Children's home run by Action for Children Services Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 2537149 1 Registered provider: Action for Children Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a charity. It provides care for up to four children aged up to 18 with a sensory impairment and/or a learning disability and/or a physical disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 5 September 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Inspection date: 27 October 2021

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 27 October 2021

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2537149 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children receive good-quality care in this home and benefit from positive experiences. Staff nurture the children, and relationships between staff and children are positive. A wide range of different activities are taking place during children’s half-term holiday, and the inspector observed lots of laughter in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to make progress, they. are developing their communication and independence skills and building friendships with others. In relation to Covid 19, staff have supported children effectively to be able to take lateral flow tests without this causing them distress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the requirements and two recommendations made at the previous inspection have been met. The previous recommendation in relation to reviewing and seeking to remove unnecessary health and safety signs remains. More work is required in this area.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has reviewed the home’s records and improvements have been made. Children’s records now provide clear guidance for staff on how to care for and meet each child’s needs, including supporting them with personal care. The restraint and incident records now contain all the information required.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although there have been no new children move into the home, the manager has reflected on the feedback from the previous inspection and has improved the formal assessment process to aid future matching of new children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding is well managed. Staff take appropriate action in relation to safeguarding concerns. When undertaken, investigations are of an appropriate quality. Lessons learned from safeguarding events are used to improve practice further.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is working hard to recruit new staff to four vacancies. Currently, vacancies are covered by staff working additional hours and a core group of agency staff to ensure consistency of care for the children. Recruitment records on agency staff contain the required information.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The monitoring by the independent person requires improvement. The independent person does not consistently obtain feedback from parents and social workers and does not clearly state in the monitoring report their view as to whether the children are safeguarded effectively and their well-being is promoted. These areas are required by regulation. Inspection report children’s home: 2537149 3 The quality of the manager’s monitoring and her review of the quality of care report has improved. Information from this monitoring is used to develop practices at the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2537149 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2537149 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

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) 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 (1) (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that the independent person gathers feedback from children’s social workers/families. 31 December

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Recommendation

 The registered person should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression in the home. For example, they should review the health and safety signage and seek to reduce/remove unnecessary signs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report children’s home: 2537149 6

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: 2537149 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: Action for Children, 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford WD18 8AG

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2537149 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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