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

Unique reference number SC401685 Inspection date 17/02/2011 Inspector Elaine Cray / Sharron Escott Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 14/12/2010 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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 Crispins, 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.

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About this inspection

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 outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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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 for 22 young people of either sex with learning disabilities, mainly autistic spectrum disorder diagnosis, between the ages of five and 17 years.

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Brief description of the service

The service is owned by a private company and is one of two residential facilities associated with the school. The service is in an isolated rural location and the large house is several miles away from the school. There are several mini buses available for the transportation of young people. The house is set in extensive grounds and is discreetly separated into four units. Each unit has a lounge, dining area, kitchen and small lounge. There are either five or six single bedrooms, with en-suite toilet or adjacent bathroom for each young person in each unit. There is also an activities centre and staff support young people to access resources in the local and wider community.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is satisfactory.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Summary

This was an interim unannounced inspection that concentrated on all key national minimum standards in staying safe. It also looked at actions and recommendations made at the last inspection. The young people were present and some participated in the inspection process.

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Summary

The judgement for staying safe is good with outstanding elements. This is a well managed service where young people are cared for and kept safe by a committed and well trained staff team. There are effective arrangements to promote the safety and welfare of the young people. Thorough and well implemented safeguarding systems ensure that young people are closely supervised, enabled with safe daily routines and able to express their individuality. Young people’s feelings and views are greatly valued and they receive a high degree of individualised support to express themselves and make safe personal choices. Behaviour is excellently managed, with clear boundaries, consistent approaches and an in-depth knowledge of individual and group behaviour needs and management strategies.

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Summary

Two recommendations relating to improving records with regards to security and risk management strategies are set as a result of this inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The service has reviewed the behaviour management policy and procedures to ensure that all sanctions promote the welfare of young people. The registered manager has also improved monitoring processes with particular attention to the central recording systems in the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are protected by effectively planned and implemented safeguarding arrangements. There are robust staff recruitment procedures and young people are kept safe by staff who are well trained in safeguarding children procedures, first aid, behaviour management and health and safety. The home's records and discussion with the manager and staff demonstrate an excellent working relationship with the Local Safeguarding Children Board. There are clear procedures and accountable recording processes for recognising and responding to concerns.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Health and safety monitoring checks and servicing of equipment are undertaken regularly. There are comprehensive risk assessments for individual young people, group activities and the environment. Staff have an excellent and practical understanding of the known and potential risks for individual young people and know how to safeguard them successfully. Although clear risk management strategies are consistently implemented on a day-to-day basis, the recording of some recent changes in good risk management is not up-to-date in young people’s records. Accommodation for the young people is well maintained and free from hazards. The four adjoining houses have their own locked front entrances that can only be opened from the inside with staff keys. While these arrangements are suitable and necessary to meet the safety and security needs of young people and facilitate small group living, the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

risk management strategies are not recorded in young people’s files.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children who are absent without authority are protected in accordance with written guidance and responded to positively on return.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people’s rights to privacy are respected and reinforced with clear information in care plans which inform staff about how young people prefer to be supported with personal care. Although young people require high levels of supervision staff are mindful of facilitating young people to have their own private time. Personal information is handled and stored securely and appropriately ensuring young people’s confidentiality is maintained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people’s views are valued and listened to. There is an accessible and responsive concerns and complaints process. Young people’s complex communication needs are well supported and facilitated. There is excellent staff awareness about how the young people may display expressions of dissatisfaction and a variety of ways to facilitate young people’s communication, including symbols, sign language and photographs. There is written process for formal complaints. Concerns are taken seriously and are dealt with effectively. The manager and staff are proactive in looking at how outcomes from concerns and complaints can be used to develop and improve the service and outcomes for young people.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Both individual and group behaviour is consistently assessed and managed. Young people’s behaviour is assessed in individual behaviour plans and comprehensive risk assessments. Staff are knowledgeable of and skilled in managing young people’s challenges, triggers for behaviour and ensuring they develop and grow in a nurturing but structured environment. Staff demonstrate an in-depth commitment to understanding behaviour. Young people are enabled to express their individuality and develop social skills with consistent positive reinforcement. There is a countering bullying policy. Young people are protected from the actions of others by planning group living, high levels of staff supervision and by staff having an in-depth and proactive awareness of the needs and behaviours presented by the young people.

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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):

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Recommendations

 ensure that any physical restrictions on normal movement within the home is agreed within the young people's placement plan (NMS 23.5)  ensure risk assessments are recorded and regularly reviewed (NMS 26.2).

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