Atkinson Unit

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 1 SC046276

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Registered provider: Devon County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this secure children’s home

This secure children’s home is managed by a local authority and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty. The children’s home can accommodate up to 12 children who are aged between 10 and 17 years. There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The home provides care for children accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who are placed by local authorities. Admission of any child under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who is under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2022.

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Information about this secure children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 2 Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 3

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children continue to benefit from good-quality care from staff, who are attentive and familiar with their needs. Children develop positive relationships with staff and make good progress.

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The care of children

Children’s care and support plans accurately reflect their needs and most-relevant risks. Children are helped to understand the reasons why they need secure care. Direct work, which reflects children’s individual needs and personal circumstances, supports children to become increasingly safe.

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The care of children

A well-planned mobility programme gives children opportunities to demonstrate that they are ready to spend increasing amounts of time in the community. Children have access to a wide range of activities, which allow them to fully explore their talents and interests.

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The care of children

The processes that are followed when children move in to and out of the home are thorough and thoughtful. Managers work closely with other professionals to create plans to ensure that children have the support they need. This approach creates the best opportunity for moves to go smoothly.

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The care of children

The environment is well maintained to ensure that it is as comfortable and homely as possible. The recommendation made in the last inspection about adding garden fencing to ensure children’s privacy has been met.

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The care of children

Children are treated with dignity and respect, and their views are valued. Regular meetings are held with children, and they influence decisions about the day-to-day running of the home. However, records of these meetings could be improved to ensure that when requests cannot be met, children receive clear feedback about why this is the case.

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The care of children

The recommendation in relation to children’s education and learning made at the full inspection in June 2022 will be considered at the next full inspection.

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The safety of children

Children’s safety and well-being are high priorities for staff. Staff are attuned and responsive to the risks that are present for children individually and as a group.

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The safety of children

Staff remain resilient when managing difficult situations. Effective use of de- escalation techniques ensure that the need for physical restraint and single separation, where children are locked in an area when they meet the legal criteria of Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 4 being a significant risk to themselves or others, is kept to a minimum. Behaviour management responses are robustly scrutinised by managers to ensure that they are proportionate and appropriate.

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The safety of children

Incidents where children are at risk of harm are rare. When concerns arise, managers take swift and decisive action to ensure the safety of children. They identify any shortfalls in practice and take steps to ensure that learning from incidents is shared with the whole staff team. This reduces the risk of a similar incident happening again. Managers notify Ofsted about all serious events.

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The safety of children

In response to a requirement made at the last inspection, recruitment processes have been reviewed and amended. All necessary checks are carried out to ensure that adults working in the home are suitable before they commence their employment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers are ambitious and have high aspirations for children. They are deeply committed to improving children’s life chances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Meaningful joint working between the managers of the care, health and education teams ensures that children benefit from an effective wraparound service. Children’s needs are assessed as soon as possible after they arrive, and the teams work closely together to ensure that children have consistently good experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is an embedded culture of welcoming feedback from external sources. Criticisms and comments about the service are seen as an opportunity to learn, reflect and improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager receives effective support from senior leaders. However, a responsible individual has not been nominated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2022 Full Good 09/02/2022 Full Good 29/06/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 6

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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

An organisation may only carry on a home if—

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Requirement Due date

the organisation has notified HMCI of the name, address and position in the organisation of the responsible individual.

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit to carry on the home; and

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Requirement Due date

the individual is financially fit to carry on the home.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (4)(ii) (5)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a)(b)) 31 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn. In particular, leaders should produce a strategy for the development of English and mathematics across all parts of the curriculum. They should deliver a staff development programme that supports its implementation so that children improve their English and mathematics skills faster and in a Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 7 consistent way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 8

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider: Devon County Council

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 4QD

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Inspectors

Helen Simmons, Social Care Inspector Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046276 9 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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Inspectors

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