Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Southampton

Unique reference number SC407783 Inspection date 08/03/2011 Inspector Anna Williams Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 13/07/2010 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

This home is operated and managed by a national organisation and provides accommodation for an associated residential special school.

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Brief description of the service

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people aged nine to seventeen years who have emotional, behavioural and educational difficulties. It is located in a rural area and close to community services.

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Brief description of the service

A commitment to a therapeutic approach underpins the philosophy of care. The home promotes social inclusion and aims to provide each young person the opportunity to develop their maximum potential through the delivery of an extended curriculum that is based on education and care.

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Brief description of the service

Young people are afforded single bedrooms with en-suite bathroom facilities and proportionate communal space which includes a large kitchen diner and two large reception areas. The garden is mainly laid to patio with seating areas.

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Brief description of the service

Two young people contributed to this inspection.

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Summary

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

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Summary

This is an unannounced random inspection. The focus of this inspection is the judging of the key standards which relate to the outcome group staying safe. This inspection reviews the progress the provider has made with two actions resulting from the previous inspection.

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Summary

Young people's privacy is promoted. Safeguarding arrangements are well planned and protect young people. Staff receive appropriate training and guidance and are subject to thorough vetting procedures before they start working at the home. Young people are encouraged to express their wishes through residents meetings. Young people feel well cared for in the home and have developed positive relationships with members of staff.

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Summary

Some areas of shortfall relate to record keeping, fire safety and the requirement for a children's guide to the home. Recommendations and one action have been set.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Two actions were made at the last inspection. The first related to ensuring that actions to support identified areas of assessed needs of young people are fully recorded within placement and pathway plans. Placement plans have recently changed format and now contain more narrative about actions to support areas of assessed needs.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The registered person has taken action and the Statement of Purpose now contains all the required information in Schedule 1, paragraph 5.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's privacy is protected. Staff ensure that confidential records are kept in locked cabinets with restricted access. Young people confirm that staff respect their privacy and they are able to contact friends and family by telephone in private. Young people confirm that they understand the room search policy, although such searches are rare. Comments from young people include 'staff knock before entering my bedroom', also 'I have my own key to my bedroom which I think is good.'

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are able to raise a concern or make a complaint. Comments from young people include 'we have house meetings where I can raise issues or concerns', also 'I know how to complain if I have a worry. I complained in the past and it was sorted.' The young people's complaints log has three entries since the last inspection. The young people's complaints log does not demonstrate clearly what action was taken following the complaints or what the outcome was to one particular complaint. Consequently, it becomes difficult for the registered provider to monitor the overall effectiveness of the complaints process.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has clear procedures for responding to safeguarding concerns. Safeguarding training is provided to staff on employment and thereafter annually. Discussions show staff are well informed of their responsibilities. Young people confirm they are aware of what action to take if they have any concerns. Comments include 'I feel safe and secure living here', also 'I like living here. I would talk to staff if I was unhappy about something.'

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff and young people are familiar with the home's anti-bullying policy. Staff are aware that bullying can take place and work hard to ensure that young people understand it is not tolerated in the home. Young people confirm that staff take appropriate action if any bullying is reported or seen. There are clear procedures for staff to follow in the event of individual young people becoming missing without authority. Staff have pen pictures and physical descriptions of each young person which can be relayed to police in the event of them being absent without authority. There has been one incident of absence without authority since the last inspection, however, staff report that young people can often return late from planned time away from the home. Young people confirm that return times are agreed with staff and that they are aware that they could be reported to the police if they do not return or make contact with staff. Comments

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

from young people include 'I am sometimes late back from visits, and staff text and ring me to see if I am ok.'

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff work positively with young people to reduce the occurrence of behaviours that may place them more at risk. Each young person has a behaviour management plan in place with risk assessments that are regularly reviewed. Young people confirm that staff support them to manage their behaviours. Discussions with staff show that young people are informed verbally about expectations for behaviour on admission. However, the home does not currently have a children's guide, which accurately describes what the home sets out to do for young people it accommodates and the expectations for behaviour within the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff receive annual training on behaviour management techniques. The physical intervention log has not had an entry since the home's registration in March 2010. Minutes of staff meetings indicate that the behaviour of each young person is being monitored and discussed on a regular basis. The sanctions log is used within the home, however, the sanctions log contains records which have been made in pencil. Comments from young people include 'I have had sanctions before, and they were fair.'

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people live in a home which provides physical safety and security. There are health and safety risk assessments in place which address how to minimise any identified hazards. Health and safety checks are undertaken on a weekly basis and include the fire alarm system and emergency lighting. Fire drills are carried out routinely and involve staff and young people, however, some individual staff have not participated in a fire evacuation drill for some considerable time. There is a fire risk assessment in place. However, this does not make clear whether the dining room door must be kept closed when the home is occupied. Young people confirm being made aware of the fire evacuation procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The organisation has a thorough recruitment process that ensures all necessary checks are completed prior to a member of staff starting work. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to monitor and manage visitors to the home to ensure young people are kept safe.

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Statutory Requirements

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

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Std. Action Due date

22 ensure the home has a children's guide which accurately describes what the home sets out to do for young people it accommodates. (Regulation 4.3) 30/04/2011

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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 a written record is made and kept of complaints which includes the nature of the complaint, action taken, and outcome (NMS 16.3)  a record of sanctions must be maintained. In particular this relates to the need to restrict the use of pencil in this record book (NMS 22.10)  review the fire risk assessment to assess the dining room door to consider its function in the overall fire safety of the building (NMS 26.2)  ensure that staff know the evacuation procedures for the home in case of fire, in particular this relates to staff undertaking fire drills and fire refresher training as required by the provider. (NMS 26.7)

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