Children's home run by Absolute Children’s Services Ltd in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children’s home: SC481172 1 SC481172 Registered provider: Absolute Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned and run. It provides care for up to four children who may have emotional, social and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 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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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC481172 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/08/2019 Full Outstanding 12/03/2019 Full Outstanding 22/03/2018 Full Good 06/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC481172 3

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outstanding

Staff and managers know the children and their vulnerabilities well. They use this knowledge to provide children with high-quality care. This care is individualised and regularly reviewed to promote the children’s well-being and their safety.

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outstanding

Children make excellent progress in all areas. This includes education, health, social relationships and their ability to manage their emotions. Due to early childhood trauma, sometimes children will try to hurt themselves. However, this is responded to robustly and consistently by staff, which minimises the frequency and severity of incidents.

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outstanding

The established relationships between professionals, carers, children and families provide an effective framework for regular and appropriate information-sharing. The care provided by the home is held in high regard by professionals. There is appropriate collaboration to understand and manage risk which ensures a consistent response across settings.

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outstanding

Children have access to regular therapy which directly relates to their vulnerabilities. This provides a safe space to explore their experiences and emotions. This promotes progress and reflects the therapeutic ethos of the home.

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outstanding

Children’s views and wishes are central to their care. There are multiple mechanisms for seeking children’s opinions, and their views are listened to and acted on by staff. This helps them to feel valued and also invested in their care.

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outstanding

Children have positive experiences and are encouraged to lead an active and fun life. They are supported to do things both in the local community and further afield. Last year, they enjoyed a holiday together. This joint experience promoted the development of a group identity.

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outstanding

There is a high level of support provided to help children to move on from the home. This starts a long time in advance by equipping children with life skills and the emotional resilience to be able to live more independently. When it is unclear where children will move to, managers and staff challenge and advocate to ensure that plans are made. They also advocate to ensure that the children’s views influence these plans. This helps to ensure that children feel empowered to make decisions.

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outstanding

Children arrive at the home with high-risk behaviours. These include harming themselves, struggling to regulate their emotions, using aggressive or challenging behaviours, going missing, vulnerability to exploitation, and substance misuse. Inspection report for children’s home: SC481172 4 During their time at the home, these areas are addressed consistently and repeatedly by staff. This means that, over time, these risks reduce.

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outstanding

The quality of risk assessments and risk management plans are exceptional. They offer a lot of detail and staff follow this clear guidance to effectively manage risks. The assessments are also regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they remain current and appropriate. This helps to better protect the children.

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outstanding

On the rare occasion when a serious incident happens in the home, the manager is reliable in submitting safeguarding notifications to the regulator. There are occasions, however, where an isolated incident may fall short in terms of meeting the threshold for notification, but when taken in a broader context may indicate a pattern of escalating risk. The manager has not always submitted a notification in these instances. The episodes of children going missing are relatively low, especially in comparison to before children arrive at the home. However, when this has occurred, staff follow agreed protocols and are proactive in their response. This ensures that the children return home as quickly as possible.

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outstanding

Behaviour management is consistent and well considered by staff. This enables the children to think about their feelings and learn other ways of coping. The use of reward and consequences has also helped to promote positive behavioural changes in children.

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outstanding

Physical intervention is only used as a last resort, and when this is necessary to promote children’s safety. Staff are appropriately trained and follow plans to ensure that this is done safely and proportionately. Any incident involving the use of a physical intervention is appropriately reviewed by the manager. There are effective debriefs with staff and children to ensure these events are used as a learning opportunity to reduce repetition. Staff embrace the principles of restorative practice and rebuild relationships with the children quickly and effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a clear vision for the home to develop its therapeutic culture. She is tenacious in ensuring plans are followed and that the care delivered is of the highest standard. Her mechanisms for checking and monitoring staff practice are robust and well maintained, and she has appropriately high expectations of both herself and her staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Any shortfalls are quickly identified and addressed, and the manager has plans for developing staff expertise to provide children with even further choice around how they are supported. Plans are in place for staff to deliver life coaching, stress management and reflexology to promote the well-being and life choices of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC481172 5 Supervision is regularly delivered and is reflective and well recorded. It promotes the development of staff, alongside an opportunity to reflect on the children and address any areas of concern. The therapeutic ethos of the home is reflected in the clinical supervision that is offered to the team by the home’s therapist. There is consistent acknowledgment of the emotional impact on staff of caring for vulnerable children with complex needs. This support and understanding improves staff’s use of reflection and promotes their resilience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The effective multi-agency networks and collaborative working result in children having access to the most appropriate services to help them. The manager actively escalates and challenges when she perceives any shortfalls in the practice of others. This results in children having a strong and powerful advocate, and prevents delay and drift in progressing care plans. One professional described the manager as a powerhouse in her advocacy for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The care that is delivered in the home is tolerant, non-judgemental and aspirational for the children. There is a consistent message from staff, leaders and managers that the children’s needs, well-being and safety are paramount. This motivates the team to deliver consistently child-focused care of the highest quality. Inspection report for children’s home: SC481172 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should notify the regulator of serious incidents. The home must assess each case individually taking into account any patterns of behaviour or unusual behaviour which may indicate an increased risk to the child. Homes should also consider the frequency of incidents and judge whether their cumulative effect makes notification appropriate even if in isolation each event would not warrant this. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.11)

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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 for children’s home: SC481172 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Absolute Childrens Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 98 Grove Street, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 8DU

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Inspector

Rachel Ruth, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC481172 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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