Children's home run by Aegis 24/7 Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 1 Registered provider: AEGIS 24/7 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 home is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties and who may have drug and/or alcohol dependence. One child was living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024. The registered manager was present during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home and was spoken with.

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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 requires improvement to be 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 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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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 3

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improvement to be good

The child has made some progress from their starting point. However, the shortfalls in help and protection and leadership and management mean the care offered to the child requires improvement to be good.

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improvement to be good

The day-to-day plans for the child are vague and do not help to provide structure and clear routines for the child. Incentives and rewards to promote positive behaviour are not evident as recording in this area is unclear. In addition, when the child has struggled to manage their emotions, the approach by the staff has been variable. This has meant that the child has not been consistently supported to develop skills and strategies to manage difficult feelings, and the boundaries for the child have not always been clear and consistent.

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improvement to be good

The home’s care plan for the child provides information about the plan for the child, what the child likes and dislikes and how the child’s needs relating to health, education and family time will be supported. However, the plan lacks any detail about how the child’s independent living skills will be promoted. This shortfall does not support staff to understand the child’s needs in this area and does not allow them to work together as a staff team to consistently support the child to develop valuable life skills. This shortfall also prevents progress in this area from being measured and new goals from being set.

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improvement to be good

The child is currently not in any formal education. This has been escalated by the registered manager, who has made a request to the placing authority for home tuition for the child to be reinstated. In the meantime, the staff’s approach to promoting the child’s education lacks structure, and education opportunities for the child are offered on an ad hoc basis. This approach limits the ability of the child to continuously engage with learning and make progress with their education. In addition, the home’s records of the child’s educational progress contain gaps. This does not help the child to see the progress they have made and celebrate their achievements.

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improvement to be good

The child’s bedroom requires improvement. There is damage to one of the walls, and the paint in the bathroom is peeling and flaking from the wall. The wardrobe doors have not been fitted, and the doors to the bathroom unit are absent. This does not provide a safe and comfortable space for the child to spend time in.

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improvement to be good

The child has built positive relationships with some of the staff and likes living in the home. The staff spend time with the child and encourage them to talk about their likes and dislikes. The child has a keen interest in food and cooking, and the staff use this to encourage the child to spend time with them in the community. Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 4 The staff support the child with their physical and emotional well-being by ensuring that the child has access to universal and specialist health services. When the child is reluctant to attend health appointments, the staff encourage the child to understand the importance of being healthy through focused conversations. There are clear procedures in place for the safe administration of medication. However, the lack of management oversight in this area prevents the early detection of medication errors being made.

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improvement to be good

The staff support the child’s rights and promote their wishes and feelings with their identity and religious beliefs. This is helping the child to develop a more positive self- view.

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improvement to be good

Life-story work has been completed by the child and staff, and this has helped the child to understand their journey and consider rebuilding relationships with their family.

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improvement to be good

The decision by the previous registered manager to allow the child unlimited access to the internet at the weekend and during school holidays has not only potentially compromised the child’s online safety, but has resulted in numerous incidents in the home which could have been avoided. Unlimited access to the internet has not supported the child in developing a healthy sleep pattern, and this has impacted on the child’s motivation to engage in education, health appointments and day-to-day life in the home.

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improvement to be good

The child’s individual risk assessments are detailed and support the staff to understand how to reduce the risk of the child being harmed. However, known risks in relation to self-harm have not been considered. This shortfall means that the staff do not have all the necessary information available to them when providing care for the child.

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improvement to be good

The child’s individual behaviour support plan contains inaccuracies and is not routinely reviewed and updated following incidents in the home. This shortfall does not support staff to understand how to prevent the child from becoming distressed or how to help the child when they are in distress.

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improvement to be good

Staff have focused conversations with the child that are, overall, in line with their needs and vulnerabilities. However, the records lack detail and are not helpful for the child in understanding how the staff have tried to help them.

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improvement to be good

Fire safety is promoted in the home through regular fire drills. However, the child refuses to take part in fire drills, and there is no evidence that the staff have conversations with the child about the importance of fire safety or fully check that the child would know what to do in the event of a fire in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 5 The child does not go missing from the home. However, there is a detailed missing- from-home plan in place for the child, which will help the staff know what to do to ensure the safe return of the child home should they go missing from the home.

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improvement to be good

Concerns about staff practice and safer recruitment in the home are managed well. This reduces the risk of unsuitable adults working in the home.

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improvement to be good

When there have been concerns about the child’s vulnerability, the staff have taken appropriate steps to reduce this risk through liaising with the child’s social worker and external agencies.

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improvement to be good

The child reports feeling safe in the home, and external professionals speak positively about the staff’s ability to keep the child safe.

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good

There has been a change of registered manager and staff since the last inspection. While this situation was unavoidable, this has been unsettling for the child.

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good

The staff have access to a range of training opportunities that support them to meet the needs of the child living in the home. However, one member of staff has fallen out of compliance with their level 3 qualification. Although there are now plans in place to address this shortfall, this should have been identified and addressed sooner by leaders and managers.

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good

Team meetings take place that support staff practice and provide an opportunity for the staff team to review the progress that the child is making. However, not all staff minutes are on file. In addition, staff minutes do not provide evidence that actions from previous meetings are completed, and not all staff sign the team meeting minutes to say that they have read them. This weakens accountability and increases the risk of agreed actions relating to the child drifting.

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good

The child’s records are disorganised and contain gaps, and some of the recordings completed by staff are of poor quality. Records are not consistently signed and dated by the author. This weakens accountability and transparency and does not help the child to understand their time in the home.

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good

Reviews of the quality of care provided to the child have not been consistently shared with Ofsted. This prevents the regulator from understanding the quality of care provided to the child and the impact of this on the child’s progress, safety and well- being.

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good

The new registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She has a clear vision for the home and has started to make positive changes. The staff report that they appreciate the changes that the registered manager is implementing as these have resulted in staff being clearer about their roles and responsibilities. While these Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 6 changes are starting to have a positive impact on the child and the progress they are making, they have not yet been fully embedded.

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good

The registered manager knows the child well and is ambitious about what the child can achieve. She has been proactive in challenging services when the needs of the child have not been met.

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good

The staff enjoy working in the home and feel supported in their roles by the registered manager. They value regular practice-based supervision that supports their well-being and development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 7

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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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

and that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that plans that relate to the safety and welfare of the child include all known risks; that the plans for the child are accurate; that there is regular management oversight of the administration of medication; and that the staff help the child to understand the importance of fire evacuations as a means to keep themselves safe in the event of a fire in the home. 31 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

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

that staff— 31 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 8 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the child’s daily plans contain detail and are structured in a manner that promotes healthy routines and boundaries. They must ensure that there are clear systems in place, which are subject to regular review by the registered person, that help to promote positive behaviour through rewards and consequences.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii)) 31 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 9 In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the home’s care plan for the child supports the child to develop the necessary independent living skills to enable them to successfully move into adulthood.

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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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the quality of case records helps the child to understand how staff have helped them; that all case records are dated and signed by the author; that all staff are compliant with training in line with regulation 32; and that there is sufficient oversight of the home’s records that supports the registered person in understanding the impact that the quality of care provided has on the child’s progress. 31 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. 31 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 10 In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming. This includes ensuring that any damage to the child’s bedroom is repaired without delay, that the child’s wardrobe and bathroom cabinet have the doors fitted without delay and that the communal areas are free from debris. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that when children are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 11 other reason, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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: 2706377 12

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Beverley Jackson

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Inspector

Shirin Khan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2706377 13 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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