Children's Home run by Autonomy Plus Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report children‟s home: 1263124 1 Registered provider: Autonomy Plus 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

This home is operated by a private company. The home is registered to accommodate five children who have a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed and he has submitted his application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 to 11 September 2019

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 6 November 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: 1263124 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: 1263124 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

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(b)) 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that following a review of a member of staff’s performance they receive safeguarding training. 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

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”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that 31/10/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263124 4 they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(b)(i)(c))

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (6)(a)(7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the reports are sent to HMCI in a timely manner. 31/10/2019

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children are supported and encouraged to view and contribute to their placement plans. In particular, that these are presented in an accessible format to enhance children’s understanding of their care and support needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality personalised care that meets their needs. Staff develop warm and positive relationships with children. The inspector observed staff engaging with children in a supportive, caring and sensitive manner. This included staff who have recently joined the team. However, many staff have worked here for several years and know the children and their families well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have lived here for many years and consider it to be their home. Children said that they like living here and that they like the staff. In addition, children have developed friendships with other children while living here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities in the home and the wider community. At this inspection, four children told the inspector of how much they enjoyed their summer holidays. One child excitedly told the inspector that he loved his holiday in Blackpool.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good support in learning basic life skills, including developing their independence skills. Children regularly take part in household chores and make snacks and drinks. This raises their self-esteem and confidence and prepares them well for later life. Inspection report children‟s home: 1263124 5 Children embrace technology. They use electronic devices to choose music and access information via the internet. In addition, some children use mobile phones to keep in touch with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers ensure that the medical needs of children are met. Children are supported to attend medical appointments and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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

The arrangements to safeguard children are good. Leaders and managers respond to safeguarding concerns effectively and raise their concerns with the appropriate safeguarding agencies. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and have a thorough understanding of safeguarding protocols.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted. Behaviour support plans provide staff with guidance on how to support children to manage their emotions. Staff receive regular training in the home’s preferred approach to promoting positive behaviour and to de-escalation.

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

In recent months, there has been an increase in the number of incidents. However, leaders and managers have good management oversight of these, and they look for triggers and trends. In response to the increase in incidents, leaders and managers have taken effective action and sought the advice of the organisation’s lead behaviour specialist to assist in the reviewing and the evaluation of a child’s recent incidents. Following this review, the deputy manager said that an updated behaviour support plan for this child will be implemented.

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

Restraint is rarely used. If used, this is as a last resort to keep children and others safe. However, staff have not always recorded the time when an intervention has been used. In addition, discussions with children following an intervention have not always taken place. Furthermore, leaders and managers have not ensured that discussions with staff have taken place following the use of an intervention. This does not enable staff to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager and the deputy manager have left. A manager was appointed in May 2019 and he has submitted his application to register with Ofsted. A deputy manager was appointed to the home in June 2019. In addition, leaders and managers have recruited and continue to recruit new staff. This is because some staff have left, and two children have recently come to live at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leadership and management require improvement; this inspection has identified shortfalls in relation to some areas of managerial and regulatory responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers failed to ensure that, prior to a child moving into the home, a full Inspection report children‟s home: 1263124 6 and detailed assessment was completed to demonstrate that the home could meet his needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Following the review of a member of staff’s performance, leaders and managers failed to ensure that the member of staff received refresher safeguarding training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and manager have not ensured that the independent visitor’s monthly reports are sent to HMCI in a timely manner. For example, reports for March, April and May 2019 were not received until July 2019. In addition, the most recent report that was sent to HMCI is the report for May 2019. However, leaders and managers respond effectively to recommendations made by the independent visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the home’s statement of purpose has been sent to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector within 28 days, to advise of the revisions that have been made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Placement plans identify how children’s individual needs are to be met. However, they are not presented in an accessible format to encourage and support children to view and influence their plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers take effective action to address errors in the administration of medicines. They have undertaken internal investigations and ensured that all staff have received refresher training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive a wide range of training, including both mandatory training and specific training, to equip them to support the children well. For example, staff have recently received training in epilepsy awareness and the management of specific medicines to meet the children’s health needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Social workers said that there is good communication with the home and spoke well of the quality of care that children receive.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263124 7 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: 1263124 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Autonomy Plus Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 67 Roundpond, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8EB

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Inspector

David Kidner, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1263124 9 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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