Children's home run by Action for Children in Watford

Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 1 SC432331 Registered provider: Action for Children Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A charity operates this short-break home. The home provides a residential short- break service for up to eight children at any one time. The conditions of registration allow for one child to live at the home permanently. The children have learning disabilities and some additional complex physical and health-related needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The experienced and suitably qualified registered manager has been in post since July 2020.

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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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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Good 29/11/2017 Full Good 02/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have formed extremely good relationships with staff. Children benefit from secure, positive relationships with highly dedicated and skilled staff, who understand children’s individual personalities and complex needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, staff were observed warmly welcoming children into the home. Children could be heard responding joyfully as the staff greeted them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have an excellent understanding of the importance of informing children what will happen next. Before taking children to another room, staff inform them of the reason and ask permission. Staff recognise children’s right to choose.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children have individualised experiences that are meaningful to them. They know the children’s interests and things that they enjoy doing. This means that children have the best possible time during their stays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not have updated education, health and care plans on file, despite managers continually requesting these documents from the placing authority. However, staff consult with parents to develop targets for children. Staff celebrate children’s individual achievements. Certificates of achievement are proudly displayed in the entrance hall. This helps children to know that they are valued and that their achievements matter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The dynamic and motivated staff team understands the children’s individual communication needs. Staff can respond to children’s needs, wishes and feelings by recognising the slightest movement or sound and interpret these to support the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed and enthusiastic. They understand each other’s strengths and work together well to provide the best care possible.

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. They have had appropriate safeguarding training and they know how to report concerns. Parents said that they are confident that the staff keep their children safe.

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

Children have individual risk assessments. These are comprehensive and support the staff to keep children safe. However, the assessments are not always updated promptly to ensure that staff have the most current information.

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

Staff do not use sanctions because they would not be effective or meaningful due to the children’s level of understanding. Instead, staff focus on children’s positive behaviours. Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 4 Staff challenge any unwelcome behaviours appropriately. They consider the level of each child’s understanding and ability to communicate. This safeguards the children and those around them.

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

The children’s guide explains to children what happens during their stay and how to complain if they are unhappy. However, the guide is not appropriate for the range of ages or children’s communication needs.

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

Most children would be unable to make a complaint. However, due to the staff’s intuitive understanding of children’s communication, they can determine whether children are unhappy and rectify the worry.

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

Due to the high level of staffing and appropriate matching of children, activities in the community and at the home are safe. Children have allocated staff working with them throughout their stay. This provides consistency and a sense of security for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are clearly at the centre of all staff’s practice. The manager is passionate about providing excellent care for children. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and the staff share her passion for improving children’s experiences of short breaks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular good-quality supervision that supports their work with the children and helps them to develop their practice. The staff spoke highly of the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Comprehensive internal monitoring systems drive improvement. The manager understands the strengths and development needs of the home and strives continuously to make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular meetings during which children and care practice issues are discussed. However, actions that have been recorded in staff meetings have not always been addressed. This means that there is not always evidence of the way that actions are progressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular independent visits take place. However, the visitor has failed to gain the views of social workers and parents. In addition, the visitor has not stated in their reports their opinion on whether children are safeguarded effectively, or the care provided promotes children’s welfare. The organisation has appointed a new independent visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recommendation made at the last inspection has been met. The manager has consulted other agencies to inform the location risk assessment. Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 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

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that actions are recorded in children’s support plans and risk assessments promptly and that records are dated. 16 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (2)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 16 August 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should produce a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement at the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure that they understand it. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.21) Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 6

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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: SC432331 7

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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 WD18 8AG

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC432331 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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