Children's home run by Action for Children in Watford

Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 1 SC438756 Registered provider: Action for Children Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides shared and long-term care for children aged eight to 18. The children’s needs range from moderate to severe learning disabilities, and may include physical disabilities and/or complex multiple needs. The home provides care for five children overnight.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since September 2018, but has not registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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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 sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, five requirements and three recommendations were set. The home has a new manager who has addressed four of these requirements and all three recommendations. Four new requirements and two recommendations have been raised at this inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been some areas of improvement, and positive changes are evident. However, these changes will take time to embed, due to the recent changes in the management structure. The new manager responds promptly to any Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 2 concerns or niggles, and works in a transparent manner. She is in the process of making changes to working practices and the recording systems. However, the children’s files do not consistently evidence the positive work that is being undertaken. Evidence of independence targets and outcomes is not consistently recorded. This means that it is difficult to clearly see how much progress each child is making.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has undertaken a six-monthly review of the home. The report does not sufficiently include the views of the children, parents and external professionals. It is therefore unclear how these views are considered and included in the ongoing development of the home. The requirement is restated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is now well staffed following a successful recruitment programme. The new staff are an important part of the team. They present as enthusiastic and attentive. Although the home is resourced to meet the individual needs of the children, several of the new staff are awaiting training in core areas such as manual handling. This lack of training means that staff may not be fully equipped for their roles.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The independent visitor provides clear, detailed reports. However, these reports do not regularly contain feedback from parents and professionals. This reduces the effectiveness of the information given to the manager as a quality monitoring tool.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one notification submitted to Ofsted since the last inspection. A review of the incident record during this inspection shows that the manager was proactive in addressing and resolving the matter effectively. However, this notification was not submitted to Ofsted in a timely manner. This hinders effective monitoring of the home by Ofsted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose has been updated to reflect changes in practice and current management arrangements. The updated version was not submitted to Ofsted. This fails to ensure that accurate information is available and easily accessible.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff formulate detailed personal emergency evacuation plans for the children. These plans ensure that staff are aware of the correct action to take for each child in an emergency. However, one newly admitted child does not have a plan, and not all of the children who attend for short breaks have experienced an evacuation drill. This means that they do not have an awareness or understanding of the actions to take if an emergency evacuation is required.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are well stimulated. Staff recognise their individual interests. The children enjoy in-house activities such as messy play and sensory time. Alongside these activities, staff organise regular trips out to the cinema and the local swimming pool. These activities enhance the children’s social skills and experiences.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Transitions are well planned. The children are given time to familiarise themselves with the staff and other children prior to commencing overnight stays. A parent said, ‘Communication and planning has been excellent. We were fully involved in the meetings and my son visited several times so that he was already comfortable with staff before Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 3 staying overnight.’ A social worker said, ‘The staff work with me well. There was good involvement and they were very proactive. This home works well with all professionals and takes time to get to know the children really well.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The shortfalls raised at this inspection have not detracted from the children enjoying positive experiences. Parents reported that their children are safe and happy at the home. Parents know this as a result of watching their children’s responses to staff and witnessing the trusting relationships that have developed. A parent said, ‘I’m more than happy with the care that the staff provide. I’m confident in their ability to keep him safe. No problems whatsoever. He loves it so much that he sometimes doesn’t want to come home.’

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/09/2017 Full Inadequate 31/08/2016 Full Requires improvement

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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

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 11/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that 11/02/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 4 Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 11/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)) 08/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(5)) 08/03/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  Ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 5 recording, and that information regarding the child is recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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

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.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action for Children

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford WD18 8AG

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Inspectors

Lynne Drage, social care inspector Debbie Young, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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