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

Inspection report children’s home: 2635562 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

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Currently, there is one child living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is appropriately qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since being registered with Ofsted in March 2021.

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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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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: none Inspection report children’s home: 2635562 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in this home is making good progress. For example, the number of incidents she has been involved in has significantly reduced when compared with her previous placements. Staff genuinely care about the child and the child feels cared for and looked after.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although education attendance is not yet consistently good, it is improving steadily. The child is now achieving some success, including passing an exam.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff fully understand and adhere to a legal order relating to the child. The order is reviewed regularly in a multi-agency forum, and the home’s management team makes an important contribution to this review. Because the child has become safer, the restrictions associated with the order have now significantly reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home started operating during the pandemic, in March 2021. The pandemic has affected staff absence levels and turnover. Despite the significant challenges, the registered manager has ensured that care standards remain high. However, there has been very little planned work carried out with the child around why staff have left or to prepare her for staff leaving. This would enable the child to make better sense of why staff leave so that she doesn’t feel responsible or rejected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although activities were curtailed for a short while because of COVID-19 restrictions, this has not had a significant negative impact on the child. The child has enjoyed two short-break holidays and a range of interesting, stimulating activities. A memory book has been created with photos of activities and memorabilia. This will be a lovely keepsake for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the physical and mental health of the child well. A therapist works with staff to help them address the complex emotional needs of the child. Staff also work closely with other specialist mental health services to ensure that the child’s mental health needs are fully addressed.

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

Staff have warm and nurturing relationships with the child. These relationships help her to feel safe and secure. The stable environment has enabled the child to reflect on her previous behaviours and has led to a reduction in risk-taking behaviours.

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

Staff are patient, empathetic and supportive of the child during incidents. This helps the child to de-escalate and talk to staff about why she has become distressed. Staff and managers reflect on incidents openly. As a result, they quickly adapt their strategies and improve their practice. Inspection report children’s home: 2635562 3 Physical intervention is managed well. Staff only use restraint when necessary and there have been relatively few restraints when compared with the number of incidents. This is because staff use de-escalation techniques effectively.

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

Risk-management plans are known and implemented by staff. This helps to keep the child safe. There have been few incidents of the child going missing from home. When the child does go missing, staff follow good procedures to ensure that she returns safely. Staff have a clear understanding of why the child might go missing. They help the child to understand the risks associated with going missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. She is a good leader. She has demonstrated considerable skill in dealing with the challenges of opening and operating a children’s home during the pandemic. She is ably supported by the very effective deputy manager. Staff feel valued and very well supported by managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

It is to the provider’s credit that the resources, patience and time they have committed to the child have started to make a difference to her life. As managers have got to know and understand the child, recruitment processes have improved so that they have a clearer focus on recruiting staff who have the necessary resilience, skills and experience to meet her needs. Because of the expertise of the management team, the high turnover of staff is reducing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good training, which has given them the depth of understanding they need to meet the needs of the child effectively. Staff understand the child’s background and underlying causes of the behaviour she exhibits. They provide a therapeutic approach alongside clear, consistent boundaries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals are highly complimentary about the management of the home, particularly emphasising the resilience and tenacity of managers in meeting the needs of the child. A social worker said that managers have gone ‘over and above’ for the child. Inspection report children’s home: 2635562 4

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager preparing children for when staff leave or supporting children when staff have left. This will help children with closure. 30 December

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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: 2635562 5

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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, Nottinghamshire NG1 5BQ

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Inspector

Joanne Vyas, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2635562 6 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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