Children's home run by Ashwood Children’s Care Home Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1259184 1 Registered provider: Ashwood Children’s Care Home Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is able to care for up to four children. Its statement of purpose states that the home’s policy is to consider children, irrespective of gender and aged between eight and 17, who are having trouble in their lives and who would benefit from the placement. The home has a manager who was registered on 22 August 2018.

p.1

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a number of improvements since the last inspection. The home now has a registered manager and a deputy manager. This means that there is more capacity for providing effective oversight and guidance. The manager has developed systems for regular quality assurance of recording and key-work sessions so that the staff can improve their practice for the benefit of the children.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are making good progress at this home. One social worker said: ‘The progress has been absolutely amazing. Staff are creative and think outside the box.’ Children are settled and happy and they are having positive experiences. One child went to a premier league football match to celebrate his birthday. This was an excellent Inspection report children’s home: 1259184 2 experience that he recounted in great detail and with a lot of pleasure.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children relate well to the staff and enjoy playing board games and having individual attention. They are all receiving education. Their health needs are well met, and they are having lots of opportunities to develop their social skills. Staff are involved in transporting two children to two schools that are a considerable distance from the home in order to maintain consistency for the children concerned.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The arrangements for medication are not as robust as they should be and there have been medication errors in the past. The manager has been trying to address this and has implemented a new system for medication recording. Despite this, there are still some shortfalls. There are no thermometers for the medication refrigerator or medication cabinet, and one prescribed medication was not recorded on the correct form, with the potential that the administration of this may then be missed.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child and one young person have left the home and two children have moved into the home in the last few months. The young person who left the home did so in a very planned way and his social worker was very complimentary about the efforts that the manager and staff made to make this a successful transition. Sadly, the other move was not planned, but the child did make progress while he was at the home. The two children who moved into the home have done so following good planning, and in one case, visiting the home in advance. However, although the practice both for transitions in and out of the home has been good, there is very little written evidence in the children’s case files to support this. Consequently, they will not have a coherent record of their journey, should they choose to access their case files in the future.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are not engaging in risk-taking behaviour such as going missing or misusing drugs or alcohol. Incidents of challenging behaviour are decreasing as children respond to the nurturing, consistent care and the involvement of the home’s therapist. The recording of restraint has improved, although there are times when the language used could be more specific. The manager is addressing this. Incidents are monitored and evaluated so that the staff can learn and amend future responses if necessary. Complaints are taken seriously, and the child receives a written response to any issues raised. Allegations against staff have been responded to appropriately and there is good liaison with the designated officer for the local authority.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working is a strength and contributes to the good outcomes. One social worker said: ‘The communication is the best I have ever had’, and a stakeholder said that communication ‘is absolutely brilliant’. The consistency that ensues from all the professionals working together is vital for the children to make good progress. A social worker said that the staff are quick to implement any suggestions and address issues through direct work sessions.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

A number of requirements and recommendations were set at the last inspection. These have been addressed satisfactorily. Staff are all in the process of completing their qualification. They are all trained in first aid, and they are all now receiving regular supervision. This has had an impact on their overall confidence and competence to Inspection report children’s home: 1259184 3 deliver good care and support. Recording has improved, although the new system has some deficits that the manager is attempting to address.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good

p.3

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.3

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

p.3

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)) This is with reference to providing detailed written plans to enable a child to have a record of their journey should they want to access this in the future. 01/02/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 1259184 4 The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1)) This relates to ensuring that the medication cabinet and refrigerator are the correct temperature by taking and recording the temperature regularly. This also relates to ensuring that medication received in the home is recorded correctly. 01/02/2019

p.3

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.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.4

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’.

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ashwood Children’s Care Home Limited

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 9 Rowbury Drive, Burton-on-Trent, Derby DE15 0LP

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered manager: James McCabe Inspection report children’s home: 1259184 5

p.4

Inspector:

Ros Chapman, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1259184 6 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.

p.5

Inspector:

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector:

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6