Children's Home run by Action for Children Services Ltd in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 1 SC424103 Registered provider: Action for Children Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a short-breaks service run by a national charitable organisation. The home accommodates up to eight children and young people who have learning disabilities. The children’s needs range from moderate to severe learning disabilities with associated physical, health and sensory impairment and/or complex multiple needs. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 20 August 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 September 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2018 Full Good 26/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/08/2017 Full Good 14/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that 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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)) 08/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 08/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home 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 the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 08/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 08/11/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 4

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improvement to be good

There is a lack of attention by leaders and managers in addressing the maintenance of the home. This also includes a lack of attention in monitoring fire safety. This affects the safety of the physical environment, which presents a potential risk to the children. This undermines the otherwise successful work that staff undertake in supporting and caring for the children.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive experiences during their short breaks in this home. They enjoy spending time with staff and have fun in their company. Children are able to thrive and make good progress. They receive help to increase their communication skills, to improve their behaviour and to develop key life skills.

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improvement to be good

New systems introduced enable the children’s views, wishes and feelings to be sought and evaluated through all aspects of their care. Children are encouraged to make suggestions through their post box, whether this is to request a new item of play equipment or to ask to visit local attractions for a day out. Fortnightly visits from an independent advocate provide additional scope to hear the children’s voices.

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improvement to be good

Staff work in close partnership with the children’s families and the professional network. One parent described the team as being a ‘critical lifeline for her family’, believing that her child is ‘safe and engaged and has positive experiences led by his wishes’. This view was echoed by professionals, with a deputy headteacher commenting that ‘they are a godsend, families need them’. She went on to describe that the children come into school well presented and they speak positively about what they have done during their visit, with big smiles on their faces.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care plans incorporate educational targets. This enables staff to support children in making educational progress. Effective liaison between staff and the schools ensures that progress is monitored and shared.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children to take part in activities in the home and in the community, whether this is day trips to a theme park led by the children’s requests or more local activities, which include regular country walks to promote healthy lifestyles. The manager plans events for the children and their families to get together. For example, she arranged a successful day trip to the seaside in the school holidays. This provides valuable opportunities for children and their families to socialise with each other.

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improvement to be good

The standard of the home environment is varied, with most areas being homely and welcoming. However, there are a few areas that look tired and worn, which detracts from the overall feel of the home. There is an established system in place which shows how routine maintenance and improvement work are escalated for completion. Potential hazards such as a portable radiator being sited in the children’s lounge demonstrate a lack of appreciation of the risk that this could pose to the children. This compromises the Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 5 safety of the environment.

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improvement to be good

The manager has failed to identify gaps in routine fire checks or to regularly assess measures in place to protect the children against the risk of fire. This includes accessibility of fire exits, smoke detectors being covered and fire door seals not being intact. However, leaders and managers took immediate action during the inspection to carry out work to rectify these shortfalls. While there has been no negative effect on children, there have been avoidable risks present in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff are curious and perceptive and seek to understand and interpret what the children are expressing through their behaviours. Staff respond using agreed strategies to support the children. Staffing levels are carefully considered in line with each child’s needs and the wider group. As a result, the children receive good levels of care from staff, who know them extremely well.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments provide clear guidance for staff to follow to manage risk. Children’s care plans are complemented by detailed behaviour support plans, which are relevant to each child. As a result, incidents are well managed and there is no use of physical interventions or sanctions being used to respond to the children’s behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Compatibility assessments to match children have been introduced since the last inspection. The manager uses these to assess the needs of children to maximise their experience. Children are matched in groups which consider their individual needs and provide opportunities to develop their friendships with other children and have fun.

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improvement to be good

Staff are confident in their knowledge and responsibilities to safeguard the children. This includes access to the whistleblowing policy. Staff extend their knowledge of this topic through ongoing training and in-house workshops where safeguarding scenarios are rehearsed through role play to keep their skills refreshed.

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improvement to be good

The manager and her team promote equality and diversity. Children and their families are treated with respect and their views, wishes and preferences are promoted by the staff team. The home is an inclusive environment where children are encouraged and supported to develop their self-identities.

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

The manager has recently been registered with Ofsted. However, this is an interim arrangement as she is currently preparing for a handover period with the new manager.

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

Leaders and managers have introduced a range of new systems to improve the quality of the service. However, monitoring and reviewing systems have failed to identify potential hazards such as shortfalls in fire safety. A number of issues were identified during the inspection. For example, leaders and managers were unable to confirm what action had Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 6 been taken to address the recommendations made in the Fire Safety Audit completed in November 2018.

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

There has been one allegation made against staff since the last inspection. The manager referred this to safeguarding professionals in line with procedure. However, records did not provide a clear overview of the timeline of when this was reported, the action taken and the outcome. Furthermore, Ofsted was not notified as required under Regulation 40. Therefore, the regulator was unable to review the actions taken by the manager and the outcome in response to this allegation prior to inspection.

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

The staff team is stable and experienced. There are sufficient staff on duty to meet the children’s needs and there is minimal use of agency staff. Professionals are positive about the level of care provided by the staff to the children. One social worker commented that ‘link workers know the children very well and go over and above’ in meeting their needs, as well as forming ‘excellent relationships with family’.

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

Staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. Staff report that these provide them with the necessary guidance and direction and enable them to reflect and strengthen their practice. This supports the staff to deliver consistent child-centred care in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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

Staff receive training across a broad range of subjects. This is delivered through online programmes and face-to-face courses. Staff spoke positively about the impact of a recent course in safeguarding, which explored the additional vulnerabilities that children with disabilities can face. The large majority of the team members hold the required, or higher, qualification.

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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 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

Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 7 Unique reference number: SC424103

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action for Children

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Shelagh Frankcom

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Inspector

Joe Davys: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC424103 8 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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