Children's home run by Able Health Care Ltd

Inspection report children's home: 2529815 1 Registered provider: Able Health Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to four children. Three children can be accommodated in the house and one child in the adjoining annex.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left this home on 22 January 2021. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this home on 26 October 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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: 20 November 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Ofsted conducted an assurance visit on 22 September 2020. At that visit, Ofsted identified widespread concerns and served two compliance notices. At the monitoring visit on 26 October 2020, the compliance notices were fully met. Inspection report children's home: 2529815 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: 2529815 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child living at the home. The overall experiences for this child are extremely positive. The staff forge strong relationships with the child. The staff are skilled and committed to the child’s well-being. A parent said that the progress that the child is making is ‘absolutely amazing’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of the child’s education. The child, who had been out of education for an extended period, is now attending full time. The staff worked effectively with the school staff and supported a gradual and sensitively supported return. The child now accesses additional training courses in his free time. From the child’s individual starting point, this is a significant achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support the child to make good progress with his life skills. There is a bespoke independent living programme for him. The programme includes practical targets that enable the staff to track and evaluate the child’s progress. As a result, he has improved in confidence and self-determination, and is more prepared for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff facilitate a range of experiences that reflect the child’s interests and hobbies. The child’s enthusiasm for scootering is encouraged, and he regularly attends a local skate park. The child recently started to attend a boxing club. These opportunities have enabled him to expand his social network and form important friendships with peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s involvement in the home has significantly improved; this includes participation in house meetings. He has helped staff to decorate areas of the house and fully engages in constructive key-work sessions. This active participation is because of the strength of the staff’s approaches. As a result, the child has developed a sense of pride and belonging which has improved the way he expresses himself.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is helped to stay in touch with his family. The staff support family visits and recognise the importance of these relationships. Consequently, the child has improved well-being and maintains his sense of identity.

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

Staff have good working partnerships with other agencies, such as the local authority, social workers and the police. The effectiveness of these relationships helps the child to be safe. The staff understand the risks for the child and actively help to manage them. Well- planned and effective key-worker sessions cover important and emerging topics, including exploring safe internet use, managing money and understanding the impact of substance abuse. This enhances the child’s knowledge of personal safety. Inspection report children's home: 2529815 4 Behaviour management plans are implemented effectively. The staff set clear boundaries and use individual incentive programmes to reinforce positive behaviours. The staff use consequential sanctions rarely and proportionately and, as a result, unwanted behaviour is minimised.

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

The staff follow the guidance in the child’s risk assessment to good effect. Carefully planned and informed strategies have reduced the number of missing-from-home incidents for the child. Responsive and flexible agreements for free time in the community for the child further support the range of his experiences and improve his self-esteem.

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

The staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, and they have a good knowledge of whistle-blowing procedures. The depth of staff’s safeguarding knowledge is continually reflected on during practice-based meetings and supervision sessions.

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

Physical interventions have rarely been necessary. The staff use interventions proportionately and as a last resort. However, when the manager has been involved in a physical intervention, the supporting records have not been reviewed by an independent member of staff. This fails to provide an objective analysis and compromises the learning opportunities that could be generated from these incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been no registered manager at the home since January 2021. In the interim, the responsible individual has appointed a highly experienced acting manager with an excellent track record from the organisation’s other home. He is currently in the process of completing his application to be registered. Since his appointment, rapid and effective improvements in the quality of care have been implemented in a short space of time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings now take place and are well attended. The manager and the home’s consultant psychologist provide ongoing support that enables child-focused and insightful discussions. These guide the staff to implement support in line with the home’s therapeutic model and provide good outcomes for the child. The psychologist said, ‘This is the first time I have come across a home so enthusiastic about making a sound model of care a reality for the children in their care.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision. They are very positive about the manager and the support that they receive. The management team provides the staff with a wide range of training. This further helps to increase the staff’s knowledge and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team recognises the need for a period of stability. This has led to a decision not to accept any new children while internal systems were improved. Inspection report children's home: 2529815 5 This has been a major contributory factor to the home being more settled since the last visit.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managerial oversight is generally effective. The manager makes good use of external monitoring visits from an independent person. Most of the child’s records are thorough, well-organised and fully inclusive. However, one area of a child’s risk assessment contained contradictory information. This could lead to inconsistencies in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager undertakes a detailed and objective internal review of the quality of care. However, this fails to fully consider consultations with the child, their family and external professionals. This reduces the capacity of the management team to have a thorough understanding of the strengths and development opportunities of the home. Inspection report children's home: 2529815 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny. In particular, ensure that a senior member of the management team who has not been involved in the restraint reviews the records of incidents of physical interventions. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. In particular, ensure that risk assessments do not contain contradictory guidance. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that the quality of care review meets all the aspects stipulated in Regulation 45. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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: 2529815 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Able Health Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 45 Wolsey Road, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2ER

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2529815 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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