Children's Home run by Acheron Care Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2736705 1 Registered provider: Acheron Care 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 operated by a private company. It provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager who has been in post since the home was registered with Ofsted in May 2023. The manager is also registered at one of the organisation’s other children’s homes.

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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: 26 September 2023

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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: 2736705 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2736705 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children live in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and one child has moved out. The child who moved out was given support and sensitive care to help them have a positive experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from nurturing, kind and caring relationships with staff, who have an excellent understanding of their needs. The organisation’s therapeutic model is embedded throughout all areas of the care provided. One child’s independent reviewing officer said that there is a strong culture of ‘stickability’ that means children benefit from stable placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in lots of activities, both in and out of the home. One child has been supported to learn how to swim and ride a bike. Children have fun, are growing in confidence and learning new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to have relationships with the people they care about. This includes ensuring that there are multi-agency safety plans in place to promote contact with friends and family while reducing any identified risks. Staff also listen to children’s wishes and feelings when they do not want to see someone and advocate on their behalf to share their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are promoted by staff. When a child suffered side-effects from prescribed medication, staff advocated on their behalf and attended appointments to help them get a new prescription. One child has been supported to develop self-care skills, with staff helping them to understand how to take care of themselves and establish a new daily routine. In addition, a child has been provided with education, advice and guidance to support both their emotional and physical health in line with their individual needs. However, for another child, an action on their health assessment has been overlooked and has not yet been actioned by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education progress is mixed. For one child, who was at risk of exclusion, the manager provided training and a presentation to the child’s new school. The headteacher said that this was invaluable and the manager went above and beyond to ensure that teachers had a good understanding of the child’s needs and strategies to help the child. This has enabled the child to spend more time in school and have fewer incidents. However, one child is not making progress with their education. Their attendance at school has decreased. This is due to the impact on their daily routine of incidents of going missing. Despite efforts from the manager and staff to work with others to create a new plan, the current plans are ineffective in increasing their engagement and attainment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2736705 4

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

Staff support children well and help them to keep them safe. They understand the risks that the children face and take action to help keep them safe when they are displaying risky or unsafe behaviours. Risk assessments are regularly updated and reviewed and strategies implemented when needed.

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

Challenging incidents are well managed by staff. Following incidents, staff and the therapy team reflect on what has happened together to help them understand children’s behaviour and consider strategies to manage this. Children also benefit from reflective practice to help them learn coping strategies or alternative responses.

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

For one child who demonstrates behaviour that could hurt themselves or others, staff use restraint when necessary and only as a last resort. Records of restraint incidents are detailed and well recorded. All restraint practice includes reflection with the child to help them understand what happened and consider how they felt and to help improve staff practice.

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

For one child, missing-from-home incidents have increased. The manager and staff have worked with other professionals to try and reduce this behaviour and keep them safe. Staff are clear about their responsibilities and the risks for the child. They take immediate action in line with the child’s plans if they go missing from home, including searching for them, trying to contact friends and family and liaising with the police and other agencies. The manager, in conjunction with the therapy team, has undertaken a reflective piece of work to try and understand any patterns and trends to the child going missing and to identify push and pull factors and strategies that might help reduce incidents. Partners from other agencies, including the police, said that the manager and staff are taking all actions necessary to try and keep the child safe.

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

Children know how to complain and raise concern. They are regularly consulted with and given an opportunity to share any concerns or issues. When children raise concerns or make complaints, they are responded to by the manager and given timely responses. Their concerns are also shared with other agencies when appropriate, such as their social workers. This helps children feel listened to and increases their feeling of safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child-centred and ambitious and provides effective leadership in the home. She has a clear vision for the home and a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has excellent oversight and monitoring systems that help her to review working practice and identify where she wants improvements. The home’s development plans are focused on improving the quality of care for children and to develop staff knowledge and skills. The manager is currently working on a new outcome monitoring process that is creative and child-focused. Inspection report for children’s home: 2736705 5 Staff feel supported by the manager, the therapeutic team and one another. Staff work well together and benefit from regular staff supervision and training. A culture of reflective practice is embedded throughout team interactions and team meetings, and staff feel able to share their ideas to help improve practice for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from other professionals is overwhelmingly positive. Professionals say that communication is good, that staff really care about children and one professional said the staff ‘do an amazing job’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The most recent quality of care report does not include children’s feedback and the impact of their views on the quality of care. This means that it is not clear how consultation with children and feedback from them has impacted on practice or the development plans for the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2736705 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

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, review daily routines and plans when they are not effective in improving engagement or attendance. This includes the plan for the child’s free time. 31 July 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it are included in the quality of care report. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that actions from the child’s health assessment are met and included in the home’s healthcare plan for the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 33, paragraph 7.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 2736705 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: 2736705 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acheron Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 117 Draycott Old Road, Forsbrook, Stoke-on-Trent ST11 9AL

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Inspectors

Jessica Forshaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2736705 9 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

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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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