Children's home run by Amos Aftercare Moving On Scheme Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report children’s home: SC372030 1 SC372030 Registered provider: Amos Aftercare Moving On Scheme Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home offers care for up to three children. These children may have faced adverse childhood experiences resulting in trauma. The registered manager has been in post since October 2016.

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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 good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ofsted conducted an interim inspection on 20 March 2019. Inspectors found that young people are not safe in the home. This is because managers and staff do not identify, assess and manage risk and this places young people at risk of harm.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and staff do not adequately manage fire safety, despite three young people in the home having a history of starting fires. Records show that a fire drill has not been undertaken since 11 December 2018, even though a new young person has since moved into the home. Furthermore, staff do not undertake weekly checks on fire safety equipment.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Inspectors identified potential fire hazards including candles around the home, aerosols in young people’s bedrooms, a broken plug socket in a young person’s bedroom and young people having access to lighters. Inspectors saw the remains of a fire in the back garden, which staff said had been lit by a young person. Failure to assess and manage Inspection report children’s home: SC372030 2 fire risks leaves young people, staff and visitors at significant risk of harm.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not act promptly when young people go missing from the home. Although missing protocols are in place, staff are not familiar with these and so do not follow them. During the inspection a young person was missing from the home, staff did not go and look for him in accordance with his risk assessment.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Missing from home records show that staff do not routinely report young people missing to the police in a timely way. Furthermore, staff do not always record the date that young people go missing from home. Incomplete record-keeping means that there is no audit trail to establish a clear timeline of events and for managers to retain oversight.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Poor care planning means that managers and staff do not adequately prepare for when new young people move into the home. For example, weak matching means that managers do not fully consider the new young person’s needs alongside those of the other young people already living in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager allowed a young person to move into the home despite inadequate staffing levels. A high use of agency staff has resulted in a lack of continuity of care for young people. In addition, staffing levels do not adequately meet the support needs identified for the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not help young people to develop and maintain good routines. Young people are often awake until the early hours of the morning. This affects young people’s morning routine and they do not consistently attend education. Staff were unable to demonstrate how they encouraged young people to get up in the morning to attend education.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have limited knowledge about the medication that young people may take. Staff advised the inspectors that young people were not taking any medication. However, over the counter medication was present in one young person’s bedroom. Another young person had some prescribed medication that staff did not know the administration arrangements for. In addition, two members of staff did not know where the medication cabinet is situated in the home. Inadequate arrangements for administrating, storing and recording medication do not promote young people’s health and welfare.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people live in a poorly maintained home environment. Unclean bathrooms do not have the basic necessities, such as toilet roll. Some young people sleep on mattresses without a bedframe, and damage to the property remains unrepaired. Consequently, young people do not invest in their home and belongings and this does not help them to feel valued.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Signage on display around the home gives young people the impression that they are under surveillance. A staff member told inspectors that there are no cameras in the home, but the young people do not know this, and the signage is used to encourage better behaviour. There is a camera in the office but the reasons for this are also unclear and protocols are not in place for the use of this device. These arrangements breach regulations and show that staff do not work openly and honestly with young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC372030 3 Furthermore, excessive signage and a camera in the office give the home an institutional feel.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ineffective management and leadership mean that staff are not adequately prepared to care for young people living in the home. Staff do not know young people’s histories and so are not fully informed about young people’s needs and risks and how best to manage these.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has not informed Ofsted when significant incidents have occurred in the home. This means that the regulator is not kept informed and so cannot fully monitor events in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ineffective monitoring and management oversight limit the home’s capacity to improve.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Due to widespread and serious concerns, Ofsted issued an emergency suspension notice and two compliance notices to support the home in making the required improvements.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2018 Full Good 15/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (Regulation 8(1)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met. (Regulation 10(1)(a)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are 26/04/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC372030 4 protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)*(vi)(b)(d)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered

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Requirement Due date

person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(c)(e)(h)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

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)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24(1)(a)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home— paragraph (1) does not apply; and the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of 26/04/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC372030 5 the home. (Regulation 25(2)(a)(b))* The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)) 26/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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

Unique reference number: SC372030 Inspection report children’s home: SC372030 6 Provision sub-type: children’s home

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amos Aftercare Moving On Scheme Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 69 Birches Barn Road, Bradmore, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV3 7BL

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Inspectors

Lisa O’Donovan, social care inspector Matt Hedges, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC372030 7 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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