Children's Home run by Anna House Limited in Havering

Inspection report children's home: SC058603 1 SC058603 Registered provider: Anna 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 operated children’s home provides long-term care and short breaks for up to six children who have learning and physical difficulties. One young adult currently resides in the home.

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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 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC058603 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/08/2016 Full Good 03/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC058603 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  Ensure that staff skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children achieve good outcomes in this home. Parents appreciate that the home is a family-like setting. One parent said they regard it as a ‘home away from home’ where their child has positive experiences while their family can be assured of their well-being and safety. Staff support children as individuals and show them love, respect and affection. One member of staff said, ‘I love being with the children.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience stability, with no placement breakdowns. Only one child has moved on from the home in a planned way during this inspection year. Those children who have previously experienced frequent placement breakdown settle in the home and start to feel secure. A social worker said a child they placed had ‘responded well to staff, who are consistent in their approach’. Staff are reluctant to give up on children, working effectively as a team to plan strategies to support them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s anti-social and aggressive behaviour reduces because of how staff manage this. A social worker described staff as ‘calm and respectful’ in managing children’s challenging behaviour. Some children make considerable progress from their starting points in managing their own behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to be as independent as possible. Some make considerable progress in gaining toileting and personal care skills, which in turn increases their independence. A few children have improved their communication skills, so they are better able to express what they want and to engage more with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children attend their full-time education placements regularly, with some children increasing their attendance due to improved health. Because of calmed and improved behaviour, some children who have been out of education are now participating. While not yet in full-time education, this nevertheless represents significant progress. Inspection report children's home: SC058603 4 Staff meet children’s health needs very well. Children are encouraged to be as healthy as possible. Staff are sensitive to children’s fears regarding medical treatment, for example finding dentists who are able to support children who have special needs. Staff monitor children’s diets carefully to support them to maintain a healthy weight. Staff are knowledgeable about children’s complex health and medical needs. As they know children well, staff can interpret when those who are non-verbal may be distressed or in pain. Staff advocate for children and accompany them during hospital stays to ensure

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

that they feel safe in an unfamiliar environment. A medical professional said, ‘The key worker is excellent; you can see that the children love him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive experiences while living in the home. They travel on public transport as well as the home’s minibus to participate in activities such as swimming, cycling, bowling and walks around shops and parks. Children benefit from a summer holiday where they have the opportunity to stay away from home. Relationships with their families are encouraged and families feel very welcome when visiting their children.

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

Parents and social workers trust the staff to keep children safe. Staff keep the environment safe, with checks and tests of systems and equipment. Staff try to minimise risks to children, for example by conducting regular fire drills involving the children so they are prepared for what would happen in an emergency.

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

Going missing from the home is not an issue. One child left the home via the back garden but was followed by staff and soon returned safely to the home. Some children with a history of absconding have not done so since moving into this home. High levels of staff supervision help to keep children safe in the home and on outings.

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

Staff praise and encourage positive behaviour. They are skilled in setting firm boundaries and simple rules, so children know what adults expect of them and feel secure. They use appropriate sanctions to help children learn about acceptable behaviour, such as making an apology or taking a short ‘time out’ in their rooms to reflect on their behaviour. Staff create a positive environment in which children can thrive; they use low-level restraint only as a last resort in order to keep children safe.

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

Staff are proactive in promoting children’s safety. They are aware of how vulnerable the children are due to their disabilities. Staff make sure children’s behaviour does not affect others and ensure there is no bullying in the home. However, not all staff attended the safeguarding training provided this year, so some may not be up to date regarding current safeguarding issues.

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

The registered manager has made improvements to the process of checking new staff to ensure that they are safe to work with children. However, as no recruitment has taken place since the last inspection, this will be followed up at the interim inspection. Inspection report children's home: SC058603 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children benefit from stability in the management team. Following the registered manager’s retirement, the experienced deputy recently registered with Ofsted as the manager. He is working towards achieving a level 5 qualification. The home benefits from the continued support of the retired manager in their additional role as responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have worked hard to meet the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. They effect continuous improvement by reviewing the service and responding positively to an independent visitor’s recommendations for improvement. Children are central in their management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff work well with others. Communication between the staff, medical professionals, school staff, social workers and families is very effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff reported that managers listen to them and are willing to take on board their suggestions. Staff receive sufficient support in terms of supervision, meetings and appraisal. Managers have a good workforce development plan in place. However, there has been a delay in some staff achieving level 3 qualifications within timescales.

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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: SC058603 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 207 Chase Cross Road, Collier Row, Romford RM5 3YJ

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Margaret Akullo-Odiya

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Inspector

Jacqueline Graves, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children's home: SC058603 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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Inspector

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