Children's Home run by Anchor Care and Education Ltd in Leicestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 1 Registered provider: Anchor Care and Education Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager left the home in December 2021.

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Inspection date: 15 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 15 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 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 this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met four of the five requirements made at the last full inspection. The requirement relating to the employment of staff is restated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. One of the children has moved into the home since the last full inspection. A third child moved on from the home to an outreach provision. This was for further assessment of their care needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children’s moves to and from the home were well planned. Children participated in the planning process. They visited the home and chose items for their bedrooms. Good planning supports staff to understand children’s individual needs and, therefore, to improve the quality of care children receive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Clear risk assessments set out actions for staff to take to mitigate risks to children. Staff review the risk assessments and speak confidently about their understanding of the children’s plans. As a result, children are kept safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children receive the therapeutic support they need. This helps them to understand their feelings and thoughts and to develop skills to increase their self-esteem and personal safety. As a result, children are making positive choices, such as taking part in education and not going missing from home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A social worker spoke about the progress their child has made since living at the home, which includes no incidents of the child going missing, no physical restraints, and positive engagement in education. The social worker spoke about the home’s environment being ‘calm, quiet and nurturing’. This has a positive effect on the child feeling safe and well cared for. The social worker said that some staff have not always understood the child’s journey. This relates to understanding their gender identity. However, staff’s understanding has improved. A psychotherapist has worked with staff to support their understanding of the child’s gender identity needs. As a result, the quality of care for the child has improved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have made good progress in their education. One child attends school full time. He is also developing his social skills. Another child, who has not been in education for many months, is now engaging in full-time education at the home. This is supporting the child’s academic progress and preparing them for a move to a new education provision. Staff have advocated for the child to be in school. The staff understand that this is in the child’s best interests. Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 3 Managers ensure that any internal investigations are carried out thoroughly. Communication with external professionals is good. This ensures that safeguarding concerns are shared and swiftly addressed. Consequently, children are kept safe and feel listened to.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have improved their oversight of the home. The manager now completes weekly audits of children’s files and reviews their progress. Staff are in the early stages of using a new recording system. As a result of this new system, records in the home and the review of records have improved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff said that they are supported by managers. Staff can have open discussions with managers to share concerns and seek advice. Staff spoke about the team communicating well. This has given staff the opportunity to develop their practice and reflect on the needs of the children. As a result, the children’s needs are better understood and external services are accessed for children to support their emotional well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff undertake direct work with children. This enables children to share how they feel and understand their risks and vulnerabilities. Recording of this work is not of a good standard. As a result, the progress that children make in developing their skills and emotional well-being is not demonstrated or understood by staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are aware of the plans and risks for children who move to the home and who are living there. A social worker spoke about the staff’s efforts to assess the risks and support needs of their child. However, the matching risk assessment is not of good quality. As a result, new or agency staff do not have easy access to relevant information about children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite some staff shortages, there are enough staff to meet the needs of the children. Shortfalls in staffing are being addressed by managers through ongoing recruitment. The manager uses agency staff when required. The manager has not ensured that overseas checks have been completed for agency staff. As a result, managers cannot be assured that all agency staff are suitable to work with children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that overseas checks for agency staff are completed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 28 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. This specifically relates to the quality of the recording in the matching risk assessment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. This relates to the quality of records of direct work with children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.7)

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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. Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 6 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: 2637127 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Anchor Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Saxon House, Moseley’s Farm Business Centre, Fornham All Saints, Bury St. Edmunds IP28 6JY

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Inspector

Laraine Edmondson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2637127 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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