Children's home run by ARRONBETH LTD

Assurance visit report: SC000802 1 SC000802

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is in a rural village that is close to a town. There is good public transport, which enables the children and the young people to access local amenities and a range of leisure activities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since 2007.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 5 December 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC000802 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Young people make good progress as a result of living in this children’s home. For example, all the young people are now in full-time education. Prior to moving into this home, two young people did not attend school. An education provider said, ‘I am very impressed. Staff at the home were very keen to get [name of the young person] back to school. The staff definitely go over and above.’

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The care of children

Young people enjoy positive and nurturing relationships with the staff. The young people say that they can trust the staff, especially their key workers. One young person said, ‘I wouldn’t be where I am is today if it wasn’t for my key worker.’

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The care of children

The staff regularly seek young people’s views and wishes about the care that they receive. This means that the young people are involved in decisions. This helps to increase young people’s confidence and self-esteem.

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The care of children

The staff arrange visits between the young people and their families and friends. For two of the young people, this involves travelling long distances. On these occasions, the staff stay overnight nearby, to provide support and reassurance if required by the young people.

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The care of children

The registered manager and the staff continue to support the young people to keep in touch with their families and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic. The staff ensure that the young people have enough credit on their mobile telephones, safe access to social media, and the use of the home’s laptops. This helps young people to maintain safe relationships with the people who are important to them.

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The care of children

Young people moving into the home receive a warm welcome from staff and the other young people. Introductory visits to the home help new young people to decide if they want to move in, and if they are happy and relaxed in the company of the young people already living in the home. This reduces any anxiety the young people may feel and helps them to settle into their new home.

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The safety of children

The registered manager ensures that the staff can respond to safeguarding concerns. The staff receive regular child protection and risk management training. This means that they are up to date with current safeguarding guidance and legislation. The staff also benefit from training in e-safety, child exploitation and county lines. As a result, the staff have the skills and knowledge they need to help to protect young people from harm and promote their welfare. Assurance visit report: SC000802 3 The occasions when the young people go missing from the home have reduced. This is because of good partnership working between the young people, the staff, the young people’s social workers and local police teams. This collaboration helps to keep young people safe.

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The safety of children

The staff use the home’s therapeutic care model effectively to support the young people. This model helps young people to understand why they feel upset, and staff use this to teach young people relaxing coping strategies. As a result, incidents of challenging behaviours continue to reduce. This is because young people begin to learn to manage their frustrations and anxieties.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have high expectations of the staff to provide good-quality care and support for the young people. This message is the basis of the positive culture in the home. Staff describe the registered manager as being ‘open’, ‘supportive’ and ‘inclusive’. Consequently, the young people live in a happy and relaxed environment. One young person said, ‘The staff are mint, they are a good laugh and fun to be with. They are always there for you.’

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has addressed the two requirements and two recommendations raised at the last inspection. For example, changes to the staff induction and training programme mean that the staff are better supported in their role. As a result, the registered manager is able to ensure that staff now have the skills and knowledge that they need to help and support the young people.

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Leaders and managers

There is now better management oversight of the home and the quality of care provided for young people. This is because the registered manager has made improvements to monitoring systems to ensure that these include young people’s progress.

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Leaders and managers

A new independent visitor now visits the home. The reports of these visits include examples of good childcare practice, and detail where improvements are required. This provides the registered manager with a base to work from to continue to improve the service. Assurance visit report: SC000802 4

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Inspector

Debbie White, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC000802 5 to achieve excellence in the care of children and the 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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