Children's Home run by Amegreen Children’s Services in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2765654 1 Registered provider: Amegreen Children’s Services

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties and associated complex needs. There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since the home was registered on 25 January 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 25 September 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2765654 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/09/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2765654 3

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outstanding

Children thrive because of the highly personalised care that they receive from staff who know them extremely well. Children’s relationships with staff are full of nurture, warmth and good humour. These relationships are underpinned by staff’s strong adherence to the provider’s model of care, which encourages them to approach any challenges with empathy, curiosity and playfulness. As a result, all children have made exceptional progress in their emotional, physical and social well-being. All children now have language to describe their emotions and strategies to regulate difficult feelings. This has seen a significant reduction in physical interventions. This has also supported one child to remain in the home during a recent mental health crisis. Children have a sense of security and connection with the staff that care for them.

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outstanding

Excellent partnership working with children’s placing authorities and wider professional networks ensures that staff understand and implement children’s care plans. When relevant information is missing, leaders are tenacious in their efforts to secure this.

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outstanding

Children enjoy spending time with staff and each other. Staff are skilled at using these opportunities to explore children’s wishes, feelings and any other relevant issues. Through these relationships, staff model kindness and empathy and encourage the children to be sensitive to each other’s needs. Consequently, children learn how understanding feelings and responses can contribute to building and maintaining positive relationships.

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outstanding

Staff provide sensitive support to children and encourage them to try new activities. All children’s achievements are celebrated, which improves their self-esteem. The unwavering support that children receive from staff gives children confidence that they can achieve their goals, and this helps them to be aspirational for the future. One child has joined a local football team and explored fishing as a hobby. Another secured part-time work.

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outstanding

Children’s health is a priority for staff. Children benefit from the in-house therapeutic services and are encouraged to speak openly and honestly about sexual health, gender and mental health. This has created a culture of positive regard and acceptance, which has supported all children to consider or start therapeutic work.

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outstanding

Leaders and staff hold education in high regard. Three of the four children are now accessing either a full or comprehensive offer of education. One child was not previously able to access school. This child now has an established routine, allowing them to attend and enjoy full-time education. This has had a significant positive impact on their self-esteem. Inspection report for children’s home: 2765654 4 One child is currently without an education provision. Leaders are persistent and consistent in their challenge of this and support the child to have a good daily routine. However, efforts to provide the child with more formal educational opportunities remain limited.

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outstanding

Staff actively support children to spend time with their family and other important individuals, in line with their care plans. Leaders work well with professionals and family members to ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are considered in this context, so time with family remains positive for the children.

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outstanding

The home environment is nurturing and comfortable. There are many pictures of staff and children enjoying various activities, and recent holidays are captured in beautiful memory books. There is a strong and positive sense of the children throughout the home. Children also have shared pet rabbits, which they all contribute to the care of. This helps children feel a sense of responsibility, connection and belonging. However, one child’s bedroom remains sparsely furnished following a difficult period for them. The manager is aware of this, but momentum around returning items is slow.

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outstanding

Due to the trusting relationships children have with staff, they know that they can share any concerns they have and are confident that these will be responded to robustly.

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outstanding

Staff know the children extremely well and have an exceptionally thorough understanding of their strengths and vulnerabilities. Risk management plans clearly describe how to keep children safe and are updated when children’s needs change. Staff know this process well and respond quickly to ensure that children are safe and have access to appropriate support. This is underpinned by staff’s excellent understanding of safeguarding and robust oversight from leaders. As a result, children are supported to manage risks as they arise, are empowered to develop their own sense of safety and feel safe at the home.

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outstanding

Staff also support children to behave positively with each other. Risks between children are well understood and managed. Protocols are regularly updated to reflect changes and give clear, relevant guidance to staff. This support helps children to enjoy more activities and time together while also ensuring their safety.

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outstanding

The registered manager leads by example when dealing with and assessing risk. Children are spoken to openly about concerns, and the manager makes plain to children what measures will be put in place to mitigate any identified risk. As a result, children are clear about how they will be cared for and what the expectations are of them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2765654 5 When children do show behaviours of distress, staff respond sensitively and with care. They work hard to help children express difficult feelings and de-escalate situations. Physical intervention is used as a last resort. When this is needed, there is excellent oversight by the manager and thorough follow-up conversations with children and staff. This supports learning for both children and staff. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the number and seriousness of incidents for all the children. As a result, there have been no physical interventions this year.

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outstanding

Children no longer go missing from home. However, there are clear protocols in place for staff to follow should this happen.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a committed and knowledgeable registered manager and home manager. Together, they have successfully embedded a culture of respectful practice centred around their chosen model of care. They are supported by a dedicated and proactive team that shares their vision that children can achieve well in life. As a result, children receive high-quality care from a committed and cohesive staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager splits her time between two homes. She works closely with the home manager and responsible individual to maintain daily oversight of the home. Highly effective monitoring and quality assurance systems provide the information that leaders need to thoroughly scrutinise the quality of care that children receive. The registered manager’s presence and oversight enable them to monitor patterns and trends and swiftly respond to issues when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision, appraisals and training that help them to meet children’s needs. Staff feel well informed, valued and respected, which promotes a culture of positivity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s oversight and response to safeguarding concerns are timely and sensitive. Records of what has taken place are robust, and every incident is used as a learning opportunity for staff and children alike. Learning informs care and support planning and promotes continued curiosity in staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager proactively seeks independent scrutiny of the home and staff practice via feedback from the children, their families, professionals and the independent person’s monthly reporting. Consequently, the manager has a firm understanding of the home’s strengths and weakness and has clear plans for continued improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback about leaders and staff from parents and professionals is entirely positive. Their tenacity and commitment to children are highlighted as particular strengths. Inspection report for children’s home: 2765654 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s bedrooms are consistently well maintained and meet their day-to-day needs and physical necessities. (‘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 in full-time education, they are 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: 2765654 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amegreen Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Corner House, 18-20 West End Road, Mortimer, Berkshire RG7 3TF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Aleksandra Komorowska

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Patrycja Soroczynska

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Inspector

Becky Paradise, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2765654 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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