Children's Home run by Buckinghamshire Council in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1277453 1 Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to five children who experience social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 7 September 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1277453 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/07/2021 Full Good 05/11/2019 Full Good 19/03/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1277453 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have developed good relationships with children. Key workers play an important role in listening to children and helping them to achieve their goals and aspirations. Staff engage children in activities and spend quality time with them. Children enjoy watching football matches, going to the cinema, swimming, and raising funds for local charities with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have an active voice in the home. They feel comfortable to speak to staff about how they are feeling, and they feel valued and listened to. This means that children are receiving appropriate support and guidance from staff when they need help to manage their emotions and difficult feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to become more independent. Children are clear on the areas they are being supported to develop in and are excited about the progress they make. Staff creatively use incentive plans with children, which motivates them to achieve more. One child spoke enthusiastically about winning an award for having the tidiest bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are attending education placements. This is significant progress for all children as they have a previous history of disrupted learning. Staff regularly speak to children about the importance of going to school and help them with their daily learning and homework. One child regularly rides their bicycle to school, and another child has applied for a placement at a local college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff manage the children’s health needs well. There is good evidence of partnership working with a nurse who is linked to the local authority. This ensures that children achieve the actions set out in their regular reviews. One child has recently joined a gym. Staff have devised a clear incentive plan to help the child attend the gym to achieve this target and to build on the child’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of working effectively with children’s parents. This means that children feel cared for by a group of people who want and support the same outcomes for them. One child has been supported by their parent and staff to visit the dentist after a long period of non-attendance. The child’s mother said, ‘Staff are helping me to be mum again, I can’t thank them enough.’

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

The registered manager keeps risk assessments under regular review. Staff are aware of the children’s risks and strategies they use to keep them safe. Staff speak to children about internet safety, healthy relationships and consent. This helps children to reflect on their previous actions and better manage situations and risks for themselves. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277453 4 There is good triangulation of known and emerging risks in relevant plans for children. Pertinent information and guidance for staff in managing these risks are streamlined into safety management plans. These plans are shared with relevant agencies and there is evidence of regular review and professional oversight. Furthermore, key workers hold focused workshops with children to help them identify personal risks, in a hope to educate and provide them with the right information to make better and safer future choices.

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

Staff work closely and effectively with the mental health service provided by the local authority for children. This work is underpinned in behaviour support plans and strategies that staff follow to help children manage their feelings and emotions. This support is providing critical assessments for children, which means that their needs are quickly identified by a clinical professional who sees and supports children regularly.

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

Children are clear on the process of making a complaint in the home. There has been one complaint from a child since the last full inspection. This was managed well by senior leaders. The complaint was thoroughly investigated with a focus on value-based learning. This approach brings meaning and a conclusion to children when raising their concerns.

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

The registered manager has good oversight of staff recruitment checks. He understands safer recruitment practices and the importance of exploring staff’s work history. This professional curiosity helps to ensure that unsuitable adults do not work in the home.

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

Staff rarely use consequences with children. When they do, children are spoken with and given the opportunity to reflect on their behaviour and the impact this may have had on others. However, there are inconsistencies between staff and what they think constitutes as restorative practice and a consequence. This has the potential for children to be met with inconsistent approaches.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, a new registered manager has been appointed. The registered manager previously managed another children’s home within this local authority. The manager, key workers and children moved to this home at the same time in a planned way from the previous home. This continuity of care for children means that they have successfully moved in and feel comfortable with those around them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate about the children he and the staff team care for. He ambitiously speaks about children and the development of staff. He is clear on the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has tangible ideas and expectations for the continuation of development in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s monitoring is robust and clearly demonstrates action planning and regular reviews. The use of chronologies, gathering information and Inspection report for children’s home: 1277453 5 how this is presented, clearly evidences streamlined processes and excellent organisational skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that the registered manager is highly visible, fair and always available to them and children. All staff say that they value their supervision sessions and individual professional development goals. This means that staff work together well and feel part of a skilled and well-supported team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous manager and the new registered manager have met all the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277453 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour, and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 1277453 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Buckinghamshire Council, Chief Executive, Walton Street Offices, Walton Street, Aylesbury HP20 1UA

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1277453 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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