Children's Home run by Abbey Green Therapeutic Children’s Services Ltd in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: 2613829 1 Registered provider: Abbey Green Therapeutic Children’s Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides therapeutic care and accommodation for up to four children who have experienced traumatic events in their lives and may subsequently present with a range of attachment, behavioural and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a suitable qualified and registered manager.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2613829 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2613829 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are building positive relationships with the care staff and therapists. They are benefiting from consistent care, underpinned by therapeutic parenting methodology. Staff know children’s previous life experiences, their needs and behaviours. Staff work effectively with involved professionals who understand the children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good routines. They participate in education, prioritised by staff from when a child moves to the home. Staff advocate for children to ensure suitable education arrangements are in place, without delay. Children’s achievements, including small steps, are celebrated and progress is reinforced. Children who have experienced barriers to education in the past are now making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are identified. Children are supported to access universal, preventative services and have access to specialist services. Staff work with children in individual sessions. The staff use resources to assist in this work, which are suitable for the child’s age and ability. This individual work is supported by therapists.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to understand and make healthy choices and decisions. As a result, they have improving physical and emotional health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain important relationships. For one child, staff have developed positive communication with their family, which has enhanced the quality of contact for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to develop interests and are provided with opportunities to take part in activities. They are also encouraged to develop life skills, such as budgeting, shopping and preparing a meal.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children move into the home in a planned manner. Social workers reported that staff liaise effectively with professionals to support a sensitive transition for each child’s move to this home. Excellent preparation for children and information-sharing between professionals help children to settle. Children are involved in decision- making, for example about decorating and designing their rooms. This means that children’s views are important and shape their lives while in this home.

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

Staff continuously assess each child’s behaviours, needs, and known and emerging risks. Assessments include a measure of the risk and the strategies required to manage the child’s risk and vulnerabilities. Staff, both care and therapeutic, regularly Inspection report children’s home: 2613829 4 review plans with each child. Children know what carers are worried about and what actions are being taken to keep them safe.

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

For one child, missing-from-home behaviours have reduced. Staff have followed child protection procedures and liaised with the police and social worker. The manager requested a strategy meeting following a concerning missing-from-home incident. Subsequently, a multi-agency meeting was also convened. This ensured there was a shared and agreed plan in place.

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

Another child in the home is responding well to therapeutic help and support. They have developed more positive relationships and improved their confidence and self- esteem. As a result, there has been a reduction in concerns about this child’s emotional welfare.

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

There have been relatively few incidents of physical restraint of children to prevent harm to themselves and others. Staff follow the correct procedures and consequently reflect on their practice. Children are also supported to reflect on their behaviour so that valuable lessons can be learned to avert future incidents. Overall, there are fewer incidents because of the effective work with children regarding their behaviour, and children are becoming increasingly safer.

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

Prospective new staff are subject to safer recruitment procedures. However, managers and staff would benefit from refresher safe recruitment training and from training regarding allegations against adults who work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced. She is undertaking the relevant leadership and management qualification. Staff report that she is supportive and that staff morale is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and senior managers make measured, informed decisions about children moving into the home. They work well with placing local authorities to ensure children have planned moves that are right for the children. Decisions take account of the needs of children already living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows each child’s needs and the progress they are making. She is a hands-on manager. She is a good communicator and provides nurturing care. The manager is developing a culture of high aspiration for children and staff alike.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions from managers and therapists. Team meetings are well organised. Therapists contribute to these meetings, reviewing children’s plans. They also deliver refresher training on therapeutic parenting techniques and interventions. Staff report that they benefit from training and opportunities for further development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers use a range of quality assurance systems to monitor the quality of care being provided. The manager knows the areas for development. For example, staff Inspection report children’s home: 2613829 5 are undertaking the relevant care qualification. The manager monitors their progress carefully. The independent visitor provides thorough, useful reports following her visits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed excellent partnership working with professional agencies such as health, police and education. She advocates for children. She has challenged partners when she is concerned that the service provided to a child is not good enough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers should undertake a review of recent recruitment and performance management outcomes. This would identify future learning needs. Inspection report children’s home: 2613829 6

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to training for staff and managers in safer recruitment and allegations against adults who work with children. 30 September 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should monitor and review the patterns and trends of turnover of staff and be able to understand and, where possible, address any negative trends. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.19)

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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: 2613829 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Abbey Green Therapeutic Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 51 Abbey Green Road, Leek ST13 8SA

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2613829 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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