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

Unique reference number SC062223 Inspection date 06/03/2013 Inspector Suzanne Young Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 03/12/2012 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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Brief description of the service

The home accommodates up to seven young people who have emotional or behaviour difficulties. The home is owned by a private limited company.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making inadequate progress .

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Progress

At the last inspection in December 2012, the overall effectiveness rating for the home was judged to be good. There were two requirements and three recommendations for areas for improvement. The overall rating at this interim inspection is inadequate progress.

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Progress

The home’s management have addressed both requirements made at the last inspection. The home has reviewed its recording of the medication given to young people, including controlled medication. These records are now recorded on young people's files and are also kept as a home's record. The home has also addressed two of the three recommendations made at the last inspection. The young people’s guide has been amended to include information about how they can contact the Children’s Rights Director and Ofsted. Staff also encourage and offer incentives to young people for them to stop smoking, although, with limited success. Young people's placements plans, however, have not been updated and reviewed as recommended at the last inspection to ensure they accurately reflect their day-to-day care. This recommendation therefore remains unmet. Young people spoken with said they are generally happy living in the home and feel

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Progress

safe. They said that staff were usually fair although, felt that they have better relationships with some members of staff than others. Young people feel restraints are not always conducted appropriately. Although, records demonstrate that young people are asked if they wish to make a complaint following being restrained, they do not feel adequately supported to do so.

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Progress

Several young people living in the home display very complex high risk behaviours. Although staff work very hard to manage these behaviours young people have not always been adequately safeguarded. This specifically relates to staff not being able to gain access to young people’s bedrooms when young people have barricaded themselves in. This behaviour has resulted on two occasions in young people been assaulted by other young people while their bedroom door was barricaded. On another occasion young people started fires in the bedroom while it was locked.

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Progress

Risk assessments are not adequately updated and as a consequence do not cover all known areas of risk. Risk assessments have not been updated following incidents when young people have barricaded themselves in bedrooms. These, therefore, do not result in management strategies that adequately safeguard young people or the staff team. The risk of young people holding their own lighters in the home is also not adequately assessed.

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Progress

Young people are not adequately aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. At the time of the inspection young people had not all taken part in a fire evacuation. Staff, however, debriefed young people about fire safety following the incident when they set fire to a bedroom.

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Progress

The home's safeguarding policy and procedures are not being implemented appropriately. Young people on three occasions have received injuries as a result of being restrained by staff. The home's management did not refer these to the local authority designated officer for child protection for consideration.

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Progress

The home’s records are also inadequate. The home records all measures of control restraint or discipline in a volume kept for the purpose as required. This volume, however, does not include a description of any injury to the child concerned or any medical treatment administered. These also have not always been dated as to demonstrate that a written record is made within 24 hours of a measure of control or discipline having been undertaken.

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Progress

The homes has systems in place to notify Ofsted and other agencies following a significant event occurring in the home. On one occasion, however, the home's management failed to appropriately notify Ofsted as required.

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Progress

There has been some good progress made since the last inspection in that the number of young people going missing from the home has significantly decreased. There have been no reported instances of young people running away or going missing since the last inspection. Education is promoted and all young people are either in full time education or have obtained apprenticeships. The home is generally well maintained. The kitchen has had significant work carried out over recent weeks and a complete refurbishment is due as part of the home's development plan.

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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 person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the welfare of children accommodated. This specifically relates to staff being able to gain access to children’s bedrooms when there is a concern for their welfare and protection (Regulation 11(1)(a)) 31/03/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the welfare of children accommodated. This relates to ensuring individual risk assessments are updated to reflect current areas of concern (Regulation 11(1) (a)) 31/03/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure persons working at the home report any concern about the welfare or safety of a child accommodated there to an officer of the local authority in whose area the home is situated (Regulation 16(2)(f)(iv)) 31/03/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measures of control restraint or discipline a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose which shall include all matters listed under Regulation 17B(3) (Regulation 17B(3)) 31/03/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure Ofsted is notified of events as indicated in Schedule 5 (Regulation 30(1)) 31/03/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals that children accommodated are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 32(1)(e)) 31/03/2013

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure young people are supported to take up issues or complaints in the most appropriate way (NMS 1.6)  ensure placements plans are updated and reviewed to ensure it accurately reflects the day-to-day care of the young person. (NMS 25.2)

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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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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