Children's home run by Albrighton Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1263329 1 Registered provider: Albrighton Care Ltd 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 operated by a private company. It provides care for up to two children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home and was seen as part of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 28 April 2023. She holds a diploma in leadership, health and social care at level 5.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1263329 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2023 Full requires improvement to be good 15/11/2022 Full good 01/03/2022 Full good 07/01/2020 Full good Inspection report for children’s home: 1263329 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home, and one child has moved in. The child who left had a planned move to another home owned by the company to give them the opportunity to live and socialise with another child. The child's social worker assisted in planning the move. The registered manager carefully considered the needs of the child and the impact of moving. Multiple introductory visits took place. Staff observed the child’s reactions and carried out work with them to ensure that they were happy with the move. Staff also moved to work in the child’s new home. The introductory plan supported a positive move to a home that felt more suited to the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home had only recently started school before moving in, having previously missed three years of formal education. The child experienced a swift move to the home, and the manager made every effort to ensure that the child could continue attending their new school. As a result, the child is now attending on a full-time basis and is making progress. One professional said, ‘The relationship between the home and school is excellent; the manager has high aspirations for the child.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has formed strong attachments with the staff team, feels safe, and has developed a sense of belonging. The staff strive to understand the child’s individual needs so they can best support them. The child does not communicate verbally and has not yet developed other methods to reliably communicate with others. Staff have taken time to observe the child and learn from those who know them to understand their likes and dislikes and how to best support them. Staff are sensitive and responsive to the child’s needs. There is a culture of acceptance, and the child is developing in confidence and flourishing as their relationships develop with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in the home receive care that respects their identity. One child has been supported to visit their chosen place of worship, and festivals and celebrations are marked in the home. Children are supported to explore their identity through experiences and opportunities in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is in good health. The manager has ensured that specialist health services have been identified to assist the child in receiving medical care that considers their complex needs and how to best support them. Staff encourage the child to eat a varied diet and to be more independent in some aspects of their care routine. Full support is still required, but small steps have been made with dressing and feeding. The child is growing in confidence and receiving support to be as independent as possible with their self-care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1263329 4

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

Staff understand the child’s behaviours and risks. They implement strategies to support the child, and, as a result, the child is kept safe. Incidents are rare, and staff prevent situations from escalating through a calm and nurturing approach. Risk assessments are kept under review to ensure that information available to support the child is reflective of their current needs. As a result, a consistent approach is provided by the staff team, and there have been no episodes of the child going missing from care or physical interventions.

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

Incidents of self-harm are sensitively managed. The staff team understands the risks associated with the child’s self-injurious behaviours. Updated individualised risk assessments are in place, which address the child’s vulnerabilities effectively and set out the action staff should take to support the child. As a result, staff understand how to respond to the child, and incidents are starting to reduce in duration and frequency.

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

Positive behaviour is rewarded to support the child’s learning and understanding. Consequences are not used. Verbal praise is used to recognise and celebrate achievements and progress. The child demonstrates a sense of pride as a result of the staff’s recognition.

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

Staff are safely recruited. New staff follow an induction programme and shadow the work of colleagues with more experience. On the rare occasions when agency staff are used, the registered manager ensures that they are suitably vetted and experienced to work in the home. There is a comprehensive training matrix, and staff complete relevant courses before joining the home and while on probation. Child-specific training has been delivered to staff to support children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A child-focused registered manager leads the home. She has an exceptional understanding of the child’s personality, experiences, needs and risks. The manager has high expectations for the child, and this culture is firmly embedded in the staff team. The staff have high aspirations for the child. They celebrate the child’s achievements and acknowledge their progress, no matter how small.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child is supported by a stable and dedicated staff team. There have been some changes in staffing, with new members of staff transferring to the home from the company to coincide with the arrival of the child who moved in. Agency staff are only used when required for waking night support alongside a member of the core team. As a result, the child is cared for by those who know them best.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive high-quality supervision and attend monthly team meetings. Supervision provides opportunities for reflection, learning and staff development. Team meetings inform the staff of the home’s objectives and give members of the team an opportunity to be a champion in a chosen area of practice. Updates are shared at meetings. This is Inspection report for children’s home: 1263329 5 providing opportunities for staff development and enhancing practice through peer learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers regularly monitor the quality of care in the home. Monitoring systems are effective and ensure that the manager has clear oversight and responds to actions in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works effectively in partnership with other professionals. The child benefits from a consistent approach, especially between the home and school, with regular updates and shared resources to support a consistent approach to communication. Staff have identified specialist local playgrounds to ensure that the child can play in a safe environment designed specifically for children with additional needs. As a result, strong partnerships have created new opportunities and experiences for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is kept under review; however, it has not taken into account the fact that the staff team has undergone recent changes, resulting in a predominantly female team. Some language used is not restorative or child friendly. Some incident reports include ambiguous language that fails to clearly explain the child’s emotions or context. Inspection report for children’s home: 1263329 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 registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 10 May 2025

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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: 1263329 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Albrighton Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 Heritage Park, Hayes Way, Cannock WS11 7LT

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Inspector

Joanne Hawkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1263329 8 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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