Children's Home run by Amegreen Children’s Services in West Berkshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC472139 1 SC472139 Registered provider: Amegreen Children’s Services 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 privately owned service accommodates up to two children. The statement of purpose states that the home offers an environment where children have opportunities to come to terms with previous experiences of trauma, abuse, loss, rejection and poor attachments.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC472139 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2018 Full Outstanding 04/09/2017 Full Good 13/12/2016 Full Good 03/08/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC472139 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 06/12/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Highly skilled staff provide warm, insightful and responsive care. They are successfully implementing a therapeutic model. They understand the impact of early childhood experiences on children’s ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships. This informs their practice. The staff know the child very well and have developed excellent relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Through intense and committed support from the staff to meet the child’s complex needs, the child is making significant progress in small steps since being placed at the home a short time ago. Healthy routines are benefiting the child and staff are providing age-appropriate childhood experiences. The staff have created a safe and welcoming home that provides the child with space to grow, develop and enjoy their childhood. Inspection report children’s home: SC472139 4 The staff value education and work closely with schools to ensure that children receive the support they need to achieve their potential. Sensitive and thoughtful planning, in collaboration with external professionals, is evident. The staff are mindful that the child has had difficult and negative school experiences. They are gradually increasing home tuition while seeking an appropriate school placement that will meet his needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people who have recently left the home made exceptional and sustained progress before moving to other placements in a planned and positive way.

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

Robust risk management processes and risk assessments, together with the staff’s awareness of the child’s specific vulnerabilities, help to keep the child safe. The staff provide high levels of support and supervision to reduce the risks associated with the child’s behaviour. They respond sensitively and with insight to the child’s complex, individual needs.

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

The staff understand the importance of routines, structure and boundaries in helping the child to develop a sense of safety and security in the home. In a short period of the child living in the home, the staff have enabled him to establish healthy sleeping, eating and activity routines.

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

The therapeutic model of care implemented by the staff is based on an understanding of how past trauma and loss can affect a child’s development and current functioning. The staff have developed skills in understanding children’s behaviour and in self-regulating their own responses to children’s behaviour. Developing strong relationships with children is fundamental to this approach. Behaviour management is based on the use of positive relationships to influence children’s behaviour. Gradually the child is responding as the staff build meaningful and genuine relationships with him and he trusts the staff to consistently meet his needs.

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

Safeguarding concerns are diligently followed up by the registered manager, with appropriate referrals to external agencies. On one occasion, a safeguarding concern was not notified to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has extensive experience and uses his knowledge and skills to provide strong support for the staff. With a passion for helping children achieve their best outcomes, his understanding of the child’s needs and the progress he is making, the registered manager role models excellent practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A highly competent and exceptionally experienced deputy manager works closely with the registered manager. They lead by example, spending time with the child and building positive relationships. With this deliberate focus, they know the child very well and are Inspection report children’s home: SC472139 5 able to adapt support strategies as they gain a deep understanding of the meaning of his behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive effective support from managers to implement therapeutic practice. Supervision is reflective, with a clear purpose of supporting staff to meet children’s individual needs. Training for staff is regular and appropriate. A more thorough training programme for new staff is soon to be implemented to ensure that they have the foundation of knowledge to implement the home’s therapeutic approach. Staff benefit from regular group meetings with the staff development consultant, who helps to embed the therapeutic model.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and the staff understand the importance of working proactively with children’s families. They help families to apply a consistent parenting approach to managing children’s behaviour and their development. Collaborative working with external professionals is embedded in practice in the home.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC472139 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amegreen Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Granary Court, Fair Oak Green, Stratfield Saye, Reading RG7 2DL

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Inspector

Jan Hunnam, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC472139 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 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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