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 Interim 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 and young people range from having moderate to severe learning disabilities with associated physical, health and sensory impairment and/or complex multiple needs.

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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 good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a slight delay in addressing the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. The manager has implemented some changes that have yet to be tested. She had to prioritise working alongside senior management regarding potential changes to the overall service. There is still some work to be undertaken to ensure that the home is fully compatible with regulations.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children who use the short-breaks service receive a good standard of care. Their visits are planned in advance, and there is consideration of their individual needs and the group dynamics. There have been improved methods used by the staff to obtain the views of the children, specifically those that have difficulty communicating. The manager Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 2 is now considering how to act on their views.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff continue to maintain the good relationships they have built with the children. They treat them with respect and understand their individual needs while wanting the best outcome for them. The children benefit from a consistent staff team that has ample knowledge of their care arrangements.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Monitoring of all records has improved. A safeguarding audit has been completed. The manager has assigned two staff members to be responsible for health and safety tasks and she checks their actions weekly. Files for the young people are reviewed monthly alongside a new file audit tool. All information is being incorporated into a larger data set for consideration in improving the service.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service is in the process of adopting an electronic recording system. The manager believes that this will make information more easily accessible and maintained. The staff have received some training and are awaiting for the system to go live.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s location risk assessment is being updated. The manager is in the process of adding information on all services within the local area. She has already consulted the police on statistical data for the community and is awaiting feedback on the risk assessment.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recommendation relating to agency staff working in the home has been met. The service currently has no vacancies for staff, and agency workers have not been utilised for several months. The manager has developed a new induction form that involves obtaining two references for casual workers.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have undertaken an array of training to develop their practice. They recently completed training for medication, first aid, autism and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). In addition, one-to-one support is being provided to the staff along with opportunities to attend workshops on the impending service changes.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/08/2017 Full Good 14/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 05/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 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. 6 June 2018

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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). 6 June 2018

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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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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 4 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

Registered provider: Action For Children

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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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Inspector

James Harmon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 5 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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