Children's home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report children's home: SC020859 1 SC020859 Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a number of homes operated by a private company. The home provides care and accommodate for up to six young people who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection identifies that progress has been made in a number of areas since the last inspection. However, the home has been without a registered manager since 26 May 2017. Furthermore, two requirements remain unmet.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A new manager was appointed in June 2017. However, he did not submit his application to register with Ofsted until October 2017. It has not been possible for the regulator to progress his application due to outstanding references. This has left the home without someone who can be formally held accountable and responsible by the regulator for the day-to-day operation of the service.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, seven requirements were made, five of which have been addressed. The new manager has ensured that risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated following any incidents. Consequently, risk assessments contain up-to-date Inspection report children's home: SC020859 2 information and guidance for staff about how to manage and reduce risky behaviours.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

He has introduced new weekly planning meetings with young people to identify targets in line with their care plan. As a result, young people’s independent living skills have now improved. Young people have progressed from making hot drinks to preparing meals. Targets are reviewed and evaluated to make sure that young people receive help to learn the necessary skills to live independently. Young people now have access to the internet to complete their homework. Staff actively support young people on its appropriate use.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has ensured that all complaints are appropriately responded to and their outcomes recorded. Since the last inspection, young people have made four complaints. These have been appropriately resolved, and young people confirmed during the inspection that they are happy that their complaints are taken seriously by the manager and appropriately addressed. All staff have either completed their level 3 qualification or are enrolled on the training. These staff are expected to achieve the qualification within the required timescale. New staff have been appointed, and so it is more likely that sufficient staff will be available. The new manager has updated the statement of purpose to reflect this, but has not sent this to the regulator.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two requirements are repeated, as they have not been fully met. The manager has not completed the required biannual review of the quality of care. This means that he has not fully evaluated the experience of young people at the home over the past six months. Although he has consulted with stakeholders, such as placing authorities and young people, their information has not been evaluated to learn the lessons of placement successes and difficulties. The new manager has introduced monitoring systems, but the impact of these is yet to be fully evidenced.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been progress in a number of areas since the last full inspection. The cohort of young people currently living in the home is settled and making progress. The new manager has introduced social pedagogy to the staff. They are in the process of embedding this into practice, but there is a significant improvement in staff’s engagement with young people. The home feels a happier and calmer environment for young people to live in.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three young people have left the home. Two young people moved to specialist placements which were able meet their presenting needs, and one successfully returned home. All transitions were well managed by staff. All young people had leaving parties and young people had opportunities to say their farewells. Staff worked constructively with new placement providers to ensure smooth transitions for the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to make progress in their education. The three young people all have excellent school attendance. Staff actively support young people to reach their potential. They regularly liaise with teaching staff to ensure consistency of approach, they attend parents’ evenings, and support young people to undertake homework and work experience opportunities. One young person, who has now left the home, was permanently excluded from her school and had no education provision for a period of time. This was robustly challenged by the manager, and staff developed a range of Inspection report children's home: SC020859 3 educational activities to undertake with the young person to promote her learning and independence skills during this period.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are now taken into account in relation to matters affecting their care and welfare. The manager has broadened their contribution to the care arrangements. The manager ensures that young people are now informed of any action taken. As a result, young people feel listened to and consulted. This was a recommendation raised at the last inspection and is met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from structured and agreed contact arrangements with families and those people who are important in their lives. Plans are regularly monitored and, when issues arise, the manager actively challenges placing authorities to ensure that the needs of the young person are safely met. This enables young people to maintain positive relationships with their families and to develop their identities.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff model and promote acceptable behaviour. Their understanding of young people’s behaviour has been enhanced by recent training to understand the impact of attachment disorders, autism and young people’s sensory needs. Staff identify problems early and identify strategies to prevent behaviours escalating. Since the last inspection, there has been a significant reduction in the number of physical interventions, as staff promote positive behaviour. However, these interventions have not been appropriately recorded or evaluated. In addition, when young people’s behaviour does not follow expected standards, it unclear how any consequences imposed are followed up with young people, for example through one-to-one sessions.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are becoming increasingly safe as a result of actions taken by managers and staff. The manager ensures that allegations made against staff are appropriately addressed and effectively managed. The manager has ensured that appropriate safeguarding procedures have been followed, with referrals made to the local authority designated officer and placing authorities. The manager ensures that risk management strategies are implemented and appropriate action is taken to minimise risk to young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers continue to make sure that young people are effectively protected by safe recruitment practices. Managers have made sure that staff are able to access training to address the presenting needs of young people, for example to raise awareness of e- safety.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working is strong. The manager and staff challenge services effectively, when they consider that plans do not adequately meet young people’s needs. The manager confidently escalates concerns within placing authorities. For example, a recent concern about one young person’s lack of education provision was eventually escalated to the authority’s director for children’s services, following prolonged delays in identifying appropriate education provision. Collaborative partnership working helps young people to overcome difficulties that affect their development.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report children's home: SC020859 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/07/2016 Full Good 23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(f)(h)) Specifically, ensure that new monitoring systems are fully embedded into practice. 30/03/18

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.(Regulation 16(3)(b)) 30/03/18 Inspection report children's home: SC020859 5 The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out how appropriate behaviour is promoted in the children’s home. The registered person must ensure that, within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— the date, time and location of the use of measure; the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and any other person present when the measure was used; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or person authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’) has spoken to the user about the measure.(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(3)(a)(iii)(iv)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months. (Regulation 45(1)) 30/03/18

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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

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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Children’s home Inspection report children's home: SC020859 6 Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Progress Children’s Services Ltd, Progress House, 127 Millfields Road, Wolverhampton WV4 6JG

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Yasser Madugu Kpabia

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Inspector

Anne Daly, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC020859 7 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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