Children's Home run by Archways Care Limited in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 1 SC383941

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Archways Care Ltd

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a small organisation. The home can care for up to four children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties (social and emotional difficulties).

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in November 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted last visited the home to complete a full inspection on 6 and 7 October 2021. At the inspection, serious and widespread failures were found that meant children were not protected and their welfare was not promoted or safeguarded. As a result, the home was judged to be inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the significant concerns found during the inspection, Ofsted raised eight requirements and issued two compliance notices under regulations 12 (the protection of children standard) and 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the provider’s progress against the compliance notices. The inspectors found that they had taken enough action to meet the compliance notice under regulation 12. However, concerns remain in relation to the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual remains absent from work. An interim responsible individual is in place. The registered manager has informed Ofsted that they are leaving their post. The provider has interviewed a new manager. They are undergoing the recruitment process. The provider has also recruited a new independent visitor. However, their effectiveness is not yet known. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 2 Managers have implemented effective measures to monitor children’s internet usage. They have a system in place which filters online content and tracks online activity. Managers consult with children about this system. Children say that they do not like it but they understand that it keeps them safe.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are more creative when completing key-work sessions with children, in particular with regard to online safety. Key-work sessions are much more detailed and focused on risks and children’s needs. As a result, children are engaging more. They are also cooperating with the restrictions on their internet use.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, staff understand the risks posed to children and the measures in place to keep them safe. However, there are discrepancies in regard to the frequency of some measures. For example, staff should complete visual checks of one child. However, the required frequency of the checks is unclear. As a result, staff do not complete them consistently, thus undermining the child’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

Nevertheless, this child is now making some progress. Since the last inspection, they have begun to re-engage with their education. They are also spending more time out of their bedroom with staff doing activities such as baking. They identified to inspectors the staff whom they like and also said that they like their bedroom.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have escalated their concern with professionals that this child requires specialist support. This is because they have concern about the child’s mental health. As a result, the local authority has commissioned a therapist to visit the child in their home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff illustrate an understanding of the home’s safeguarding policy and procedures. This includes the whistle-blowing, reporting and recording procedures. The manager and staff are now responding to safeguarding incidents appropriately. This includes liaising with relevant professionals to ensure that there is external scrutiny.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not reviewed the skills and competency of all staff. The provider cannot be certain that the training they have put in place will meet any gaps or shortfalls. Staff do not have detailed and comprehensive development plans. They do not reflect their individual training needs. As a result, children continue to receive care from staff who may not understand their needs or how to respond to them.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made some improvement to their monitoring systems. However, they do not complete in-depth reviews and evaluations of the quality of care that children receive. Neither do they consider how they can use this information to ensure that continuous improvements are made. As a result, managers cannot be certain that children are receiving good-quality care.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the concerns identified, the compliance notice in relation to regulation 13 will be reissued, in addition to four of the requirements issued at the last Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 3 monitoring visit. Ofsted will review the remaining requirements and recommendations during the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/10/2021 Full Inadequate 09/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/06/2019 Full Inadequate 04/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager’s and staff’s understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. This includes understanding each child’s individual risk assessment, as well as having the ability to undertake the necessary steps to keep children safe. 4 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

*The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 4 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children are cared for by staff who have the skills, knowledge, experience and ability to meet their needs.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that any shortfalls, identified when monitoring and reviewing the care children receive are responded to promptly. This includes any allegations or complaints.

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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

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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. 4 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 7 The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (5) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the capability of the independent visitor, particularly their ability to identify the shortfalls in the care children receive and their reports being submitted in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (5)) 4 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 8 This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that they gather the views, wishes and feelings of children to incorporate into their review of the quality of care that children receive.

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This includes liaising with any external professionals, such as the fire service, and acting on any raised recommendations. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Archways Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hill Farm, Shawbury Lane, Shustoke, Coleshill, Birmingham B46 2RN

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Inspectors

Sarah Berry, Social Care Inspector Mazviita Makiyi, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC383941 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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