Children's home run by Action for Children Services Ltd in Watford

Inspection report children’s home: SC057804 1 SC057804 Registered provider: Action for Children

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides residential short breaks for up to five children who have learning and/or physical disabilities. The service is operated by a charitable organisation in partnership with a local authority. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2019. He is enrolled on the level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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 good

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good

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

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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: SC057804 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2019 Full Good 20/02/2018 Full Good 23/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC057804 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

This is with reference to escalating concerns to appropriate senior managers within the placing authority. 27/03/2020

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Recommendations

 The Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) This is with specific reference to ensuring that the use of bespoke beds that potentially restrict children’s movement are appropriately risk assessed.  The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written

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Recommendations

report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC057804 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thrive in this short-break service. They receive bespoke care from passionate staff who know and understand their needs well. Managers and staff develop short- break care plans in partnership with children and their families. This ensures that children benefit from well-planned care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers introduce children to the service at a pace that takes account of their needs and anxieties. Children and their families have the opportunity to enjoy afternoon visits and meet staff and other children before they progress to overnight stays. As a result, children experience a smooth transition into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with families, specialist health professionals and education services to make sure that children’s time in the home serves to enhance their development. For example, if children are working on specific developmental targets in school, staff make sure that they include these targets in their short-break plans. This approach means that children benefit from consistent support that aids their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide and stimulating range of activities that provides them with opportunities to learn new skills. These activities offer children a continual learning experience that focuses on developing their social and cognitive skills, as well as supporting their emotional well-being. Consequently, children grow in confidence. One parent said, ‘My son has come alive since he started coming here. It’s amazing to watch his confidence grow.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between children and staff are exceptionally positive. This means that children enjoy their time in the home. Staff make sure that they consult with children and capture their views and wishes. They use pictures, symbols and sign languages to involve children in the development of the service.

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

Managers devise detailed risk assessments to manage and reduce children’s risks. These take account of their abilities and vulnerabilities, as well as any risks and behaviours associated with their disabilities. However, physical restrictions on some children, such as the use of enclosed beds, are not adequately assessed to determine if these measures are necessary to protect children from harm.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviours well. This is because they understand their complex needs and recognise how these may increase their anxieties and frustrations. Children benefit from clear boundaries and consistent staff practice that provides them with encouragement and reassurance. This approach helps to de-escalate potential challenging situations. There have been no incidents of physical restraint since the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC057804 5 Managers and staff have an excellent understanding of child protection and safeguarding procedures, including when they should liaise with children’s families and other agencies. Staff recognise that children’s disabilities may place them at an increased risk of harm. They take these factors into account when determining children’s safety and welfare. This means that staff are acutely aware of their individual and collective responsibilities

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

for keeping children safe and for protecting them from abuse and harm.

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

The registered manager oversees the recruitment checks for new staff and for any agency staff used in the home. His attention to detail ensures that only people who are safe to work with children are employed at the home.

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

Staff make sure that the home is a safe and welcoming environment. This includes carrying out routine health and safety checks, and fire safety checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager continues to challenge the placing authority when it does not complete or share up-to-date plans for children, such as education, health and care plans. However, this challenge does not include escalating concerns to appropriate senior managers when there is no response from front-line workers. This means that staff often rely on children’s parents or carers to provide this information. For some children, staff are unable to confirm that this information is accurate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent visitor completes monthly reports that the registered manager uses to help him to monitor the quality of care for children. Current internal review systems and reports focus on children’s individual progress. However, the registered manager does not link this progress to the care and support that the service provides for children. This means that action plans lack sufficient detail to support the continual development of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they are well supported in their role. They benefit from regular formal supervision sessions that encourage them to reflect on their practice and consider their training needs. The registered manager ensures that training courses take account of children’s complex needs. Consequently, staff have the skills and knowledge they need to provide children with bespoke care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager leads a committed staff team that is aspirational for children. He ensures that staff fully understand the aims and objectives of the service and focus their practice on celebrating children’s abilities. This ethos supports children’s overall development and progress.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC057804 6 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: SC057804 7

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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

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC057804 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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