Children's Home run by Agility Children Residential Care Ltd in Redbridge

Inspection report for children's home: 2751325 1 Registered provider: Agility Children Residential Care Ltd

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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 statement of purpose for this children’s home indicates that it provides care and accommodation for up to five children with Learning Disabilities (LD) from the ages of five to seventeen years including one child with a physical disability.

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Information about this children's home

The home registered with Ofsted on 12 December 2023. The manager registered with Ofsted at the same time.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of this inspection there were two children living in the home. Both children have limited verbal and written communication. The inspector was able to interact briefly with both children during the inspection under the guidance of staff.

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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: not applicable, first inspection

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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: 2751325 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settling and making good progress since moving into the home. Staff follow children’s individualised care plans which include essential details on how to provide personal care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s methods of communication. Staff are skilled in using widget, Makaton, and PECS to communicate with children. Staff help the children to express their wishes and feelings regarding food menus and social and leisure activities. Staff encourage children to communicate their views on their experiences of living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to engage in a range of social, leisure and religious activities. Children attend youth clubs, Sunday school, and enjoy trips out in the community, such as trips to the local parks. Staff document children’s experiences with pictures and celebrate children’s achievements, however small. This might be when a child remains calm when having their hair cut or has demonstrated a greater level of independence in self-care skills. Staff provide children with certificates, rewards, and praise. Consequently, children develop confidence in their social and independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children attend school as agreed in their care plans. Staff have good relationships with children’s schools. Effective handovers between schools and the staff at the home help to ensure that children receive continuity and consistency of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain positive relationships with family and those close to them. Staff value the involvement of parents in supporting children in the home. When staff and managers assess that arrangements may impact on the quality of the experience for a child, leaders and managers take action to address this with the responsible placing local authority.

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

Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities and the risks to children in the community and in the home. Staff adhere to safety plans for children, which clearly outline what staff should do to reduce the likelihood of harm. Children are supervised and supported by appropriate staffing ratios. One child communicated via widget that they felt safe and supported at the home when asked.

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

Staff help children to regulate their behaviour through using known calming or self- soothing techniques. Staff promote positive behaviour with children through offering rewards and providing children with positive choice options. Consequently, incidents involving children’s behaviour in the home have reduced. Inspection report for children's home: 2751325 3 When staff use restraint, it is as a last resort to safeguard children and others. Managers and staff receive appropriate training in de-escalation and restraint techniques. Staff appropriately record when incidents occur, and de-briefs are carried out with management oversight.

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

Staff understand their responsibilities in respect of safeguarding children and how to report concerns. Staff receive training on safeguarding and child protection including safeguarding children with a learning disability. However, staff do not yet have the materials available to assist children to communicate more complex feelings.

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

Managers and staff investigate concerns and complaints regarding children appropriately. This includes involving the safeguarding network when necessary. Managers review practice and procedures in respect of safeguarding on a regular basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are developing the home to provide care to children that goes above and beyond the objectives set out in the Statement of Purpose. Through taking a hands-on approach, leaders and managers are promoting an ethos of high expectations and aspirations for children and staff. A staff member described the manager as a ‘breath of fresh air.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers acknowledge that the home is new and the service to children is developing. Leaders and managers are aware of shortfalls in practice and procedures and are working hard to address these. Nevertheless, this inspection identified that managers had not adhered to their own policy regarding the selection and appointment process for one member of staff. However, there are no safeguarding issues in respect of this appointment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have an electronic system for recording and monitoring the daily activity of staff in caring for children. Leaders and managers are currently making changes to this recording system. Managers and staff will receive appropriate re-training when the update has been completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report being effectively supported by managers who are available and accessible. Staff receive appropriate training to carry out their roles. Managers and staff receive regular supervision. Staff supervision is focused on the well-being, personal development, and the care of the children. However, managers do not consistently record reflective discussions despite prompts in the current supervision template.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work collaboratively with external professionals and individuals, such as social workers, teachers, and parents. The Independent reviewing officer for one child wrote, ‘A particular strength that was highlighted within the (recent child looked after) review, was their communication with school and dad, and how consistent this is.’ However, for one child, leaders and managers have not been as proactive in progressing a specific aspect of the child’s placement plan with the responsible local authority. Inspection report for children's home: 2751325 4 Leaders and managers have ensured that the home is suitably furnished. Adaptions have been made to meet the needs of children with sensory needs and physical disabilities. Inspection report for children's home: 2751325 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where children have specific health needs or conditions, they should be supported to manage these subject to their age and understanding. Staff should work with the child's placing local authority to enable proper and immediate access to any specialist support required and challenge them through regulation 5 - engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met if this does not happen. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 34, paragraph 7.10)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills for safeguarding children who have limited communication and the ability to express their views about whether they feel safe both within and outside the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 43, paragraph 9.10)  The registered person should ensure that they adhere to the homes policy on the

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Recommendations

selection and appointment of staff. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that staff receive supervision which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2751325 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Agility Children Residential Care Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, 101 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7RA

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Inspector

Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2751325 7 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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Inspector

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