Children's Home, Residential special school run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Staffordshire

SC391860 Unique reference number 15 February 2010 Inspection date Elaine Cray / Mark Ryder Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 8 Inspection Report: SC391860

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Brief description of the service

The service is a residential school and registered as a children’s home to provide care and education for 13 young people of either sex with learning disabilities, mainly Autistic Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, between the ages 5 and 17 years. The service is owned by a private company and is one of two residential facilities associated with the school.

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Brief description of the service

There are two houses and these are separate from but nearby to the main school site which is located in a rural setting just outside a small town. The service has a fleet of minibuses and young people are able to access resources in the local and wider community.

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Brief description of the service

The houses are purpose built and present as domestic dwellings. One house has six bedrooms and the other seven, but otherwise have the same facilities in each house. Each house has two lounges, a dining room, a kitchen and laundry facilities. All the bedrooms are single and have en-suite shower and toilet facilities. There is also a bathroom in each house. The houses have gardens, including a vegetable plot.

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Summary

This inspection is an unannounced full key inspection visit, looking at all the key national minimum standards. This is the service’s first inspection as a children’s home. The outcome areas relating to being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, economic well-being and organisation are assessed and judged as good. The outcomes for positive contribution are assessed and judged as outstanding.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is good. Young people live in a structured and nurturing environment and their behaviour is excellently managed. There are clear and creative processes to ensure that young people are involved in and consulted about their own daily routines and the running of the home. Young people are provided with excellent opportunities to develop educationally, emotionally and socially. Their behaviour, communication and social skills are significantly improved and staff are enthusiastic about the progress young people are making at the home. Young people benefit from care that is provided from well trained staff and a service that is well managed and constantly striving for further improvement.

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Summary

Two recommendations are set as a result of this inspection visit. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

This is the service's first inspection since registration as a children's home in July 2009.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The promotion of young people's health and arrangements for medical needs are well organised. Young people’s medical and health care is monitored and supported as staff and parents work in conjunction to liaise with appropriate health care agencies. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC391860 Young people’s health and medical conditions are supported and monitored with well-documented medical and health information. This process is facilitated by an effective admissions process where information is obtained from families, previous placements and young people’s social workers. Records maintained by the home clearly show that young people's medical appointments are arranged and their health closely monitored.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people’s health needs are supported by care staff and a team of nurses with an excellent understanding of learning disabilities, associated medical conditions and the general health needs of developing young people. Young people are supported by staff who have an excellent understanding of young people’s communication skills and behaviour patterns in order to respond to health issues of young people who may not be able to verbalise their concerns. Staff liaise with local and specialist agencies and seek to research relevant practice. This proactive approach to seeking knowledge and networking gives useful consultation for staff and a breadth of additional support to young people.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people benefit from the clear focus on maintaining healthy diets and lifestyles. Menus are varied, discussed with young people, multi-cultural and include choice. Young people are encouraged and supported to do their own cooking and develop an understanding of healthy eating; this promotes their development in independence and life skills. Young people are also encouraged to lead an active lifestyle.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are protected by well-managed medication procedures and staff are trained in first aid and the management of medication.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The safety and welfare of young people is placed at a high priority and young people are safe and secure and there are improvements in their welfare and behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are protected by clear procedures and practices for promoting their welfare. Staff are trained in safeguarding children procedures. Staffing levels are allocated to ensure that all young people are kept safe and receive appropriate support. There are excellent risk assessments and management strategies in place. The needs, behaviour and safety of young people are clearly identified and responded to with appropriate staffing levels and practical care strategies. Staff are fully aware of who to notify about serious incidents in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staffing levels are high and the supervision of young people is detailed. Although young people need high levels of supervision, there is a good level of respect for young people’s privacy and dignity. Young people enjoy their own private space, all are encouraged to have their own key and there are clear staff procedures for supporting young people with their personal and intimate care.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a countering bullying policy and young people are protected by staff who present an excellent understanding of group dynamics, individual communication processes and behaviour patterns. There is a clear commitment to enabling young people to express concerns and manage behaviours that may cause upset to other young people. Young people are protected by a clear user-friendly complaints procedure and information about how to complain is provided for parents, carers and social workers. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC391860 There is a written behaviour management policy. Young people are enabled and motivated to manage and improve their behaviour. Staff are trained in behaviour management and physical intervention and consistently explore and assess the presenting and sometimes complex behaviour presented by young people. Records are well maintained. Staff promote clear boundaries and expectations and there is a clear focus on rewarding positive and improved

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

behaviour. Staff are proud of the improvements and achievements of young people and these are clearly identified in the excellently maintained young people’s records.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has clear policies and procedures regarding the recruitment of staff which are in line with the Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and national minimum standards. Visitors to the home are vetted to ensure the safety of young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The physical environment is well maintained and monitored in terms of health and safety, with comprehensive and detailed documentation. Fire safety procedures are checked and monitored. All young people's risk assessments include their responses to the fire alarm system and if they know what to do if there is a fire.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young people benefit from a well-structured and nurturing approach to their education and care. They are provided with a variety of opportunities appropriate to their age and understanding to enjoy and achieve. Young people’s needs are assessed on an individual basis and their needs, development and progress are recorded to reflect their individuality.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are sensitive and able to respond to the complexities of need including racial identity, expressions of sexuality, learning and communication difficulties. Young people are supported by individual key workers and consistent support from all the staff on a day-to-day basis. There is good liaison with appropriate agencies in terms of more specialised individual needs. The service has its own team of nurses and speech and language specialists.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are very settled at the home, they enjoy positive relationships with their key workers, staff and their peers. There is a vibrant, energetic, yet very structured environment for young people to learn, develop skills, have fun and build their self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The residential facilities are adjacent to the service’s large and well-resourced school, where all children attend full-time education. The school was inspected by Ofsted in June 2009 and received a good judgement. Young people’s development and achievements are closely linked between the education and care experiences. There is close and essential liaison between the education and care staff and young people clearly benefit from the excellent opportunities provided both in school and from the wide range of activities provided for them. Activities include horse riding, swimming, ice skating, going to the gym, cinema, walking, using the trampoline and a variety of social trips such as shopping, visits to leisure parks, meals out and using public transport.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Young people are excellently cared for by staff who provide consistent care on a day-to-day basis, resulting in significant improvements in their welfare, behaviour and safety. There is a 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC391860 comprehensive assessment of need for each young person and this includes close liaison with parents and carers. Individual placement care plans and practical risk assessments inform staff about what to do on a day-to-day basis. Placement care plans are detailed, up-to-date, regularly reviewed and show the clear progress young people are making while at the home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are supported when they move into the home. Staff visit them at their homes and placements and there is an individualised moving in plan developed for each young person. Young people are able to bring their own possessions in order to familiarise their rooms. Arrangements for young people to maintain contact with families and friends are recorded and excellently supported by the manager and staff at the home. Young people are supported when they leave the home with clear plans for transition to new placements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are valued and empowered. They are included in and consulted about their placements, what happens to them on a day-to-day basis and the running of the home. Staff place great value on the views and opinions of the young people and spend a lot of quality time with them to ensure that their views can be established. Young people are able to communicate how their day has been and choose what they would like to do in their free time at house meetings held after school each day. There is also a school council. Each young person has a key worker to understand and make sure all young people’s views are advocated, both in terms of their placements and the routines in the home.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people are supported to develop and prepare for more independent living. Placement plans include target areas for young people to develop self-care, social and domestic skills. Young people are encouraged to achieve in school and join a variety of activities in the community. These achievements provide young people with confidence and skills that will support their future adult placements.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people live in a well-maintained and comfortable home. The houses are spacious, each with two lounges, a dining room and a kitchen. Each house is well furnished, decorated and presents a homely environment for young people. Young people have their own rooms, with en-suite toilet and shower facilities. Young people’s bedrooms are personalised with their own choice of décor, posters, electrical items and toys.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The home’s Statement of Purpose provides good information about the home, but there is no mention about how young people can access an independent person. Young people can find out about the home from the children’s guide which is designed according to their levels of understanding and communication.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after by experienced, competent and well-trained staff. They have a good understanding of the needs of the young people and a practical knowledge of the policies, procedures and recording systems in the home. Staffing arrangements are good and sufficient in number to provide good quality care so young people can be safe, progress and achieve in their placements. Communication systems are effective and there are clear lines of accountability. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC391860 Handover meetings are held daily, team meetings are regular and each shift has a designated shift leader.

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Organisation

Staff training is well organised, with an induction package, an annual training plan, with core training such as child protection, first aid and behaviour management. There is regular staff supervision, but the set agenda does not include the opportunity for staff to address any personal issues they may have. The majority of staff have a National Vocational Qualification at Level 3. Staff are positive about the support and development provided by the management team.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The staff team have an excellent commitment to assessing and understanding the individual needs of all young people and exploring ways in which these needs can be addressed. The staff team is mixed gender and multi-cultural and meets the current needs of the children. Cultural needs are addressed and proactively celebrated. Discriminatory behaviour and bullying are challenged and addressed.

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Organisation

Young people have permanent and private files, which are comprehensive, well-organised and show a clear record of their individual progress.

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Organisation

Young people are looked after in a home that is managed well. The service is thoroughly and robustly monitored, including thorough Regulation 33 visits and monthly checks by the manager. There are clear lines of responsibility and accountability. Staff have delegated tasks and areas of responsibility and these are monitored through the clear auditing systems.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure the children’s guide contains information on how a child can secure access to an independent advocate and about how to make a complaint (NMS 1.3) • ensure supervision of staff working with children addresses personal issues which may impinge on the member of staff’s ability to carry out their duties effectively (NMS 28.4). 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC391860

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