Children's home run by Albrighton Care Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1263329 1 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 one young person who has learning disabilities. The home is privately owned. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 2017 and holds a level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 14 to 15 November 2018

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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

Date of last inspection: 26 February 2018

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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: 1263329 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1263329 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 must ensure that any individual who works in the home in a care role has achieved the appropriate qualification by the relevant date. The relevant date is, in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32(5)(a)) 31/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person") has

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Requirement Due date

spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 18/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1263329 4

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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

 Children’s home staff should act as effective advocates for or on behalf of a child who may be experiencing difficulties with education or training matters including, but not limited to, attainment, admissions, attendance or behaviour, as a good parent would do. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.12)  Ensure that the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, committed and caring staff have supported the young person to continue to make good progress. Staff have tried hard to overcome barriers that have resulted in the young person not having a college placement at the start of the academic year. This interruption to the young person’s usual routine has seen her behaviour become increasingly challenging. Despite this, staff have worked tirelessly to make sure that the young person has a structured daily routine which supports her learning until her placement is resolved. Staff monitor the young person’s health. Staff follow clear guidance to help them to be well informed on how to manage the young person’s health conditions. The young person continues to make progress with her communication. Staff use communication aids to help the young person to know what is happening next and to make choices about her day-to-day care, including picking her food and activities. Verbal

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

prompts and the use of repetition by staff encourage the young person to say ‘good morning’ and to try the use of sentences. Staff actively support the young person to develop age-appropriate self-care skills. Consequently, she has become increasingly independent. For example, she is now able to make her own drink of squash and will help with her laundry. Managers ensure that arrangements for personal care promote the young person’s privacy and dignity. Partnership working between staff and parents is a strength of the service. The young person’s parent told the inspector, ‘We love her there and she is doing amazing.’ Staff work hard to keep a homely, clean and person-centred environment for the young person. This includes purchasing items such as a rocking chair and balance ball to meet her sensory needs, as well as personalising the young person’s bedroom with items of her choice such as illuminous stickers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Inspection report children’s home: 1263329 5

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

Daily handovers and regularly reviewed risk assessments mean that staff are alert to the young person’s needs and have current information about strategies to reduce risk. Managers have engaged a consultant who is experienced in working with young people with sensory needs, autism spectrum disorder and learning disabilities to help to increase staff awareness. Consequently, staff are more alert to the young person’s needs and are creative in how they support her. Since the last inspection, the registered manager has started to assess the competency of staff in the safe handling of medicines. This reduces the risk of medication errors. On occasion, staff have needed to hold the young person to keep her safe. When this has been necessary, staff have made thorough records. Staff and the young person have had the opportunity of a debrief. The registered manager has discussed with the local authority and parents that a helmet and travel harness can be used to increase the

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

young person’s safety, but this is not yet formally agreed as part of the young person’s education, health and care plan. The registered manager has set out in the young person’s residential plan how staff should use these forms of restraint. However, staff do not record when they use these forms of intervention as required by regulation. This omission reduces the registered manager’s oversight of the safe and proportionate use of these methods of restriction. Managers have not ensured that they always verify the reasons why potential new members of staff have left their former employment when previously working with children or vulnerable adults. This shortfall in vetting means that it is not clear that all new staff are suitable to work with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff are motivated and enthusiastic about their work. Staff are complimentary about the support that they receive from the registered manager and the responsible individual. One member of staff told the inspector, ‘They send us little things like messages to check out we are ok. If we are having a difficult time with [name of young person], [name of manager] will help and give you a break.’ Managers encourage a culture of reflection on practice. For example, a staff member told the inspector, ‘We are constantly reviewing our work practices, in supervision, team meetings, handover. If we find something is working, we pass it over at once. She changes quickly so we need to be flexible.’ There have been some changes to staff since the last inspection with three members of staff leaving the team. The continuity of care for the young person has been managed well by the organisation through the appointment and thorough induction of two new

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

members of staff who are experienced in caring for young people with a learning disability. Staff benefit from a varied programme of training and have completed level 2 courses in Inspection report children’s home: 1263329 6 understanding autism spectrum disorder and learning disability. However, one member of staff has still not completed their level 3 diploma in residential childcare within the timescale set out by regulation. The registered manager has formed strong relationships with other professionals including the young person’s tutor, social worker, health professionals and the police. Professionals are united in the view that communication is regular and helpful for the young person’s care. The registered manager has been active in raising her concerns with the young person’s college placement with the local authority. However, the registered manager has not held partners to account with 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: 1263329 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 Ltd, 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: 1263329 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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