Children's Home run by Action for Children in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 1 Registered provider: Action For Children Services Ltd 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 four children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be 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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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2024 Full Good 31/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 3

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improvement to be good

Children who do not communicate using speech are not provided with sufficient communication aids that may help them to express how they are feeling.

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improvement to be good

When children are upset and are displaying this through their behaviour, they do not receive consistent support from staff. As a result, they are not being given enough help to learn how to manage their emotions.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff have not sought specialist advice about how best to support children who are distressed by traumatic early life experiences.

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improvement to be good

The quality of the support that children receive to meet their health needs is variable. Managers and staff do not always proactively ensure that children receive input from health professionals to reduce the impact of their physical disabilities. In one example, there has been an avoidable delay for a child to be referred to a health specialist who may be able to assist them to walk more comfortably.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of providing children with predictable structures and routines. One child is not currently attending school. Staff have been creative and are providing them with learning opportunities. Managers and staff have escalated their concerns that a suitable education placement has not yet been identified.

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improvement to be good

Children receive support to participate in a wide range of activities at the home and in the community. As a result, they can expand their talents and interests. Additionally, children are helped to be as independent as possible. One child, who was completely reliant on staff when they arrived, is now able to choose their own food and decide which clothes they want to wear.

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improvement to be good

The home has a diverse staff team, and different cultures and religions are celebrated. This helps children to explore their developing sense of identity.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not have clear guidelines to follow when children are displaying self-harming behaviour. Additionally, staff do not proactively seek to understand and address the reasons why children are hurting themselves.

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improvement to be good

Children do not receive consistent support to respond kindly to each other and to adults. Work that is designed to help children to make progress in relation to their social and emotional well-being is not always followed through. Consequently, children are not learning how to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 4 There are insufficient strategies for staff to follow when children are displaying sexualised behaviour. This particularly relates to children who display these behaviours while they are out in the community and has the potential to place children at risk of harm. There has been no referral to specialist agencies, which is a missed opportunity to seek to understand and manage sexualised behaviour in a safe way.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care and support plans are not updated when children’s risks and vulnerabilities change. This means that they do not provide staff with up-to-date information about how to care for children and keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

Children and staff enjoy carrying out activities together. Staffing levels are high, and this contributes to children’s safety and sense of security.

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improvement to be good

There is a nurturing response from staff when children are finding situations difficult to manage. Consequences and physical restraint are not used.

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improvement to be good

One child is subject to a deprivation of liberty order. All staff have completed training that has helped them to understand the impact this has on the child and how to provide them with appropriate support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. Systems for management monitoring and oversight of the quality of care that children receive and of their plans are weak, and this hinders children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The system for recording staff training does not currently demonstrate that staff have received training that is relevant to all the needs of the children that they are looking after. Training records do not provide clarity about whether staff have attended all mandatory training and training that helps them to communicate effectively with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Records of incidents do not fully describe what happened. Additionally, debriefs with children and staff are not recorded. This means that there is no record of any learning about what went wrong and what action will be taken to reduce the risk of a recurrence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff supervision is not carried out at intervals deemed necessary by the organisation. This means that there is no protected time for managers to meet with staff and ensure that they understand how to meet children’s needs. Team meetings are held regularly, and these provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have confirmed that they understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Staff have demonstrated some good care practice. As a result, there is a firm basis for improvement in the quality of care to be made. Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 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

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 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;

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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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they have oversight of all work being completed. Incidents and work should be evaluated to establish patterns and trends and 20 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 6 identify areas of learning to make continuous improvements. The registered person should ensure that there is consistency of oversight across the service, including in relation to staff supervision, challenge to partner agencies and working with multi-agency professionals.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(d)) 20 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. 20 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 7 (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children’s health needs are identified and that referrals are made to specialist health services when needed. 20 August 2025

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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

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; 20 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 8 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

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(ix))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way. Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that all staff receive regular, practice-related, supervision in line with the provider’s policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public

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Recommendations

holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 9

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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: 2742583 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Action For Children Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford WD18 8AG

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Inspector

Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2742583 11 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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