Children's home run by Albrighton Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 1 Registered provider: Albrighton 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

This home is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 2024. She is working towards her level 5 qualification.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/01/2025 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has lived in the home. This child has lived there for over 18 months and spoke with the inspector during the visit. They reported feeling safe and were able to identify a trusted adult to speak to when they have worries. The manager has taken a careful and considered approach to assessing the suitability of new admissions. This has contributed to a stable and settled environment for the child currently living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have developed positive and trusting relationships with the child. The registered manager monitors patterns and trends in the child’s behaviour and consults with relevant professionals, including external mental health services and the internal clinical team. This collaborative approach provides staff with tailored guidance to support the child in a bespoke and responsive manner.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and fitness are actively promoted. Staff encourage the child to engage in regular walks and make healthier food choices. As a result, the child has lost weight and is physically healthier. Health appointments are attended consistently, contributing to improved physical well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and staff promote positive educational outcomes. The manager maintains effective communication with education professionals. The child is encouraged to attend daily and is making good progress in their studies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a range of personalised activities. Staff demonstrate an understanding of the child’s interests and regularly seek their views and wishes through consultation forms. For example, staff arranged for the child to attend a show featuring their favourite artist, which has increased their excitement and engagement in future plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and welcoming. Children are encouraged to personalise the decor, which helps foster a sense of belonging. Leaders regularly review the quality of the environment to ensure that it remains child focused and homely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, statutory review records are not consistently maintained. The most recent education planning review minutes were not on file, despite the meeting having taken place two months prior. There was no evidence of follow-up with the local authority, and staff had not recorded their own minutes. As a result, it is unclear how leaders and staff are aligning their support with the child’s educational objectives. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 4

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in the home. When required, staff apply intervention proportionately and safely. Staff prioritise the use of positive relationships and therapeutic approaches to support children through periods of difficulty. This has contributed to a reduction in the need for restraint.

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

Staff support the child to stay safe online. When risks emerge in relation to internet use, leaders implement appropriate protective measures. Relevant professionals are notified, and additional security systems are put in place. Staff plan and deliver discussions around associated risks, which has increased the child’s awareness and contributed to safer online experiences.

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

No allegations have been reported since the last inspection. The child currently living in the home feels comfortable raising concerns with staff. Since the last inspection, one complaint was made by the child. This was reviewed promptly, with relevant professionals informed. The manager provided a detailed response, and the child reported feeling listened to as a result.

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

However, relevant consent forms are not consistently obtained from placing authorities. CCTV is used externally and regularly records children, yet there was no written consent from the child’s local authority on file.

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

Staff do not consistently provide learning opportunities following incidents involving risk. For example, after a concern involving unsafe behaviour near a main road, the child was not supported to reflect on the incident or explore strategies to prevent recurrence. It was unclear how leaders and staff assured themselves that the child had understood the risks involved.

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

The use of consequences is generally fair and effective. However, on three occasions, there was no evidence of management oversight. It was also unclear whether follow- up work had been completed to help the child learn from the incident. This limits leaders’ ability to evaluate whether consequences are proportionate and meaningful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager remains committed and motivated. She aspires to ensure that children living in the home receive child-centred support, which has helped foster a culture of good-quality care across the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and good-quality supervision. They report feeling supported by management and are able to express how they are feeling. This has contributed to a stable and consistent staff team since the last inspection. Leaders promote staff development, which has increased confidence and enabled staff to take on additional responsibilities, such as key working and supervising colleagues. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 5 The manager and staff maintain positive relationships with external professionals. One professional told the inspector, ‘There is good communication in the team, and I get updates in a timely fashion. If anything has happened, they manage the situation, they come to me with the report and also ask for my contribution.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are robust and support staff development. The manager completes detailed monthly reviews, which enable her to identify shortfalls at the earliest opportunity. This ensures that staff continue to provide good care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are mostly suitably trained for their roles. The manager identifies gaps in training and ensures that staff complete relevant courses promptly. She also sources additional learning opportunities that reflect the needs of the children. This ensures that children receive bespoke support tailored to their individual circumstances. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 6

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Statutory requirement

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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)) 7 October 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being to enhance and supplement that provided by their school through personal, social and health education. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary, work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, mental health. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that children’s case records are kept up to date and stored securely while they remain in the home. Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. Children’s case records must be kept for 75 years from the date of birth of the child, or if the child

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Recommendations

dies before the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of his or her death. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that they gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. The use of CCTV is regulated by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the Surveillance Camera Code of Conduct (Home Office 2013). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16) Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 7

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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: 2591643 8

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kerry Hutchinson

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Inspector

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591643 9 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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