Children's home run by Action for Children in Watford

Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 1 SC432331 Registered provider: Action for Children

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A charity operates this short-break home. The home provides a residential short-break service for up to six children at any one time. The children have learning disabilities, and some have additional complex physical and health-related needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The experienced and suitably qualified registered manager has been in post since 2011.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 27 November 2018

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/11/2018 Full Good 29/11/2017 Full Good 02/11/2016 Full Good 22/06/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 3

p.2

Recommendations

 The review of the appropriateness and suitability of the location and the premises of the home should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is a good home with some outstanding features.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make excellent progress because of their experiences during their short breaks. Children have built secure, positive relationships with a highly skilled and dedicated staff team. Children receive highly individualised care from staff who are committed to ensuring that they benefit from their short breaks. Staff want the best possible experiences for the children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s individual communication needs. They can recognise subtle communication from non-verbal children, which enables them to act on children’s wishes and feelings. This was observed throughout the inspection.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide variety of activities at the home and in the community. Children have been able to experience trips on narrow boats, and have also visited a children’s farm and had lunch at the local pub. Three of the older children have been to Butlins for a minibreak. Staff tailor activities to children’s individual needs and abilities to ensure that they benefit from having a range of opportunities. A parent said, ‘I wish that my child had started to use the service earlier. It has opened up so many new and wonderful experiences.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regularly reviewed, individualised, child-centred placement plans guide the staff effectively. Staff involve parents in contributing to and reviewing these plans. Parents know that their children are cared for in a way that is familiar to them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spoke about the children with warmth and affection. The children are clearly at the centre of this warm, child-centred and nurturing service.

p.3

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

Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 4 Staff provide routines and structure that help the children to feel safe and secure. Risk assessments are informative, and are regularly reviewed and updated. These risk assessments guide the staff in keeping the children safe.

p.4

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

Due to some of the children’s limited understanding, staff do not use sanctions. Instead, staff reinforce positive behaviours to help children to understand acceptable behaviours. The staff praise children when they have done something well.

p.4

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

Staff have undertaken training in the ‘Prevent’ duty and safeguarding disabled children. A social worker said that staff are excellent at reporting concerns and have worked with her to support a family to safeguard their child.

p.4

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

There have been two complaints since the last inspection. These were fully investigated by senior managers within the required timescale.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working between the manager and professionals is effective. As a result, the manager and other professionals involved in the care of the children share information between them, which enables them all to work in the best interests of the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective monitoring systems drive improvement. The manager uses the recommendations from the independent person’s reports to develop practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from having regular supervision that enables them to work effectively with children and supports them with their personal development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular training to equip them with the information and skills that they need to work with the children well. Staff either hold or are undertaking a relevant level 3 qualification within the required timescale.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not sought information from external agencies to inform the location risk assessment. She has not included strategies for reducing the risks to children should they go missing from the home. The impact of this shortfall is lessened by the high supervision levels.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met the five recommendations made at the last inspection.

p.4

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 Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 5 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

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: SC432331 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action for Children

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Shelagh Frankcom

p.6

Inspectors

Trish Palmer: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 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.

p.6

Inspectors

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.7

Inspectors

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

p.7

Inspectors

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

p.7