Children's home run by Action for Children Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 1 Registered provider: Action for Children Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a children’s charity. It provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This was the first inspection since the home was registered in July 2023. The manager was also registered in July 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have carefully planned introductions before moving into the home. The children are introduced to the manager and staff in the community before a home visit. The planning for when a new child moves in takes into consideration the children’s views, to reduce the anxieties linked to a move into a new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care that reflects their current needs, and they form positive relationships with staff. Staff provide children with tools to support their communication with others. The children’s views are regularly sought, and they say that they are listened to. The children say that they like living in the home and feel safe. One child sees the manager as a superhero, whose superpowers are ‘kindness, looking after children and safety’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children experience responses that are highly attuned to their needs. The manager and staff use transition objects and language that the children understand. This reduces the children’s anxieties and gives reassurances to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children develop resilience. Staff help children to recognise their emotions and talk about how they feel. This helps children to reflect on their behaviour and discuss alternative strategies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children and make sure that children’s dignity is maintained when meeting new people or when personal health issues arise. Social interactions and activities are well planned to provide reassurance to children. This has helped the children to enjoy activities and spend time with family and each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children experience positive family relationships. Family time is structured to support quality time with parents and siblings. The children have positive relationships with each other in the home. This has increased the children’s engagement with staff and each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff treat children as individuals. The children have bedrooms that are personalised. They can pursue their own interests and enjoy new experiences. One child is enjoying outdoor activities such as horse-riding and nature walks. Another child enjoys ‘big days out’, going bowling and to the cinema.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Five staff members have left since the children moved into the home. This has caused some upset to the children, especially as four members of staff left without saying goodbye. The manager attempted a positive ending for another staff member, but this had a negative impact on the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 3

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

Staff keep the children safe from harm. Risk assessments offer an insight into the children and why some of their behaviours occur. Staff know the children and their plans, which are clearly documented and regularly updated. Staff understand the children’s individual signs and know how to give support when needed. The children learn how to keep themselves safe with regular discussions that are appropriate to their stage of development.

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

The children’s plans and risk assessments are written with insight and give clear direction for staff to follow. However, one of these assessments incorrectly lists the children’s behaviours. This could lead to the reader assuming that these were premeditated inappropriate behaviours.

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

The children benefit from clear structures and boundaries. This helps the children to know what is happening during their day and allows the children to feel secure in their routines. The children feel a sense of control when planning their own activities. They play games at home or choose to spend time with staff and each other. Organised activities take place at weekends outside of the children’s school and evening routines.

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

Staff reward positive behaviour with incentives. When there is conflict between the children, they are taught to understand the impact of negative behaviour on themselves and other people. However, if children are held by staff to keep them and others safe, children are not routinely spoken to after these incidents. This means that they do not always understand why this was necessary. Children’s feelings and responses are also not always considered as a potential complaint, with neither child provided with an independent advocate.

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

Not all the staff have completed their mandatory induction training. Some staff are still to receive physical intervention training and safeguarding training. The children have been physically held by staff who have not been trained to do so. This places children and staff at an increased risk of harm.

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good

The manager advocates well for the children. The manager challenges professionals, placing authorities and health services. Concerns are escalated quickly and regularly until they are resolved or action is taken.

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good

The manager is committed to providing continuity of care for the children. The home’s development plan focuses on staff’s understanding of trauma. Action plans include policy changes and alternative strategies to attract the right people to care for the children.

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good

The children’s files do not include their placement plans. Additionally, the children’s pen picture documents are yet to be completed. The staff know the children well, Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 4 and the information about the children is contained throughout their file. However, the vital information is not easily accessible for new employees or supporting staff in order for them to support their work with the children.

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good

The manager has not completed regular monitoring and review of systems to make improvements to the quality of care provided to the children. This makes it hard to identify patterns, trends or concerns and impacts on the ability to improve the level of care for the children.

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good

The manager uses her knowledge and experience and provides staff with reflective discussions and learning. Supervision is regular and focuses on the children and their relationships. The staff say that they are supported to understand their role and are given time off during difficult times. The manager completes group supervision to promote reflective practice and accelerated group learning. Additionally, the staff share their knowledge regularly in handovers and meetings. Plans are then updated to include the most recent information. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 30 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)) 30 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 6 The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

and 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 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(b)(i)(c)) 30 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)) 30 April 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 7

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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: 2737040 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action for Children

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford WD18 8AG

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Inspector

Lee Riley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2737040 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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