Children's Home run by Ash House Care LTD in Walsall

Inspection report for children's home: 2724344 1 Registered provider: Ash House 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 home is registered to provide care for up to two children with learning disabilities and complex needs. The home is privately owned.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who is registered with Ofsted.

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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: 13 February 2024

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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: 2724344 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2724344 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. The inspector spoke with one child and spent time with another. The children have lived in the home since it was registered and are extremely settled. Staff have started planning one child’s move to foster care. They have ensured that there is an advocate in place to support the child to be fully involved in their care planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children live in a welcoming and homely environment. Staff take pride in the home, and as a result, the environment is presented to a high standard. Children’s bedrooms are personalised based on their interests, and they have appropriate equipment to support their needs. Every effort has been made to ensure that the garden is accessible for the children. There is now a sunken trampoline in the garden, which was installed last summer, and the ground is clear and flat to aid children’s mobility.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build positive relationships with staff who are committed to providing them with high-quality care and support. One child told the inspector that they have good relationships with staff and enjoy living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know and understand children’s preferred communication style and use their skills to support children to communicate. As a result, children are listened to and can express their wishes and feelings. One child requested a trampoline in the garden, and this was purchased by the manager, providing the children with enjoyment and opportunities for exercise. Staff recognise the importance of supporting children to communicate as much as possible. They have introduced different methods to help improve children’s ability to communicate their wishes. Staff have set achievable targets to help children make progress in this area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living at the home have complex health needs. Staff understand their individual diagnosis and manage these well. On one occasion, the staff’s knowledge of the child and their usual presentation allowed them to quickly identify that the child was unwell and to seek urgent medical support. Staff have strong relationships with professionals and work in partnership with them to ensure that children’s health needs are regularly reviewed and met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff carry out individual work with children to promote their independence. One child is starting to gain independence when undertaking personal care tasks. This support is adapted as children grow and develop, and as a result, they are making progress from their starting points. Inspection report for children's home: 2724344 4

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

Children feel safe living at the home. Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks and vulnerabilities due to their complex health needs and know what to do to keep them safe.

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

Staff are attuned to children’s needs and respond quickly and effectively when they become upset. There have not been any incidents of children going missing from the home. Staff have not had to physically restrain children to keep them safe.

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

Positive behaviour is promoted by staff, and the children regularly receive praise and rewards for their achievements. Staff use de-escalation techniques to manage children’s behaviour and have identified creative ways to support them.

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

Children feel listened to, and their views are considered. If children make complaints, these are investigated appropriately, and they receive an outcome.

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

The manager quickly identifies concerns about staff conduct and ensures that immediate action is taken to protect children and that all concerns are thoroughly investigated. Overall, staff understand their roles and responsibilities and feel confident in raising concerns with the management team. However, on one occasion, staff did not raise concerns about the well-being of one of their colleagues. This had the potential to affect the quality of care provided to children. The manager has taken action to provide additional support and training to ensure that going forward, staff share their concerns, whatever they may be.

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

Medication is stored safely and administered according to children’s plans. There have been two medication errors since the last inspection, which had no impact on children. The manager carefully investigated the errors and has made changes to medication procedures at the home to avoid further incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is dedicated and ambitious for the children living at the home. They are constantly thinking about ways to improve the home and the experiences of children. The children are at the centre of every decision they make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well supported by the responsible individual and a deputy manager who both share the same vision for the care children receive. There is a strong management structure in place, which ensures that the home is achieving its stated aims and objectives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure that new staff coming to work at the home have been vetted and deemed to be suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has high expectations for their staff. Regular team meetings take place, and staff are offered regular supervision sessions. This ensures that staff are kept Inspection report for children's home: 2724344 5 up to date on how best to support children’s needs. Children are cared for by staff who enjoy working with them and feel supported by their managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reviews the skills and knowledge of the staff team, and regular training opportunities are offered to staff. The manager’s ongoing commitment to staff’s development ensures that staff feel confident when caring for children, and a high standard of care is provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring and review systems are highly effective, and there is a strong footprint of management oversight. These systems identify the home’s strengths and where improvements are required. The manager responds to areas for improvement quickly to support the home’s development. No requirements or recommendations have been made at this inspection.

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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: 2724344 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ash House, Park Street, Cheslyn Hay, Walsall WS6 7EF

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Inspector

Charlotte Love, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2724344 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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