). In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that only the young people’s most up-to-date risk

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Recommendations

assessment is kept in care files.  The registered person should have a workforce plan. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of the staff (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8). In particular, there should be a management system in place to monitor and refresh all mandatory training in line with guidelines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in all areas of their lives. They develop confidence and learn life skills which increase their independence. Regardless of age and ability, young people benefit from the committed staff team’s excellent support. The staff’s sensitive and patient care enables young people to maximise their potential. Achievements include young people improving their communication and independent self-care skills and increasing their attention spans. A placing authority’s transitions team manager praised the home, writing, ‘You have definitely had a successful journey with [X], thank you for supporting [X], well done to [X] for the progress he has made.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not see disability as a barrier to helping young people to learn new skills. Young people’s comprehensive care plans include age-appropriate and personalised targets. Staff invest significant time with the young people. As a result, young people make small but significant steps including making a cup of tea, helping with household chores, cooking and dressing themselves independently. A social worker wrote, ‘Staff had high expectations of the young person and enabled him to develop self-carer skills and he learned the complete sequence of the task.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some of the young people are non-verbal. Staff are highly attuned to young people’s individual communication styles. Staff receive relevant training in sign language and alternative communication systems. Staff use this knowledge very effectively. Young people contribute to their care needs. For example, staff understand that if a young person uses a hand-to-the-mouth gesture, they are signing that they are hungry. In Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 6 addition, staff know that when young people point at the television, they are making a request to hear music, while young people who walk across the room toward the door are signalling that it is their wish to go out. Staff act on these wishes immediately, ensuring that care is dynamic and adaptable. A social work professional said, ‘They know his gestures. They understand his cues and there has been significant improvement in his communication.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people in the home attend school or college. There is effective partnership working between the home and school staff. A teacher regards the staff team as ‘part of the team around the child’. Staff attend parent and carers meetings with teachers and share young people’s progress and development. Staff support young people with their homework. Staff do not consider that education stops at the school gate. Staff provide fun learning opportunities for the young people. For example, trips to museums and the library are encouraged, and shopping trips are used as opportunities for young people to learn to count and identify colours and objects. Young people benefit from staff’s holistic care. For instance, staff support young people at college enrolment days and attend significant school events such as leaving day award ceremonies. Young people’s achievements are celebrated and school trophies are proudly displayed in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people participate in a wealth of exciting activities both inside and outside the home. Similar to their peers, young people enjoy listening to music and playing football in the garden. Young people also benefit from trips to the local park, shops, cinema and youth clubs, and go further afield to visit the zoo and to watch football matches. Healthy activities are successfully encouraged. For example, one young person regularly attends the local sports centre athletic track. With enthusiastic support from staff, the young person’s athletic skills were assessed as those of a possible future para-athlete. A social care worker wrote, ‘The home has a particular strength in the experience and professionalism of the staff, they encourage independence and inclusion in the local community and this gives the young people a sense of achievement and belonging.’ A parent stated, ‘My child is kept entertained and stretched with wide-ranging activities.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that young people attend all of their health appointments. Medication administration and arrangements are good. However, during the inspection, one young person’s medication routine was not recorded on an appropriate page. This shortfall does not pose any risk of harm to young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment has recently benefited from redecoration. The home is bright and welcoming. Photographic displays of the young people’s activities and achievements add to the homely atmosphere. The communal spaces provide the young people with opportunities to share mealtimes around the large dining table. The garden provides great opportunities for outdoor activities, including football and gardening. For young people who prefer quiet time, a soft playroom is always available. Bedrooms are clean and suitably furnished. Photographs of young people’s families and friends on the bedroom walls enhance young people’s sense of ownership.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff proactively support young people’s contact with their families. Family members are welcomed into the home. Young people benefit from maintaining their family Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 7 relationships. Parents and carers can contact the staff at any time, and parents and carers are encouraged to visit the home. A social worker praises staff, ‘They worked sensitively to support Mum, invited her to visit and share her knowledge of his care.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A parent said of the home, ‘It is an absolute godsend. My child loves being there. They [staff] love having them there, and I can sleep easy knowing my child is being well taken care of.’

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

Young people are kept safe in the home. They are appropriately supervised and they do not go missing from the home. Staff are risk aware, but not risk averse. Detailed community activity risk assessments enable young people to safely take full advantage of community experiences. Safety strategies include young people walking with staff on the inside of the pavement if road safety is an issue, or being encouraged by staff to hold a shopping basket in the supermarket to minimise the risk of grabbing items off the shelves. This approach helps provide the young people with a sense of safety, protection and trust in the staff who care for them.

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

The home has a strong focus on positive behaviour development. Very detailed crisis management plans and risk assessments inform young people’s positive behaviour strategies. However, this information is occasionally duplicated in care files.

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

Staff’s detailed knowledge of young people who have learning disabilities results in a home where positive behaviour is actively encouraged. Staff understand very well the young people’s cues and triggers that can lead to anxiety and challenging behaviour/s. Staff effectively use positive behaviour strategies. Such strategies are underpinned by current best practice research. Their highly skilled practice of distraction and de- escalation techniques to reduce challenging behaviours is highly successful and helps keep the young people safe. For instance, with staff support, young people are able to safely socialise in the community, go shopping and use public transport. For some young people, these are new activities which further broaden their overall experiences. A parent said, ‘They build a relationship of trust to help manage his anxieties.’ A professional commented, ‘Staff manage challenge with dignity and respect for the young

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

The home provides a safe environment for the young people. All statutory certificates for fire checks and health and safety checks are current and reviewed in line with regulations. Regular fire drills are conducted when the young people are in the home, and every young person has a personal evacuation plan. This ensures that young people and staff are familiar with the procedures should an emergency occur.

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

Staff receive training in all aspects of safeguarding vulnerable young people. This training and appropriate staffing ratios ensure that the young people’s welfare is protected at all times during the day and night.

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

Physical restraint is rarely used in the home. There have been no incidents of restraint Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 8 since the last inspection. However, the use of both electronic and written records to record incidents raises the risk of complicating the process.

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

Staff recruitment procedures are not robustly adhered to. Written records fail to confirm that references have been verified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders, managers and staff place the needs of young people at the heart of practice. Leaders and managers play an active role in the home and are highly visible. Staff describe leaders and managers as ‘excellent’. The home’s ethos is ‘nurture with care’. The registered manager said, ‘We offer a nurturing environment that brings out the best in the young people.’ This is evident throughout the home. There is, however, an ongoing issue with some of the home’s records. While this shortfall does not impact on the young people’s good quality of care, it does highlight a weakness in the management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home’s updated statement of purpose has not been submitted to Ofsted within the required timescales. In addition, the registered manager’s quality of care review does not capture the opinions of young people and their parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff training is comprehensive. Leaders and managers have close links with a national autism charity. All staff regularly access the charity’s training opportunities. Alongside other bespoke training, such as epilepsy support, the development of an in-house resource file provides staff with additional guidance and advice on how to tailor care to the young people’s individual needs. However, the management overview of staff training schedules fails to ensure that all training is regularly refreshed in line with guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

All staff receive effective and timely formal supervision. Annual staff appraisals ensure that their practice is reviewed, and future training needs are identified and booked, ensuring staff’s continuing professional development. The home is fully staffed, and all the team members attend the fortnightly team meetings. These provide opportunities for staff to share knowledge and update the plans to meet the young people’s needs and review the young people’s progress. This approach enhances staff’s professional and competent care skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have good working relationships with the host local authority. Staff’s purposeful working with partner agencies, combined with their regular attendance at young people’s reviews, ensures that young people receive joined-up care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff said that they find their work in the home ‘very rewarding’ and that they ‘enjoy seeing the young people make progress.’ A social worker said, ‘Staff are dedicated to the young people’, adding that they provide a ‘very good quality of care with love and kindness’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A mental health professional spoke of the positive impact of the staff’s skilled and highly Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 9 effective care and support: ‘The young person is now able to respond to requests and instructions. His ability to listen is greatly improved. He shows no anxiety at appointments. Risks are now low due to the home’s implementation of a behaviour support plan. He continues to grow, learn and show improvement in communication levels.’

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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 differences 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 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.

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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: SC448693 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amelia’s House Limited

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Inspector

Victoria Jones, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC448693 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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