Children's home run by Archways Care Limited in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC429918 1 SC429918 Registered provider: Archways Care Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company and is registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At time of the inspection, four children were living in the home. All children were spoken to during the inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 19 November 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC429918 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2024 Full Good 11/10/2023 Full Good 11/10/2022 Full Good 24/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC429918 3

p.2

Overall experience and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home. One child was able to move back to the home following a time away. The relationship between children and staff is positive, and this helps children to feel settled.

p.3

Overall experience and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers receive support from a therapist, to understand and meet children’s individual needs. As a result, staff provide children with a nurturing and understanding approach to provision of their care, and children benefit from a calm environment. Art therapy has been used effectively in order to help one child work through grief. A sensitive approach helps children to feel valued and comfortable to talk about their feelings. As a result, children make progress from their starting points.

p.3

Overall experience and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have helped one child process their grief after the loss of a close family member, using art therapy. This helped the child to deal with some of their feelings. The child’s social worker commented, ‘Since living at the home, the child’s mental health has improved as a result of the care provided.’

p.3

Overall experience and progress of children and young people: good

Strong advocacy by the registered manager and staff ensures that children have appropriate education placements and that they are continually motivated to engage. A deputy headteacher said that the children have positive relationships with staff who understand their needs and who work well with the school. A focus on the importance of learning gives children the opportunity to succeed.

p.3

Overall experience and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from taking part in activities that reflect their interests and hobbies. They have enjoyed a holiday together and the opportunity to experience new places. Two children have enjoyed inviting family and friends to the home to celebrate milestone birthdays. These experiences help children to create long-lasting memories.

p.3

Overall experience and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, managers and staff have supported children to spend time with people who are important to them. However, one child was unable to see a family member for a period. Insufficient challenge was posed to partner agencies to ensure that this was resolved in a timely manner. This is now being resolved.

p.3

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

Children say they like living at the home and that they feel safe and well cared for. They know how to make a complaint should they need to. The manager and staff regularly involve children in decision-making, and this means children contribute to changes to their home and the care they receive.

p.3

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

There has been a reduction in incidents since the last inspection. The manager has responded appropriately to two allegations. All relevant professionals, including the local authority designated officer, were informed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429918 4 When the children have been missing from their home, staff have responded promptly, shown professional curiosity and followed protocols appropriately. Managers and staff have worked with social workers, family members and the police, to support children to return home safely. Staff provide children with reassurance on their return home and work to try to understand why they went missing, to help prevent similar incidents from occurring.

p.3

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

The use of physical restraint is rare. There has only been one situation where a child has been held since the last inspection. There was good management oversight of the incident, which evaluated the effectiveness of the measure. Records include the child’s voice and their views.

p.4

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

Consistent oversight of practice by the registered manager enables the prompt identification of any concerns or shortfalls in staff practice. One incident which resulted in a child receiving a double consequence was quickly highlighted and reviewed.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A child-focused registered manager leads the home. She is committed, motivated and highly ambitious for children, with clear expectations that children receive high-quality consistent care that is underpinned by the home’s therapeutic model of care. She is well respected by staff, children’s parents and professionals.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager takes time to help staff to understand the reasons for children’s behaviour. Team meetings include the home’s therapist and give the team the opportunity to work through each child’s therapeutic care plan. This supports practice development that promotes care that meets children’s individual needs. As a result, staff are empathetic in their approach and are adapting and improving their practice to embrace the therapeutic approach and research-based practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is exceptionally well supported by managers. They have regular professional supervision and time with managers to plan their development and discuss the model of care. Staff speak highly of the support they receive and are extremely supportive of each other. During a period of short staffing, managers and staff worked together to ensure consistency of care for children without the use of agency staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from a broad range of training opportunities, including personal development courses. In addition, the registered manager has started to embed research-based practice specific to individual children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429918 5

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5(c)). Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. In particular, ensure that effective challenge is made to resolve family time issues in a prompt way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: SC429918 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chamberlain House, Focus Foster Care, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2LG

p.6

Inspector

Sharon Douglas, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC429918 7 regulates 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7