Children's Home run by Achieving for Children Community Interest Company in Richmond upon Thames

Inspection report for children’s home: 2576346 1 Registered provider: Achieving for Children Community Interest Company Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered in 2020. There has been no registered manager since March 2023. A manager has been appointed and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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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: 2576346 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Good 23/11/2021 Full Good 24/08/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2576346 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home are making good progress. One child receives home tuition and the other child attends school. Staff support children to learn and have aspirations for their futures. This has resulted in children becoming more interested in their education and motivated to learn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities in the community, including fishing and bike rides. Children also participate in various activities in the home, such as hair styling, cooking and baking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Complaints are rare at this home. Children know how to make a complaint and understand the process. They feel valued as their complaints are taken seriously and the manager responds to them swiftly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well. Staff listen to children and support and encourage them to have ambitions and goals. This helps the children and staff to form positive relationships. Children’s views are obtained through regular consultation at children’s meetings and in discussions between children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and nurturing environment for the children. It is clean and tidy, and repairs are carried out swiftly. Children like their bedrooms because they have personalised them. Children are happy living here and they take pride in their home.

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

Staff know and understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. There are suitable strategies in place to mitigate these risks. Effective communication about safeguarding issues with children’s professional networks and external agencies enhances the safety of children. Plans to safeguard children are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that the identified strategies help to keep children safe.

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

Bedroom searches are conducted when necessary to keep children safe. Bedroom search records demonstrate that staff follow the correct procedures and the rationale for room searches is justified and clear.

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

On occasions when restraint is used, the recording of the incident is not detailed. For example, the length of the hold is not recorded or if debriefs with children take place. Some records of restraint do not have management oversight. As a result, opportunities to learn and improve staff practice are missed.

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

Records of discussions with children do not consistently reflect creative attempts to engage them. For example, some records of discussions are brief and do not provide sufficient detail of what is happening in the child’s life and how staff are working Inspection report for children’s home: 2576346 4 with the child to address these issues. This is a missed opportunity to help the child to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are ambitious and have high aspirations for the development of the home and staff team. The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and is taking appropriate action to make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by the manager. The home has a stable and skilled staff team, which means that children receive consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a thorough induction, and regular supervision and appraisal. However, staff appraisals could be improved if the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and of children were included.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff’s attendance at regular team meetings helps to improve their practice. They also benefit from the support of a psychologist who helps them to reflect on the children’s needs and behaviours. This helps to improve outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work proactively with other professionals and build positive relationships with parents. Communication with professionals and parents is good and they are given regular updates about the progress and experiences of children. The feedback from professionals and parents is positive. One parent said, ‘Staff have good communication with my child, which helped to save his life.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive whistle-blowing training and discuss this in their supervision. However, staff demonstrated limited understanding of the whistle-blowing policy. This potentially compromises safeguarding practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Generally, leaders and managers report significant incidents to Ofsted as required. However, there were two serious incidents that were not reported to the regulator. One included an allegation against staff. The failure to report serious incidents is a breach of regulation and compromises external oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2576346 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, The 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 7 November 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when there are incidents involving the use of restraint, there is appropriate recording and management oversight that includes analysis and records of debriefs for staff and children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 46, paragraph 11.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful and clear recording. In particular, the registered person should ensure that all record-keeping is consistent. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 2576346 6  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s external whistle-blowing procedures. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff appraisals consider, where

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Recommendations

reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and of children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 2576346 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Achieving for Children Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1st Floor, Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham TW1 3BW

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Inspectors

Melvin Davies, Social Care Inspector Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2576346 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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