Children's home run by Action for Children Services Ltd

Information about this children’s home

This is a short-break service for children, which is run by a national charity. All children have a learning disability and additional complex needs in relation to either their emotional or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 15 March 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 16 January 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Declined in effectiveness

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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. 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.

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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. Assurance visit report: 1271380 2

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The care of children

Children benefit from enthusiastic and motivated staff who care deeply about their well-being. Staff work hard to ensure that children receive tailored support that meets their complex needs. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of the individual children in their care. They work closely to care plans and identify key progress for children against their set goals.

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The care of children

The home makes good use of care planning software to enable children to take an active role in the creation of their own plans. Children can use symbols and simple visual prompts to comment on their health needs, education, preferred activities and behaviour support preferences among other things.

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The care of children

Children stay in an environment which is suitable to their needs. Staff talk excitedly about their plans to continue enhancing the environment. Staff place the children at the centre of all their conversations about service improvement.

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The care of children

Parents and social workers speak highly of the staff and have confidence that children are making good progress. For example, where a parent requested more structured activities, the manager was able to demonstrate that their child benefits from carefully planned visits which ensure that he is always kept active and engaged.

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The care of children

Nearly all the children who access this service attend the education provision that is based next door. This has meant that they have benefited from consistent education throughout the COVID-19 lockdown period, which has been well supported by short- break staff. Communication with the school is very good, and close partnerships enable the sharing of regular updates about the children’s progress and promote a coordinated approach to their care.

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The care of children

During the COVID-19 lockdown, the home closed for two brief periods. Staff remained committed to the care of children and support for their families. Regular video calls took place with families, which ensured that children felt connected to the staff throughout.

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The safety of children

Staff demonstrate an assured and confident understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. They also readily identify key safeguarding partner agencies and understand how to escalate safeguarding concerns beyond their own organisation.

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The safety of children

Staff’s understanding and use of the organisation’s whistle-blowing policies are excellent. A recent example of a new member of staff questioning the impact of language used by other staff in conversations taking place in front of the children has been very well handled. The outcomes and learning from this incident have been integrated into staff training. Assurance visit report: 1271380 3 Social workers and parents are very confident that the children are safeguarded effectively at the home. This is reflected in the very small number of child protection referrals, incidents and very low use of physical interventions.

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The safety of children

Staff have managed to ensure that worries expressed by the children, who have struggled to understand the changes brought about by COVID-19, have been managed sensitively to lower their anxiety and help them remain safe throughout.

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Leaders and managers

The leadership team has worked hard to make positive progress against requirements and recommendations from the previous Ofsted inspections and monitoring visits. Several changes in leadership have meant that there has been no registered manager at the home since March 2019. The person currently undertaking the management role has been in post for nine months. He has made an application to Ofsted to register.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is ably supported by a new service manager and an established responsible individual. They have all placed an emphasis on strengthening the management team at the home. In turn, staff feel more confident in their roles and morale is high.

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Leaders and managers

Internal monitoring benefits from these additonal layers of management oversight. The independent visitor works in close partnership with the manager. Recommendations from external monitoring visits are prioritised and lead to improvements in service delivery. However, monitoring lacks evidence of feedback from external partners and how this is used to improve practice.

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Leaders and managers

The home has a workforce plan that in general provides the required information. The manager does not regularly update this with the training achievements of staff. Leaders do not use this plan to inform their planning process for developing the skill bases of staff.

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Leaders and managers

The service manager places a strong emphasis on developing constructive relationships with external agencies with a view to gaining the input of their professional expertise to support the team.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders have worked hard to maintain consistent training, support and supervision for staff despite the inevitable pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff feel well supported and talk about always having someone to turn to for advice. Concerted efforts are being made to ensure that supervision schedules are timely, and staff obtain the prescribed frequency of meetings with their line manager.

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Leaders and managers

Requirements from the last inspection have been met, which has led to improved fire safety practice, clearer management arrangements, more focused care planning and big improvements to the physical environment for children. Assurance visit report: 1271380 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

In particular, to include all relevant training completed by staff and use this as a tool for identifying gaps and creating training plans to meet any shortfalls.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should oversee the welfare of the children in their care through observation and engagement with: each child; the home’s staff; each child’s family/carers where appropriate; and professionals involved in the care or protection of each child, including their social worker, independent reviewing officer, teachers, clinicians and other health professionals etc. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.23)

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Recommendations

In particular, seek out and include feedback from external partners and stakeholders in the course of monitoring and reviewing practices at the home.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action For Children

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 8AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Shelagh Frankcom

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Inspector

Peter Jackson, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1271380 5 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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