Children's Home run by Advanced Adolescent Care Solutions Limited in Rotherham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 1 Registered provider: Advanced Adolescent Care Solutions Limited

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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 private provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2023 Full Good 10/08/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 3

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improvement to be good

Due to high staff turnover at the home, the child has not received continuous care and the quality of care has been inconsistent. The child’s relationships with some staff have not always been positive. Not all staff understand how the child’s past experiences have an impact on their life. This has led to the child having mixed experiences of living at the home.

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improvement to be good

The child’s voice, comments and feedback have not always been heard or acted on. When the child has complained about a member of staff’s performance and conduct, this has not been investigated fully by the manager. Information about the child’s complaint has not been shared with safeguarding professionals. This does not demonstrate that the child is appropriately safeguarded, listened to and valued.

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improvement to be good

The child is making progress in their education. High attendance at school has prepared the child to sit their GCSE exams. Staff tell the child that they are proud of their achievements. This helps the child to have aspirations for their own future The child has secured a post-16 college placement and has a clear idea about their career choices.

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improvement to be good

The child is in good physical health and their health and well-being needs are being met at the home. The child has positive routines and enjoys a healthy lifestyle. Their therapeutic needs are also being addressed as the child is accessing this support.

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improvement to be good

Staff help the child to spend time with the people who are important to them. Family time is promoted in line with the child’s plan, and they are supported to spend time with their peers.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to engage in a range of activities in line with their hobbies and interests, such as ice skating and arts and crafts. The child has created lots of nail art and has other artwork that is displayed around the home.

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improvement to be good

The child has made progress in their independence. Staff understand the child’s anxieties about independence, and they help the child at a pace that the child is comfortable with. The child said that they are doing well with independence, and they talked proudly about the skills that they have developed, such as cooking and budgeting.

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improvement to be good

Risks to the child have reduced. They are now enjoying unsupervised time in the community, and they are using technology safely. There are no concerns about the child going missing from home. However, there is a plan should this happen. Some information in the child’s records has not been updated to reflect the current risks. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 4 still carry out daily checks of the child’s mobile phone even though there have not been any concerns for a considerable time. The risk assessment and the arrangement for the checks have not been reviewed. This lack of evaluation does not ensure that risk management arrangements are suitable and aligned to current risks.

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improvement to be good

Allegations are not always taken seriously. An allegation about a member of staff’s conduct has not been fully investigated by the manager and they have not taken actions to address the shortfalls. The child made a complaint about a member of staff. However, this has not been investigated and the child has not been provided with feedback.

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improvement to be good

The risk of the child making allegations is not understood by the manager and staff and it is not included in the child’s risk assessment. A record from a team meeting shows that staff are guided by the manager to ‘shut down’ any conversations when the child talks negatively about staff. It is not clear what these conversations looked like because they have not been recorded. This practice has the potential to create an unsafe culture in the home where the child’s voice is lost.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always responded appropriately when the child has shown unwanted behaviours. On some occasions, staff’s response has been poor and has led to the child becoming more upset and causing harm to themselves. These concerns have not been evaluated by the manager, which prevents learning for staff.

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improvement to be good

Records show that consequences are given during incidents, which has further increased the severity of the child’s risky behaviour. When consequences have been given to the child, staff and the child have not been spoken to about the measure used.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted received a whistle-blowing complaint that included an allegation about poor leadership and management at the home and within the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight at this home is poor. The systems in place to review the quality of care provided to child and staff performance are not effective. There are gaps in children’s records and the shortfalls in staff practice have not always been identified or addressed by the management team. The child’s care plan has not been updated. Concerns have not been escalated with the child’s placing authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is inconsistency in how shortfalls in practice have been addressed with staff. These discussions have not always aligned with the shortfalls identified in children’s records. This is confusing for staff and has led to one member of staff saying that they do not feel supported by the manager. When one member of staff raised concerns to senior leaders about a lack of support from the manager, this was not fully investigated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A family member’s complaint about a member of staff working at the home has not been recorded or investigated. This does not provide assurance that staff practice concerns are addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 5 Regular team meetings take place. However, records are copied from the previous meeting and do not fully demonstrate what has been discussed. The manager’s rationale for this happening is that there have not been any changes. When shortfalls in practice have been identified and listed as an item for discussion on the agenda, these have not always been discussed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staffing at the home has not always been sufficient to ensure that the child receives continuity of care. However, this has now improved and there is a core staff team working at the home. The child said, ‘I am happy with my staff team now. It is much better since some changes happened.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 6

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 24 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 24 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 7 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(viii)(ix)(x)) 24 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 24 June 2024

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 24 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 8 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 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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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; and 24 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 9 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)(a)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the use of consequences.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 24 June 2024

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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: 2651405 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Advanced Adolescent Care Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 38 Sherwood Road, Worksop S80 1QW

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Inspector

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2651405 11 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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