Children's Home run by Albrighton Care Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC471581 1 SC471581 Registered provider: Albrighton Care 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

The home is registered to provide care for two young people. The home provides care and accommodation for young people who have learning disabilities. The home is privately owned.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2017 and holds a level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.

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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

Date of last inspection: 16 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC471581 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/10/2017 Full Good 27/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/07/2016 Full Good 01/03/2016 Interim Not judged Inspection report children‟s home: SC471581 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 registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children‟s home if full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(d)) 03/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 03/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

Within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c)) 03/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (3)) 03/12/2018

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 For children‟s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. This is with reference to ensuring that the stair carpet is well maintained. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The home‟s policies and procedures around the protection of children should reflect any requirements of other relevant legislation. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 44, paragraph 9.22)  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) Inspection report children‟s home: SC471581 4  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the

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Recommendations

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. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, e.g. teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one young person has moved out and one young person continues to live at the home. This young person has been well supported by staff and is making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person benefits from a nurturing relationship with staff, who respond flexibly to his needs. Staff use the young person‟s preferred methods of communication to help him make daily choices about his care. This helps the young person to control his behaviour and to feel safe in his environment. For example, the young person has chosen not to have a wardrobe or his clothes in his bedroom. A team manager told the inspector, „We don‟t want him to be without things in the long term, but [staff] are more understanding and accepting in giving him choices and freedom. It‟s reduced the potential for restraints. In fact, it‟s really quite proactive.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the young person to get ready for school each weekday. This means that he is ready for learning once he arrives at school. One teacher told the inspector, „It‟s pleasing to know we are working together to reduce his anxiety. He comes into school happy and we think they are fab.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person benefits from a range of leisure activities, including going horse riding, going swimming and visiting attractions such as Airspace and the Monkey Forest. These varied activities help to promote his physical and emotional health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well with health professionals. This ensures that the young person‟s health needs are met. Diligent monitoring of the young person‟s routines ensures that staff provide health professionals with detailed information to help to inform decisions about the young person‟s ongoing healthcare. For example, a paediatrician was able to stop the young person‟s prescribed medication following the implementation of a sleep diary by staff. Inspection report children‟s home: SC471581 5 Since the last inspection, the registered manager has acted to make sure that the young person has access to an advocate. This helps to ensure that the young person‟s views are known, and that he can influence his care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have developed a positive relationship with the young person‟s mother and the young person benefits from regular contact with his family. His parent told the inspector, „I am welcomed for contact and it always goes well.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff complete regular health and safety checks in the home and keep a tidy and pleasant environment. However, the stair carpet is coming away from the riser in one place. This detracts from the homeliness of the environment.

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

The young person has detailed plans which are regularly reviewed by staff. This ensures that staff have up-to-date information and consistent guidance about how to respond to the young person‟s behaviours to reduce risk.

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

High supervision levels and clear risk assessments help to ensure that the young person does not go missing from the home. Staff are clear about the actions that should be taken should the young person go missing.

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

Since the last inspection, the arrangements for the receipt, storage and administration of medication have improved. Medication is stored appropriately, and staff undertake regular training and competency testing to help ensure that the young person receives his medication as prescribed.

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

The young person enjoys using his electronic tablet for communication and leisure. Parental control systems and staff supervision enhance the young person‟s safety.

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

The provider has a range of policies and procedures to help to support staff in safeguarding young people. However, these have not been updated to reflect changes in statutory guidance, in particular „Working together to safeguard children 2018‟.

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

Since the last inspection, four staff have left and four new staff have started. Despite these changes, the registered manager has ensured continuity of care for the young person through permanent staff working additional hours and by using regular bank and agency staff. However, shortfalls in safe recruitment of staff continue. Managers have not ensured that staff recruited to work in the home are safely appointed. For example, one member of staff‟s recruitment file had no proof of their identity that includes a recent photograph. Four other members of staff do not have anything recorded to show that the organisation obtained verification as to why they had left their previous employment. This leaves young people at risk of exposure to unsuitable adults.

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

There is good staff morale and staff feel supported by the manager. One member of Inspection report children‟s home: SC471581 6 staff told the inspector, „The support is very good; it is helpful, and our opinions are valued. We work well as a team and we share ideas and different ways of working.‟ However, some agency members of staff do not receive supervision at the frequency set out by the organisation. This leaves agency members of staff with reduced opportunities to understand the young person‟s needs and to reflect on their practice. In addition, staff, including the registered manager, do not always receive a copy of the notes following their supervision. This lessens the accountability of staff and managers to follow through on actions in a prompt way.

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

Staff have access to a wide variety of training relevant to their roles. However, some staff have not completed training in key areas such as anti-bullying, allergy awareness and communicating with young people with a learning disability. One member of staff is enrolled on the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. However, the estimated completion date of June 2019 will be outside of the timescales required by regulation. Shortfalls in workforce development leave staff without prompt opportunities to gain knowledge essential for their roles.

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

When staff have used physical intervention to support young people‟s safety, records are detailed. However, the registered manager has not ensured that young people have the opportunity of consultation following an incident.

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

The registered manager was able to tell the inspector about the improvements he intends to make to the quality of the service, including the steps made towards developing a total communication environment. However, the registered manager‟s most recent quality of care review does not evaluate the overall strengths and development areas of the service. Furthermore, the review does not include an action plan. This hinders the registered manager‟s ability to move service development forward in a planned and timely way.

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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: SC471581 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Albrighton Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Albrighton Care Limited, Suite 4, Bermar House, Rumer Hill Business Estate, Rumer Hill Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0ET

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Inspector

Alison Cooper, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC471581 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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