Children's home run by Headway Adolescent Resources Limited in Monmouthshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC447768 1 SC447768 Registered provider: Headway Adolescent Resources Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home provides care for up to three children, with social and/or emotional difficulties. The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. One child had lived there for two years, and the other child for one year. One child had moved out of the home during the inspection period.

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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

Date of last inspection: 18 January 2022

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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: SC447768 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/01/2022 Full Good 22/10/2019 Full Good 06/11/2018 Full Good 05/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC447768 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living in this home and are supported by a staff team whose members know them well. One child told the inspector that the manager has helped them ‘a lot’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child who has moved out of the home to independence since the last inspection told the inspector that they ‘absolutely loved living in the home’ and wish for all children needing care to be able to live in the home and be helped as they have been. This relationship is ongoing and the child described a continuing relationship with staff and the invitation to visit at any time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education has been a challenge during this period for one child. However, staff have worked well with other agencies and this has now been resolved, as the child is on an increasing timetable and is well supported to attend, with a high attendance rate. Therefore, both children are accessing education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms have been redecorated and provide a personalised space that is well furnished to have all their belongings around them. Children have been part of the decisions for the wider renovations and now have an indoor cinema room, with plans for an outdoor cinema when the warmer weather arrives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to expand their experiences and staff are ambitious for children to develop their skills to be able to extend their social circles. This is in the early stages for both children due to their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have not yet built a strong relationship with the children’s families. This is an ambition of the manager, who has plans in place to develop stronger working relationships with those people who are important to the children.

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

Children are kept safe in this home. Staff have managed some complex behaviours during this inspection period. Leaders and managers have raised this with the responsible authorities and advocated for additional support to ensure stability and consistency for the children.

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

Children are up to date with their health appointments and the manager has advocated when there have been delays. The manager and staff are aware that weight may be becoming an issue for the children and are actively trying to address this, encouraging a healthier lifestyle through food and activity. Snacks and treats are routinely kept in the staff bedroom. The registered manager accepts that this is institutional practice and said that they will be addressing this following the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC447768 4 Children are involved in their care planning and recording of documents. This is individualised to each of the children. Staff need to give some thought to the use of language to ensure that it is accessible to children and avoid professional jargon.

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

Restraints are not regularly used in this home and staff use these as a last resort. They are proportionate and have been used to keep the child and/or staff safe. Children and staff receive debriefs following any intervention. However, the quality of the debrief and the recordings are inconsistent. Staff do not always receive professional challenge and their feelings and thoughts about the intervention are not always recorded accurately.

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

One child’s medication has specific instructions on dosage that is out of date and is not being followed by staff. The manager is working to resolve this with the child’s doctor to ensure that the prescription is accurate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working in this home and describe the team and manager as being committed. Staff receive bespoke training from the in-house clinical team to develop understanding and practice that is specific to the children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children make allegations, these are acted on promptly and appropriate actions are taken to ensure children’s safety. While the investigation is thorough and the appropriate services are informed, the recording of the outcomes is inconsistent. Children do not routinely receive a letter to acknowledge the outcome of their complaint; however, they are spoken with by a member of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is provided regularly to staff. Staff further report that the registered manager is available to them throughout the month and they regularly speak and reflect as a staff team. However, some supervision records do not accurately record the discussion between the supervisor and supervisee, making them too ambiguous when revisiting the document.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager shows ambition for the children and the development of the staff team. They are aware of the vulnerabilities and are working to develop practice. This includes reporting and recording on the children’s files.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment practices are in place in this home. One child is also keen to support this process and attend a recruitment fair with the leaders and managers, which is being arranged.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been extensive renovations to the home, with just the staff bedroom and bathroom still to complete. Staff said that children have taken pride in their home since the improvements. Inspection report for children’s home: SC447768 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, plans should be kept up to date and reflect the care that each child needs. 31 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the prescription is accurate and is administered as prescribed. 28 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. 28 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC447768 6 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff debriefs are reflective, offer professional challenge and are an accurate recording of the discussion.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff build a positive relationship with each child and help the child develop skills to have positive relationships with others. ‘Others’ includes individuals both inside and outside the home, such as other children in the home, staff, family members, siblings, previous carers and friends (in accordance with their relevant plans). In particular, staff should build positive working relationships with the significant people in the child’s life to help promote positive relationships. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6)  The registered person should ensure that records of supervision are thorough in detail and provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet and exercise. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

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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: SC447768 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Headway Adolescent Resources Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Malvern View, Saxon Business Park, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove B60 4AD

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Inspector

Katie Ratcliffe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC447768 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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