Children's Home run by Amegreen Children’s Services in West Berkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2784030 1 Registered provider: Amegreen Children’s Services 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 by a private provider and is registered to provide care for up to two children with learning disabilities. At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children were seen and spoken to as part of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024, when this home was registered. This was the home’s first inspection after registration.

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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 previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2784030 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide the children who live at this home with a good standard of care. Staff understand the children’s needs and have begun to build positive relationships with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into the home are well planned and include consultation with professionals and family members. Children meet staff and receive information and pictures about the home before moving in. This helps children settle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to stay in contact with family and friends. One child has had visits from family members at the home, which has been a positive experience for them. Family members value the regular communication they receive from the staff and manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain appropriate routines and to attend school regularly. One child is currently travelling a significant distance to attend school, and there has been some delay to a local school placement being agreed for them. The manager has made some challenge to this and has advocated for the child to attend a school closer to their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to access activities and experiences in the community. For example, children enjoy going horse riding regularly and playing for local sports teams. Staff take photos of children’s activities and other significant events. These are collated into albums for them to remember memorable moments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the children’s complex health and personal care needs. Their practice is underpinned by clear guidance in the children’s care and support plans. The children are encouraged to manage their personal care and health needs in an age-appropriate way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are generally well met by staff. However, for one child, information in their health records indicated outstanding immunisations. The manager had not fully explored what vaccinations were outstanding or what action needed to be taken to promote the child’s optimum health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is generally warm and welcoming. There are photos of the children around the house. Children’s bedrooms contain their books, toys and games. However, some elements in the home are not in line with the children’s needs and detract from the homely environment. For example, pictorial symbols and prompts are displayed, but the children do not use these. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784030 3

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

Children said they feel happy living here and that they like the staff who care for them. They have good relationships with staff and feel able to talk to them about any worries they have.

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

Staff have training in safeguarding and understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. No safeguarding incidents have happened at this home since it opened.

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

The children do not present significant complex behaviours; consequently, very few incidents have taken place. However, staff take appropriate action when incidents and accidents take place. Conversations with children take place following incidents to help them reflect on how they might better manage difficult situations in the future. Discussions also take place with staff to provide the opportunity to reflect on their practice.

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

No physical interventions have taken place. Staff manage any situations through de- escalation and talking with the children. When children have disagreements with each other, staff help them repair their relationships.

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

One medication error has taken place. Appropriate action was taken by managers to investigate this and address practice issues. The manager has implemented additional auditing processes, and staff have received additional training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has worked to establish positive relationships with staff and children. He has a good understanding of each child’s needs, and staff report they feel well supported by visible and approachable managers. The small size of the staff team and frequent communication between managers and staff mean that they know the children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings and staff supervision take place regularly. These are used by the manager to reinforce expectations and to share information. The manager has recently implemented additional meetings facilitated by an external therapeutic practitioner to allow space for staff to reflect on and further develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff do not consistently maintain records which effectively evidence the care provided. Planned conversations take place with children on a weekly basis. However, additional important conversations with children are not recorded consistently. As a result, it is difficult to understand fully how well staff are seeking children’s views and talking to them about keeping themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not established effective systems for monitoring children’s care and progress. Children’s plans do not set out clear and specific goals and targets or the actions staff need to take to help children achieve these. Children’s starting points Inspection report for children’s home: 2784030 4 and progress are not clearly or fully captured. Management oversight is clear and appropriate in respect of incidents and accidents. However, when follow-up actions are identified, it is not always clear whether these have been completed. There is a need for clear records and established monitoring systems to ensure that children continue to receive consistent care and responses in the longer term. Inspection report for children’s home: 2784030 5

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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 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

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;

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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)(g)(ii)(h)) 2 January 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well- being needs are met. Clarification should be sought about any outstanding health needs or appointments for children. Any outstanding appointments should be arranged as a priority. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing, homely environment that is personalised to meet the specific needs of the children. As far as is possible, staff should maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2784030 6

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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: 2784030 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amegreen Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Corner House, West End Road, Mortimer, Berkshire RG7 3TF

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Inspector

Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2784030 8 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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