Children's home run by Amos Aftercare Moving On Scheme Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 1 SC372030 Registered provider: Amos Aftercare Moving On Scheme Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home offers care for up to three children. These children may have faced adverse childhood experiences resulting in trauma. The registered manager is currently completing her level 5 qualification.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/05/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 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

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home‟s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) and (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered individual and manager need to ensure that the home is able to fully meet the needs of newly admitted children. 28/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff need to ensure that there are no gaps in recording key-work sessions and transition logs. 28/07/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 4

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Recommendations

 Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home‟s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. 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, staff should ensure that children are given the opportunity to express views on all aspects of their care during children‟s meetings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know children well and invest in them. This enables children to build safe and secure relationships with staff. As a result, children develop a sense of belonging and make good progress. A child told the inspector, „It‟s good here. The staff have done loads for me. I‟m much more settled here than other places I‟ve lived.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff ensure that children have clear education plans. For example, a child, who has been out of education for a significant period, is due to start college soon. In the interim, staff support the child to study online and achieve qualifications. Staff are ambitious for children. As a result, children feel valued and aspire to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff effectively support children to prepare for their future. For example, children learn important life skills such as cooking, shopping and budgeting. The registered manager has recently introduced „transition logs‟ to capture children‟s independence progress. Staff also support children to take safe, age-appropriate risks. This gives children an added sense of responsibility and maturity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good support from staff to help them to manage difficult emotions and feelings. As a result, children are able to self-regulate and reduce incidents of their challenging and risk-taking behaviour. For some children, this is significant progress from their starting points. A child told the inspector, „I‟m more patient. I‟m better around people. I manage myself better. Before, I would just kick off, but now I think more. I‟m definitely more calm.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy regular and safe contact with family and friends. The registered manager provides family members with weekly updates on children‟s progress. As a result, children develop consistent and increasingly positive relationships with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to participate in the day-to-day running of the home. For example, staff encourage children to complete consultations about their care. Recently, a child helped to rewrite the home‟s children‟s guide. However, staff need to ensure that Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 5 children‟s meetings are not solely adult led and give children the opportunity to discuss their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children‟s physical and emotional health. When necessary, staff seek out and offer children support from specialist agencies. For example, children receive support from counselling and substance misuse services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to complain. The home has a clear and visible complaints procedure. Children feel confident that staff will fully address their concerns. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their home.

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

The registered manager ensures that children‟s risk assessments are individualised and up to date. Staff receive clear guidance about how to keep children safe. Staff support children to understand risk and keep themselves safe. As a result, children‟s risk-taking behaviour has significantly reduced.

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

Staff undertake key-work sessions with children to explore the emotions and feelings which can lead to risk-taking behaviours. These include a focus on substance misuse and aggressive behaviours. Sessions are child-focused and respond to children‟s needs. However, there are gaps in recording key-work sessions. As a result, staff may not have an accurate understanding of current issues.

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

Restraint of children rarely occurs. Staff are proactive and de-escalate challenging situations in the home. This is further supported by trusted and secure staff/child relationships. Staff also ensure that clear boundaries are in place so that children know what is expected.

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

Staff promote and encourage positive behaviour. For example, children receive regular praise and rewards such as being taken out for their favourite meal. Children respond positively to this ethos and feel a sense of pride and achievement.

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

The registered manager has effective links with local partners, including the police and substance misuse agencies. Representatives from both of these organisations attend meetings with staff and children in the home. As a result, children receive specialist support to understand and reduce risk-taking behaviour.

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

The registered manager ensures that staff benefit from a healthy learning environment in the home. For example, she regularly uses research to build upon staff knowledge and skills. The registered manager also invites external agencies to staff meetings. All staff are trained to a level 3 qualification. The registered manager nurtures and encourages staff to develop their skills.

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

Regular staff supervision strikes a good balance, helping staff to reflect on children‟s Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 6 progress and staff development. When required, the registered manager challenges staff to ensure that their practice is to the required standard. This effective support and challenge is also evident in team meetings.

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

The registered manager is passionate about the children in her care. This ethos inspires staff to nurture and show ambition for children. The registered manager and staff are strong advocates for children. As a result, children feel that staff care about them.

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

Children receive individualised care from a competent staff team. The registered manager and staff review and update children‟s internal placement plans regularly. Furthermore, the registered manager completes monthly reports to track children‟s progress. This ensures that children receive support that responds to their needs.

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

The registered manager develops strong relationships with partner agencies and families. For example, police representatives and local substance misuse services are invited into the home. The registered manager maintains weekly contact with families to update them on children‟s progress. This approach ensures that children benefit from collaborative care.

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

The home environment is well presented. Children‟s bedrooms are well decorated and shared spaces such as lounges and dining areas have a warm, homely feel. Plans are in place to develop a sensory garden. The registered manager ensures that any repairs are completed swiftly.

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

Unfortunately, the child-focused ethos of the home was undermined by a recent emergency admission. The registered individual and manager must ensure that the home is able to meet the complex needs of newly admitted children. Furthermore, full consideration to the needs of other children living at the home is necessary. In this instance, such planning and consideration fell short. As a result, notice was served after one day, resulting in instability and distress for the child.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 7 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: SC372030 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amos Aftercare Moving On Scheme Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 69 Birches Barn Road, Bradmore, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV3 7BL

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Inspector

Gareth Leckey: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC372030 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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