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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 1 SC061878 Registered provider: Headway Adolescent Resources Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home can provide care for up to four children with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider that operates several other homes.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2014.

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

Date of last inspection: 9 November 2021

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2021 Full Good 03/12/2019 Full Good 20/11/2018 Full Outstanding 12/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is inviting and warm, and it is decorated to a high standard throughout. Downstairs areas provide homely spaces for children. Children’s bedrooms are personalised in line with their interests. The many photos decorating the walls show an array of trips and activities that children have experienced. The office space is accessible to children and can provide space for private chats or an additional area for activities. The large outdoor area is well maintained.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves in and out of the home are comprehensively planned and managed. Carers have supported children to identify and secure suitable accommodation. Carers support children to develop vital skills in preparation for leaving the home. Conversations with children are educational but nurturing.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to do well in education. When it is beneficial for a child who is moving to the home to remain at a previous school some distance from the home, staff undertake long journeys to facilitate this. When one child was experiencing difficulties at school, carers supported and advocated for the child. Carers’ actions led to positive change for the child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s social workers report that children achieve and make progress while living in the home. They report that carers are committed to children and provide them with necessary support. Communication and keeping social workers updated are emphasised as strengths of the home. The social worker for one child highlighted that the child had made significant progress in the initial period of living in the home, and the parent of the child agreed with this view.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers support children to make complaints. Children are informed about the progress of their complaint and the outcome. During the inspection, the inspector heard the registered manager reading a complaint outcome letter to a child. This was done in a clear but sensitive and warm manner. The registered manager answered the child’s questions appropriately.

p.3

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

Children like living in the home. All of the children living in the home at the time of the inspection reported that they feel safe and like living there. They identified carers they can talk to. The time that carers spend with children is a good balance of fun activities with important and necessary activities.

p.3

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When children do go missing, carers take action to find them and return them home safely. Carers communicate effectively with other professionals and family members, which avoids delays in children being found. Recordings are detailed and return home interviews are requested. Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 4 There have been incidents where carers have restrained children. Use of restraint is a last resort. Less-restrictive methods are attempted as an initial intervention, which is in line with children’s plans. The recording of these incidents is thorough and reflective. Carers and children receive debriefs.

p.3

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

Documents that contain information about children are comprehensive and clear. Plans provide the reader with important information about elements of a child’s life that are necessary to provide them with a good level of care. When risk has been identified, this is appropriately assessed. Plans to manage risk are accessible and clear.

p.4

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

Children have not always felt safe while living in the home. They have been the subject of racist comments and verbal aggression from other children living in the home. Children have witnessed repeated significant incidents of violence and aggression. During these incidents, carers attempted to limit the harm that children were experiencing. Conversations with children following these incidents were meaningful and focused; however, these did not lead to change, and children continued to experience abusive behaviours. Children living in the home expressed relief when interim and final changes were made to make the home a calmer and safer environment.

p.4

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

Concerns in relation to staff practice are dealt with efficiently. When concerns are raised, prompt action is taken to safeguard children. Thorough investigations provide assurance that carers are safe to work with children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers respect their manager. They provide overwhelmingly positive feedback in relation to the support the registered manager provides. They attribute the development of a supportive and strong work ethic in the home to their manager’s leadership.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good knowledge of the children who live in the home and their needs. They want children to thrive and achieve. The progress of children is monitored and reviewed to highlight children’s successes. When necessary, chronologies of concern are devised, building a narrative of children’s behaviours and experiences.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management and carers receive good-quality supervision. Supervision is regular and reflective. There is a clear focus on how carers meet the needs of children. Carers report that supervision is beneficial to their practice and development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings have a clear focus on the children living in the home. Attendance at meetings is good. Recordings are good and actions are clear.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children’s needs are identified, carers are provided with additional training. A child with specific needs has recently moved into the home. Before their move, carers received training relevant to meeting the child’s needs. More training has Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 5 been commissioned to further develop carers’ skill sets. When a carer has particular knowledge and experience, they are supported to share this with the team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management and carers have completed research to support and develop their practice. This work has allowed carers to evidence that ongoing practice is in line with the needs of children. Continued research is likely to strengthen the positive practice that takes place in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.6

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)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that decisive and effective action is taken to protect children from ongoing harm and abuse within the home. 31 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 7

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: SC061878 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Headway Adolescent Resources Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC061878 9 regulates and inspects 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.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9