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

Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 1 SC473329 Registered provider: Amegreen Children’s Services Limited 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 children. There are two other homes run by the same provider in the local area; this one specialises in assisting young people with making the transition to adult life and gaining the skills they need to live independently.

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Information about this children’s home

The home uses Systems-Centered methods of working with children and young people who have experienced developmental trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 31 Oct 2013.

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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

Date of last inspection: 3 September 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2018 Full Outstanding 15/08/2017 Full Outstanding 09/02/2017 Full Outstanding 14/10/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thrive as a result of being looked after by highly skilled staff. The staff are trained in a specific trauma-recovery model and they use this knowledge to have a deeper understanding of the children’s needs and behaviours. In turn, this helps the children to develop positive and trusting relationships with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are sensitively welcomed into the home. Consideration of the impact these children may have on those already living at the home is a priority for the registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Specialist health support is provided for the children if needed, including personal therapy, child and adolescent mental health services and stop-smoking services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are supported to spend time with their families, friends and other people who matter to them. This important time is carefully assessed and supported by staff, with positive feedback from parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good programmes are in place to help children develop independent living skills. This work contributes to pathway planning and increases children’s ability to care for themselves once they leave care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager challenges placing authorities if children’s transition plans are not managed effectively. However, staff have not always encouraged children to make full use of independent advocacy services to express their views about their transition plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have positive relationships with schools and colleges, and are ambitious for the children to succeed in education. When children are excluded or refuse to attend their education, staff support them to engage in educational activity at the home, but this is not always planned effectively. Children do not always engage in these plans as they sometimes lack creativity or incentives.

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

The staff form positive relationships with the children and this is a strong protective factor. The children trust the adults who care for them and the children comfortably discuss personal and sensitive issues with the staff.

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

The registered manager took swift action to alert all of the children’s placing authorities when there were concerns about the behaviour of one child who misused the internet. However, on one occasion, a social worker was not informed quickly enough about a relationship between two children.

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

Staff take child protection concerns seriously and take appropriate action to ensure that children are safe. Records do not always reflect the work carried out and a clear Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 4 audit trail is not always available. While staff know the children well and are able to address the risks they face, the standard of the written risk assessments is variable and some self-harm risk assessments and children’s personal evacuation plans lack detail.

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

Staff give the children boundaries and consistently role-model positive behaviour. Staff support the children to understand the potential consequences of their risk- taking behaviours. Children rarely go missing and if they do, staff follow good procedures to quickly enable a safe return home.

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

Managers and staff have ensured that children have positive relationships with neighbours and with the wider community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced registered manager leads a culture in the home that is characterised by high expectations and aspirations for all children. The home is sufficiently staffed and resourced to meet the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision which is focused on the children’s experiences and group dynamics in the home. This provides staff with the opportunity to develop strategies to improve the care they provide to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager directs the staff to complete mandatory training courses and this supports them to care for the children. However, some staff members do not always ensure that they keep up to date with their own development. Staff do not always have access to training that is tailored to the specific needs of the children, such as training on how to effectively support children who self-harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children make allegations against staff, the registered manager follows the right processes and consults with the designated officer promptly. Records lack some detail and do not always clearly evidence all the steps that were taken in the course of the investigation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works effectively with placing authorities to ensure that children’s transition plans are carefully considered. On occasion, and when this is appropriate, children stay at the home beyond their 18th birthday. However, there is no written policy or guidance to follow to support these decisions and plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are good monitoring systems at the home. The registered manager reviews all incidents and gives constructive feedback to aid staff and children’s learning. Most incidents are discussed in staff team meetings and individually with the children. On one occasion, the registered manager showed a lack of professional curiosity in response to a child’s misuse of the internet. This did not affect the well-being and safety of the child. Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the children’s risk assessments and personal evacuation plans should be closely monitored and updated. 30/04/20

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should undertake training that enables them to have a greater understanding of the children’s presenting needs. 30/04/20

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if here is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) 30/04/20

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5(c)). Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. The registered person should consider the use of an independent advocate (see paragraph 4.16) if the child’s needs are not being met. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8) In particular, this applies to children who stay at the home for a considerably long period following their 18th birthday. Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 6  The ethos of the home should support each child to learn, emphasising the value of independent study and reading for enjoyment. The home must make available

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Recommendations

suitable facilities, equipment and resources for learning and ensure that the home’s routines do not form barriers to children wishing to use the home’s resources to study. Staff must support children with home study by encouraging them to learn independent study skills and helping them to practice those skills. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18) In particular, ensure that staff support children to engage in planned learning activities if they do not access full-time education.  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, ensure that staff are provided with training that reflects the specific

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Recommendations

needs and risks associated with the children they are caring for. Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 7

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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: SC473329 8

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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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Inspectors

Paul Thomas, Social Care Inspector Stephen Collett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC473329 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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