Children's home run by Action for Children in Watford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC432331 1 SC432331 Registered provider: Action for Children Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A charity operates this home. The home provides a residential short-breaks service for up to eight children at any one time. The conditions of registration allow for one child to live at the home permanently. The children have learning disabilities and some additional complex physical and health-related needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since July 2020.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC432331 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/07/2021 Full Good 24/07/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Good 29/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC432331 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, 29 children were accessing this short-breaks service.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children were observed to be happy, playful and relaxed with the staff. Staff have meaningful relationships with children, and they show genuine care and interest. One child said that the staff are amazing, and another child said that she loves playing hide and seek with the staff. Children feel secure, valued and loved.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have complex health and dietary needs. Staff receive training in specialist health needs from nurses. They understand the importance of providing high-quality care to meet children’s health needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a range of activities, including day trips, visits to the zoo, go- karting and theatre productions. Three children have also been on a holiday camp break. The children thoroughly enjoy these fun and enriching experiences.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to work towards simple, achievable independence targets. Staff encourage children to make choices about their care. Children achieve important targets to increase their independence and well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Whenever possible, children are introduced to the home gradually. Staff meet children, parents and teachers from the child’s school. Families can visit the home multiple times before children have overnight stays. Children feel welcomed to the home. One parent said that the transition was excellent, and that their child had never previously managed a whole night away from the family home. Careful and thorough planning reduces children’s anxieties about staying away from their family home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and vibrant, with several communal rooms for children to relax in. There is a sensory room and tactile sensory boards in communal areas. Children’s artwork and photographs are displayed. Children’s bedrooms are colour- themed. The children enjoy using accessible outdoor play equipment. The home provides a welcoming and positive environment for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s guide is not accessible for all children; it does not reflect the children’s age range or their different communication needs.

p.3

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

The children are supervised well and feel safe. Staff use their positive relationships with children to reduce the need for physical intervention. When this is used, it is appropriate and proportionate, and the manager completes debriefs with the staff and children involved. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432331 4 Children are safeguarded effectively. One social worker said that safeguarding is ‘second to none’ at the home. Staff confidently report safeguarding concerns. Staff reported practice concerns about two agency workers who were supporting a child in a separate part of the building. These agency staff were employed by the local authority. The manager notified the local authority designated officer, the local authority and Ofsted promptly regarding the concerns, and ensured that the agency staff did not continue to support the child. Despite the manager escalating her requests for information to the local authority managers, there is currently no

p.3

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

outcome. Since this incident, the manager has changed agency and ensures that agency staff work alongside core staff. Being responsive and open to learning from incidents helps to maintain good staff practice.

p.4

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

There have been two medication errors. The manager followed these up with staff. Staff receive regular refresher training around medication processes and have their competency to administer medication monitored. The manager has improved some medication processes. This response means that medication errors are minimal.

p.4

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

The home’s location risk assessment identifies relevant risks and how these risks are reduced. However, the risk assessment report has not had input from other professionals for three years. The report would benefit from up-to-date views from relevant people.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very experienced and has a relevant level 5 diploma. The manager is an excellent role model to the staff. She is dedicated to providing excellent care for children. Staff are enthusiastic and caring and provide child-centred care. The children have good experiences during their short breaks at the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager monitors the home effectively and completes regular audits. She participates in regular meetings with other managers and the responsible individual. The meetings look at ways to develop and improve the service. The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the service and is committed to driving improvements.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is an excellent advocate for children. For example, she complained on behalf of one child about the child not being able to access his films during one of his stays. The manager responded in writing to the child and resolved the issue promptly. The manager investigates and responds to complaints from parents effectively. The manager takes complaints seriously and, because of this, children and parents feel understood.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person reviews the home monthly and generates a report that is sent to Ofsted monthly. The reports are of good quality and include feedback from children, parents and professionals. The independent person makes appropriate recommendations. The recommendations help the service to make improvements to the quality of care that children receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432331 5 The staff receive some good specialist training and attend workshops. However, some of the staff have not received training in autism spectrum disorder or specific training in safeguarding children with disabilities. This does not equip the staff fully for their roles, given the complex needs of the children in their care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel fully supported by the manager and said that the manager is approachable and open to ideas. The staff are happy and fulfilled in their roles and morale is high. Full-time staff receive regular supervision; however, night staff and casual staff do not. This means that opportunities for staff development may be missed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC432331 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff, including night staff and casual staff, receive regular supervision. 25 September

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should produce a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement at the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age-appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure that they understand it. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.21)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate training, including training in autism spectrum disorder and in safeguarding children with disabilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year and consult relevant persons in doing so. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the

p.6

Recommendations

quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

p.6

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: SC432331 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action for Children

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Action for Children, 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford WD18 8AG

p.7

Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC432331 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8