Children's home run by Action for Children

Inspection report for children’s home: 2734923 1 Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a charity and provides care for up to 4 children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory impairment and/or social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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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: 2734923 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2024 Full Good 03/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2734923 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, 5 children have moved into the home, and 5 children have moved out. The inspector saw all 4 children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children extremely well. They have a thorough understanding of children’s health needs and work closely with external agencies to support children with health concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education and encourage children to persevere. When children have faced challenges or setbacks in education, the staff proactively advocate for them. This means that children access education with support tailored to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in activities they enjoy. One child went on a trip to London to watch their favourite television show live. Other children have enjoyed holidays together. This has helped children regain a sense of childhood. Staff support children in developing age-appropriate independence skills. Positive relationships with the staff have contributed to the progress that the children have made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Positive, warm and nurturing interactions were observed between the children and staff. The staff are responsive to children’s individual needs. The children are very comfortable in the company of the staff and have built trusting relationships with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised according to their tastes and preferences. The staff work hard to help children rebuild relationships with family and ensure that they maintain links with those who are important to them. This helps children with a sense of belonging and attachment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from parents and professionals is extremely positive. One parent said that their child was very happy living at the home. Another parent said that staff go out of their way to support children. Staff overcome language barriers to support children and their families. Children’s professionals acknowledge that this is due to the staff’s innovative thinking and focus on the children’s best interests.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children and their risks and help them identify and understand them. Staff are assisted by detailed risk assessments and plans that cover a range of topics, including children’s daily routines, managing behaviour and other risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734923 4 The children’s guide is child friendly and gives children a sense of what it is like living at the home. The guide contains information to help children understand who to speak to if they are worried or if they need support outside the home.

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

There has been one allegation against staff, which was investigated and managed appropriately. There have been no physical interventions or complaints from children. Parents and professionals are extremely positive about how their children are safeguarded and have not raised any concerns. One parent said their child was very safe and well looked after.

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

There have been incidents of children going missing from the home. When children go missing, staff are quick to respond. Partnership work with the police is effective, and staff actively ensure that the children return home as soon as possible. However, children are not offered return home interviews. This means that opportunities are missed to understand why children go missing and to reduce these incidents.

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

Staff have undertaken mandatory safeguarding training and understand their child protection responsibilities. However, some staff are not confident and familiar with the organisation’s whistleblowing procedure, which could leave children at risk if an incident occurred requiring them to whistleblow.

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

The home’s front door is a fire exit. However, because of a fault with the door, the staff use a keylock to secure it. As a result, anyone without a key, including children, cannot exit the building using this door unless the keyholder opens it for them. Issues with the fire doors were identified at the last inspection.

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

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that safer recruitment procedures are always adhered to. One staff member did not undergo appropriate pre-employment checks before they started working at the home. Managers had not attempted to verify the staff member’s reasons for leaving a previous role that involved working with vulnerable children. This could leave children at risk of having unsafe people caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. She is committed and talks about the children with dedication. She is ambitious for children and has a thorough understanding of their needs. The manager and staff are child focused. The manager will challenge other external agencies if she is dissatisfied with the services being provided to children. Parents and professionals complimented the manager’s communication skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good oversight of the home. They carry out regular audits of staff practice and the operation of the home, with actions and learning identified to help address shortfalls. The manager has a thorough understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and is intent on making improvements. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734923 5 Staff benefit from regular team meetings, one-to-one reflective supervision sessions and annual appraisals. The staff speak positively about the home and are enthusiastic and energised. Staff say they feel happy working at the home and receive support from management to fulfil their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

As part of the home’s behaviour management policy, staff do not receive physical intervention training, as physical intervention is not used at the home. However, this is not reflected in the home’s statement of purpose, which states that restraints are only ever used as a last resort. This information could be misleading and confusing for staff, professionals and parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff hold a relevant qualification or are working towards it. However, there have been delays in some staff achieving the qualification within the specified time frame. Inspection report for children’s home: 2734923 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the fire exits always remain accessible. 10 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or 30 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2734923 7 a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Information provided by such interviews should be considered when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s internal whistleblowing procedures. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.9)  The registered person should ensure that information relating to restraint in the behaviour management policy is accurately included in the statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47,

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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: 2734923 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2734923 9 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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