Children's home run by A & S Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 1

p.1

A & S Children’s Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home which provides care and accommodation for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2021. There are currently no children living at the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 30 June 2021.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The setting was suspended from operating on 16 July 2021.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to assess the progress made in meeting the two compliance notices that were issued following the last inspection. Despite there being no children in the home, Ofsted considers that the provider has met these two compliance notices. Improvements have been made to staff training, independent oversight of the service, staff induction and changes to the admissions policy.

p.1

This monitoring visit

All other requirements will be assessed at a future visit.

p.1

Regulation 12

The home has completely revised its procedure for admitting children. The assessment format now considers a broad range of factors that include any possible gang affiliation and the matching of children. These assessments also consider the required staffing levels. The revised admissions process now offers a more thorough assessment of the home’s ability to meet children’s needs prior to placements being confirmed. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 2 Staff training provision is improved. All staff members have now completed first-aid training. In addition, all the staff team is now enrolled on the level 3 diploma in residential childcare, with the deputy manager and a senior worker all completing a management qualification. Both aim to complete this qualification by December 2021.

p.1

Regulation 12

Training on physical restraint for the whole staff team still needs to be arranged. The registered manager understands the importance of securing this training before any new children are admitted to the home.

p.2

Regulation 12

Leaders and managers have revised the home’s policy to meet the needs of children going missing from the home. The introduction of a new recording system enables staff to record information gained from independent return home interviews and conversations with key workers. Staff are now encouraged to remain ‘professionally curious’ and to evaluate this information and ensure that it is reflected in the appropriate risk assessment. This ensures that important safeguarding information is recorded and passed on to allocated social workers.

p.2

Regulation 12

Leaders and managers have worked with a social care consultant to revise the policy on informing Ofsted of significant events. There is now a clearer understanding of which concerns should be passed to the regulator. This will support Ofsted’s oversight of the home and preparation for future inspections.

p.2

Regulation 13

Aside from the registered manager, the care staff team is currently working in an informal basis in other settings. The registered manager commented that the staff team is ‘eager’ to return to work in the home. Staff continue to engage with supervision and training in the interim period. The registered manager hopes that this will ensure that there is some form of consistency for the home.

p.2

Regulation 13

The home’s independent visitor now provides regular and effective monthly monitoring. The independent visitor has worked in conjunction with the registered manager to revise monitoring and auditing procedures. This ensures that key documents, such as risk assessments and behaviour management plans, are reviewed monthly by both the registered manager and the independent visitor.

p.2

Regulation 13

All the staff now receive monthly supervision from the registered manager. This allows staff to reflect on their learning from training and on their views on the home’s revised policies and procedures.

p.2

Regulation 13

Staff are now benefiting from a broad range of training. Leaders and managers have accessed the hosting local authority’s training programme that is specific to meeting the needs of children who are at risk of going missing from their home. The registered manager has introduced a new procedure for assessing staff’s learning from training via ‘role play discussion’ in supervision and ‘reflective discussion.’ This Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 3 is aimed at helping the registered manager to be able to assess the impact of training on the staff’s ability to meet the complex needs of children.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/06/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 4

p.3

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.4

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.4

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)) 7 October 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

p.4

Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately 7 October 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 5 supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (7)(d)(8))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 7 October 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

p.5

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

p.5

Requirement Due date

if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death;

p.5

Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

p.5

Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 7 October 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 6 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.5

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a)) 7 October 2021

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the children to have an independent return home interview. The home should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the children’s relevant plan and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56,

p.6

Recommendations

paragraph 11.4)  The registered should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirement of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans to ensure that behaviour is managed effectively. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13)  The registered person should ensure that where there is a possibility that a child will run away or go missing from the home, the child’s risk assessment is reviewed and includes strategies to reduce risk when the risks of children going

p.6

Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 7 missing increase. (‘Guide to homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.24)

p.7

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.7

Information about this inspection

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

p.7

Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2611288 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.

p.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8