Children's home run by Action for Children in Watford

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 1 SC013402

p.1

Action For Children

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a registered charity. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for 11 children who may have learning disabilities and/or a physical disability. The service is provided in two separate houses. One house provides care and accommodation for up to four children under short-break arrangements and up to two children to live permanently. The other house provides care and accommodation for up to five children to live permanently.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home’s registration is currently subject to a notice of restriction of accommodation. This means that no new admissions and no short breaks are permitted. The children who lived at the home at the time of the notice may continue to live there.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since January 2020.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The main purpose of this monitoring visit was to check the home’s compliance with the notice restricting accommodation.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This enforcement notice was issued on 26 November 2020 under section 22B of the Care Standards Act. The notice followed the monitoring visit that was completed on 20 November 2020. During that visit, significant shortfalls were identified and 12 requirements were raised.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The notice restricting accommodation is in force until 18 February 2021. Meanwhile, the home and the notice are subject to Ofsted monitoring and review.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The main outcome of this monitoring visit is that the provider is complying with the enforcement notice. The same four children who lived at this home at the time of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 2 the notice being issued have continued to do so. No other children have been admitted. The provider stopped offering short breaks on the day of the notice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The underlying purpose of the notice is to give the provider the opportunity to focus the home’s resources on improving the service for the four children who live permanently at this home.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The provider has acknowledged shortfalls and developed comprehensive improvement plans. These plans are being implemented. The leaders and managers said that the work to improve the service is in progress.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The social workers and a health professional acknowledged the staff’s efforts. However, incidents of poor practice and lack of communication are still happening. An example of this is a child missing a hospital appointment.

p.2

This monitoring visit

All 12 requirements that were raised at the previous monitoring visit are restated in this monitoring report.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/01/2020 Full Good 19/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/07/2018 Full Good 20/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.3

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

p.3

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.3

Requirement Due date

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; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation.

p.3

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 1 January 2021

p.3

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.3

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 4 ensure that staff—

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.4

Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.4

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.4

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 5 (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) 1 January 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(h)) 1 January 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 6 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 1 January 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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; 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 7 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.6

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;

p.7

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”)—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.7

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

p.7

Requirement Due date

is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 1 January 2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (5)) 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 8 The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.8

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

p.8

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

p.8

Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

p.8

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 1 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 9

p.8

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.9

Information about this inspection

The visit was undertaken during the COVID-19 (coronavirus)-related restrictions and included on-site and off-site activities.

p.9

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action For Children

p.9

Children’s home details

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

p.9

Inspector

Seka Graovac, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC013402 10 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10