Children's home run by Action for Children in Watford

Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 1 SC438756 Registered provider: Action for Children Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides shared and long-term care for children aged eight to 18. The children’s needs range from moderate to severe learning disabilities and may include physical disabilities and/or complex multiple needs. The home provides care for five children overnight. The manager has been in post since September 2018 and registered with Ofsted since 11 April 2019.

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Inspection date: 7 January 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 7 January 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, four requirements and six recommendations were set. The manager has met two of the requirements and most of the recommendations. A new requirement in relation to safeguarding has been set at this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staffing has stabilised since the last inspection. As a result, there is now a settled and enthusiastic staff team. The staff enjoy seeing the children try new things and develop new skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager now consistently follows robust recruitment practices. New staff receive a suitable induction, which includes, when possible, staff undertaking shadow shifts with each child. This ensures that the staff gain good knowledge of each of the children. The staff undertake relevant training that promotes their confidence and competence. However, one staff member, who has worked at a children’s home for more than two years, has yet to achieve a relevant level 3 diploma in residential childcare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have received suitable guidance on how to evacuate the building in the event of a night-time emergency. The children’s files contain suitable personal emergency evacuation plans and a night-time fire drill has been undertaken.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of children’s file management and recording has improved, and all required information is now available. The staff are now more experienced and are better able to follow the directions in the children’s risk assessments and care plans.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most children enjoy their short breaks and the opportunity to do activities that they would not be able to otherwise. One parent said their child is very nervous to go anywhere but is very different when they stay at the home. This gives the parent confidence that their child is well cared for by staff who understand the child’s complex needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some of the children demonstrate behaviours that challenge the staff and occasionally place the child or others at risk. The staff understand that children communicate through their behaviour. Significant incidents are, therefore, usually avoided and the use of physical restraint is rare. The staff are suitably trained in the use of breakaway techniques and restraint. However, the records maintained in respect of the one event that led to the use of physical restraint are poor. The records do not fully detail the incident and the staff’s accounts of the event do not correlate. Two staff members recorded a concern about this incident but do not appear to have reported their concerns in line with the safeguarding procedures. The registered manager’s and senior manager’s review of the incident are not Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 3 sufficiently robust. The review focuses on the trigger of the event rather than the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

restraint. As a result, the potential safeguarding concern has not been identified by senior managers or reported to the designated officer.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The building is generally suitably maintained, spacious and clean. The manager has addressed the health and safety concerns that were identified at the last inspection. However, there are particular areas for improvement. A loose cable is accessible to children. The kitchen counter top is stained and damaged and paintwork is flaking in some areas. Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 5

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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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)) 17/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 6 The registered person must ensure that— 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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; 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 they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 17/01/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 7

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, ensure that the kitchen is well maintained and that loose wires are secured.

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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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC438756 8

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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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Inspector

Joanna Heller, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC438756 9 to 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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