Children's Home run by Action for Children Services Ltd in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC424089 1 SC424089 Registered provider: Action For Children

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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 is a short-break service for children and young people who have learning disabilities, sensory impairment and physical disabilities. It can accommodate up to 14 young people at a time, although the occupancy rarely reaches this level.

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Information about this children’s home

A national children’s charity runs the service. It comprises two units: one specifically for children and young people who may have challenging behaviours associated with their disability, and one for children and young people who need some degree of nursing input.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 17 October 2016.

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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: good Inspection report children’s home: SC424089 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2017 Full Good 21/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/08/2016 Full Good 15/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC424089 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

Monitoring and surveillance should be no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 05/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. (Regulation 39(1)) In particular, the policy should include guidance about complaints made by children including those who are non-verbalise. 05/10/2018

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Recommendations

 Homes should ensure that outcomes identified and progress made by children in building relationships and achieving socially acceptable behaviours can be recorded and measured. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38 paragraph 8.4). In particular, ensure that the recording of progress towards targets is clear.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61 paragraph 13.2) In particular, records should demonstrate that supervision includes reflection on practice and consideration of children’s needs.

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date, signed, and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62 paragraph 14.3)

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Recommendations

 The responsible person must take such general fire precautions as will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of any employees; and in relation to relevant persons who are not employees, take such general fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances of the case to ensure that the premises are safe. (The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 8(1) and (2)) In particular, to ensure that identified faults are rectified. Inspection report children’s home: SC424089 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have put a great deal of thought into facilitating children’s communication, including the use of new equipment and increasing the opportunities for children to express their opinions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children’s ability to use speech or communication aids has increased remarkably since they started to use the short-break service. For others, the potential of progress is severely limited by their condition but using the service enhances their experience of life. One parent described how her child claps on the journey when he recognises he is on his way to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers, staff and professionals commented that children do not always have stimulating activities after coming in from school. It is a busy time welcoming the children, putting away their belongings and, especially, checking in medication. The team prioritise keeping children safe by doing the latter without distraction and there is always enough supervision ‘on the floor’ evident because there is no ‘spike’ in incidents at this time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have targets known as ‘outcome arrows’, devised to assist children’s progress. Staff break these down into incremental steps and have well-thought-through guidance to help children achieve and to measure success. However, some staff could not recall what the outcome arrow was for the child they were working with, and there is only minimal recording of what was being done to meet the outcome arrows. Some staff and parents, while acknowledging the worth of optimistic and focused work, were doubtful if particular children could genuinely benefit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment has been enhanced with the introduction of exercise equipment and a greenhouse and vegetable garden. Children have enjoyed these activities and it has encouraged them to eat new, home grown foods.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and professionals greatly appreciate the service – one mother said that staff made her son ‘feel special’ and have ‘an amazing relationship’ with him. However, the service has not been open as often as it used to be, and several families thought this had had a negative impact. Managers acknowledge this and in response have avoided the need for an extended closure over Christmas this year.

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

Children and young people present during the inspection were happy and comfortable with the adults looking after them. Staff were aware when children were anxious or upset and took steps to help them settle. Children’s behaviour is managed very well. There has been only one significant incident resulting in physical intervention since the Inspection report children’s home: SC424089 5 last inspection.

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

Sometimes, children endanger peers unintentionally or, more rarely, target another child. On two occasions complaints were taken up by, or on behalf of, children who seemed unhappy as a result; one was unable to voice his feelings but staff interpreted his behaviour as demonstrating that he was aggrieved. This was exemplary practice. In both cases, the home managed future stays so that this could not easily recur.

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

The provider’s complaints policy does not give enough guidance to staff on how to manage or process children’s complaints as it is written primarily for use by adults.

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

Staff have devised and led workshops for children on the dangers of fire and on personal privacy to increase the children’s level of understanding, even if only in small steps.

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

Current impact risk assessments undertaken when new children start using the service do not systematically capture known risks. The manager is aware of this and has plans to include a further question to ensure that appropriate measures can be taken to reduce them.

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

The provider has a policy of using door alarms on all bedrooms, unless risk assessments demonstrate they could be detrimental (for example when children’s doors need to be regularly opened to check them at night). This is to avoid any possibility of inappropriate behaviour occurring. However, this is a disproportionate response as the use of the alarms is not based on an assessment of the potential risk one child may pose to others.

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

Staff methodically undertake weekly fire checks. These have highlighted ongoing problems with some fire doors not closing properly when an alarm is sounded. Despite repairs being attempted, the problem recurs month after month. New maintenance contractors have recently been engaged but the potential hazard has been allowed to continue since at least the beginning of the year.

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

There have been several errors in the administration of medication since the last inspection. These have not resulted in harm but there was potential for a serious incident. Managers are very aware of this and have taken all appropriate measures to improve practice and safeguard children. Observations and discussions with staff during the inspection showed that there is now an acute understanding of the importance of meticulous practice and record keeping. As a result, staff have identified serious issues with medication as it has come into the service and ensured it is then correctly given to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has acted to address the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection, and satisfactory progress has been made in all but one area. The exception is the recording of action staff take to help children work towards their targets. Changes which make this easier have not resulted in staff recording the work more frequently. This makes it difficult to evidence that the work is being done or that Inspection report children’s home: SC424089 6 children are making any progress. Nevertheless, the introduction of a tool to assess children’s abilities annually from the start of placements will allow the service to evidence progress over time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed records that show how staff help young people and their families to move on from the service. It ensures that anyone wishing to know about this important stage in children’s lives will have good information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes representations to the local authority about transition planning when this is not progressing satisfactorily; staff advocate strongly for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monthly audits help keep most files in reasonable order. However, all those sampled had some records that did not identify the author or who had read them. This is because staff-signing sheets are blank and often there is no evidence that plans had been shared with parents or social workers. When staff get behind with paperwork, records show that supervisors identify the problem but not how they resolve it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The frequency of supervision for all staff, including agency workers, now meets the levels required by the provider’s policy. Training for supervisors and supervisees has helped to increase their understanding of sessions, and most staff are happy with the content. However, records have limited evidence that workers are helped to reflect on their practice or that they focus on children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have introduced innovative ideas to help children who have limited ability to communicate understand what is happening in the home. Information about inspections and visits by the independent person under regulation 44 is available to them in written word, symbols and audio through a ‘talking book’.

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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: SC424089 7

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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

Chris Peel, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC424089 8 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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