Children's home run by A&M Care Solutions Limited – trading as Metropolitan Care Solutions

Inspection report children's home: 2589579 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 provides care and accommodation for up to three children and/or young people with a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is experienced and qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since being registered in April 2020.

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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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2589579 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected. Inspection report children's home: 2589579 3

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outstanding

Children are very happy. They are confident and comfortable in their home. Children develop very nurturing and supportive relationships with staff. Children also form friendships with the other children living at the home.

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outstanding

Children make life changing progress in a relatively short period of time. For example, a child was admitted into the home using a wheelchair and was underweight. The child no longer requires the wheelchair and is now a healthier weight. Children have developed better social and personal care skills. For example, a child is now starting to use verbal language. A social worker said that a child has ‘come on in leaps and bounds’.

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outstanding

Staff fully support children to attend school and complete their homework. A child who had previously found it very difficult to cope with the routines of the school day, now attends without incident. This is because the staff have carefully reviewed each of the child’s difficulties and found creative solutions. For example, staff now accompany him to school and support him throughout the journey. This has helped the child to feel less anxious and, therefore, he copes better with his school routines.

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outstanding

Careful attention is paid to children’s complex health needs. This does not prevent the children enjoying a normal childhood. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of the health concerns and how to manage them. They make good observations, which are relayed to medical professionals, helping medics to make well-evidenced adjustments to the child’s healthcare package.

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outstanding

Children have access to rich and varied opportunities in the home and the community. For example, they carry out charitable work for local community organisations. They go on trips to the seaside, train stations and museums. They also go for walks and play in the garden.

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outstanding

The home is decorated in a very child focused way. Staff have created a quiet area with a large wall mounted heart full of photos of the children and people who are important to them. In another part of the home, staff write positive comments about the children on paper caterpillars. These are added to a tree painted on the wall, making an excellent visual reminder for children about what they have done well. Children’s progress is also tracked on a large mural that, because one of the children enjoys trains, is set out like the London underground map. The photographs, progress chart and caterpillar tree are imaginative approaches that help children to have a better understanding of their life in the home. Staff have turned one child’s bedroom wall into a large blackboard because the child loves drawing on his wall. This attention to detail ensures that each child’s happiness is fully promoted. Inspection report children's home: 2589579 4

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outstanding

There is an uncompromising culture of safeguarding children at this home. Staff fully understand the home’s child protection and whistle-blowing procedures. Staff adhere to clear, well-set-out risk assessments that help them to mitigate risks for children.

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outstanding

Staff fully understand children’s triggers and are very skilled at supporting children who become anxious or distressed. Staff regularly discuss children’s behaviour as a team, to better understand the underlying causes of children’s anxieties. They implement carefully thought-out interventions that have been devised in consultation with other specialist agencies. Because interventions are so effective, children are safer, potentially harmful incidents occur less often, and children are rarely restrained. Staff have shared their expertise in behaviour management with other professionals, such as the children’s teachers. Consequently, a child’s behaviour in school has also improved.

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outstanding

Children’s views and wishes are continually sought and listened to. Staff ensure that children’s wishes are acted on where possible. Staff support children very well to view and contribute to their records so that their wishes and feelings are taken account of in care reviews.

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outstanding

Highly effective key-worker sessions help children to learn about a range of personal safety issues such as handling money and road safety, as well as teaching them about acceptable behaviour. Consequently, children have made exceptional progress in a short period of time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is experienced and qualified. He is ably supported by his deputy manager. The home’s senior leadership also supports the manager well. Together, the management group makes a highly effective team and provides excellent leadership to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has an established, experienced staff team. Most staff have worked at the home since it opened. None of the staff have left the home. This provides children with continuity and consistency of care, which underpins the exceptional progress they make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are very well supported by each other and the management team. Managers provide regular, good-quality, reflective supervision for staff. High-quality training supports the team to provide excellent care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers ensure that staff have access to detailed, up-to-date care plans. Managers have a very good understanding of the progress that each child is making. They ensure that children’s progress and achievements are recognised and celebrated. For example, good-quality key-worker records highlight how children learn and develop Inspection report children's home: 2589579 5 during activities, the life skills work they do and any challenges experienced by children. These records are brought to life with photographs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals are very happy with the care children receive in the home. They say staff work closely with them and that communication is effective. One professional said that the home is like a family.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s development plan clearly demonstrates the objectives that managers have set for the home and how these are being met. Children are very involved in making and implementing improvement plans. There are many examples of recent developments that children have discussed and participated in, including charitable work. Inspection report children's home: 2589579 6

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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: 2589579 7

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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: 2589579 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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