Children's home run by A&M Care Solutions Limited - T/A Metropolitan Care Solutions

Inspection report children's home: 2496764 1 Registered provider: A&M Care Solutions Ltd - T/a Metropolitan Care Solutions Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home, which provides care for up to four children and young people with learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered by Ofsted in January 2019.

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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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 27 February 2020

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2496764 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2496764 3

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outstanding

Children receive outstanding care. Staff consistently help and support children to develop in all areas of their lives. From the time children come to live at this home they develop emotionally and socially, and their health outcomes are significantly better.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that children’s complex care needs are met to a very high standard. Staff are flexible and innovative in their approach to caring for the children. For example, one child wears ear defenders to minimise noise. Staff are flexible in changing these according to the weather conditions, to ensure the child is comfortable. Another child took part in role play to prepare them for a trip to the dentist, about which they were very anxious. This is excellent practice. Staff were empathetic and focused on improving children’s health outcomes.

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outstanding

Children’s independence skills improve significantly following their move to this home. This is achieved through highly effective care planning. For example, one child has, in a short period, made significant progress and is now able to budget for food, cook and travel in the community independently. This progress has surpassed expectations and so too have the child’s confidence and self-esteem.

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outstanding

Children receive help, support and encouragement to do well in education. They have very good education plans that are tailored to their needs. Children are supported to attend education and do their best. Some children have now completed exams and are looking forward to starting on a college course. This is testament to the overall progress they make across all areas of their lives.

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outstanding

The building lends itself well to meeting the needs of children, who enjoy the large open spaces both inside and out. Bedrooms are personalised to individual choices. The large garden has a variety of activities. Additional development is taking place to improve further enhance this space.

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

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are detailed. This ensures that staff know the children’s day-to-day needs very well. Incidents are minimal and the number of physical interventions is low. Following any physical interventions, managers undertake a review to be assured that staff have made every effort to avoid the physical intervention. Occasionally, staff do not follow all areas of the child’s risk assessment. This area of practice could be strengthened further.

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

Staff provide children with the support they need to manage their own behaviour. Children who use alternative methods of communication have access throughout the home to pictures and symbols to aid their communication. This means children can Inspection report children's home: 2496764 4 make their needs known to staff without becoming frustrated. Children are also encouraged by the staff to use techniques aimed at reducing their anxiety and becoming calmer. This empowers children to manage their own emotions and behaviour.

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

Staff are confident in undertaking their safeguarding responsibilities. They know what to do if they are concerned about a child. Staff are very strong advocates for the children’s safety and well-being.

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

Managers and staff ensure that children who use alternative methods of communication can make a complaint. The home has communication boards positioned around the building. This means children can express their feelings, especially if unhappy. Additionally, children benefit from having independent advocacy support available should they feel aggrieved or upset.

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

Managers and staff undertake all the required health and safety checks on a regular basis. This means the children live in a safe environment. There are plans to invite the local emergency services to the home. This means that children will be able to learn about the importance of community safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The outstanding care provided by this children’s home is driven by an excellent manager. The manager is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Managers and staff have the interests of children at the centre of their work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers ensure that children receive excellent care from a motivated and consistent staff team. The staff enjoy their work. Their practice is child centred and morale is very high. They have high aspirations for all the children, regardless of ability or disability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers use a wide variety of quality assurance processes to ensure continuous improvement. They use monthly independent visitor reports to good effect and act upon any recommendations made. However, managers’ internal audits have not been fully effective in identifying recording errors, such as medication recording. This has not had an impact on the care of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are provided with mandatory and child-specific training, to meet the complex needs of the children. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on accessing face-to-face training, staff have still attended training in Makaton and autism. Further training to meet the sensory needs of children is planned for the near future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers ensure that staff have regular supervision. This supervision is thorough and includes discussion about the children and staff members’ well-being. Staff say they are supported and listened to, and know they can always turn to the manager for help and guidance. Inspection report children's home: 2496764 5 Children have made significant strides while living in this home. This progress has been made possible by the dedication of staff and managers. Inspection report children's home: 2496764 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that records are kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. These are fundamentally the same arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards,’ page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there

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Recommendations

are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and the placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risk on a day-to-day basis. (Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards,’ page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2496764 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A&M Care Solutions Ltd - T/a Metropolitan Care Solutions

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 Regent Street, Nottingham NG1 5BQ

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2496764 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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