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

Unique reference number SC401685 Inspection date 21/03/2013 Inspector Robert Hewston Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 07/12/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This home is part of a residential special school which is part of a large private care organisation. The service is registered to accommodate 22 children and young people with learning disabilities. The home offers planned long-term placements. The school is registered with the Department for Education.

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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 good progress .

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Progress

At the full inspection in December 2012, the overall quality rating for this service was outstanding, meeting all regulations and national minimum standards. At this visit, the home is found to be making good progress.

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Progress

This service demonstrates its capacity to improve due to the improved monitoring systems implemented by the Registered Manager and house managers. This has resulted in children being offered more opportunities to learn independent skills. For example, it was noted through these monitoring systems, how staff were not always giving children the opportunity to complete cooking tasks because of their concerns about keeping children safe, in particular when working with hot frying oil. The management felt that, although this showed how much staff care for the children, with some more able children they should, with support, complete all of the cooking tasks. Risk assessments have been reviewed and changed giving some children the opportunity to learn how to manage cooking oil and the potential risk associated. Monitoring and quality assurance processes support the development of the home. The Registered Manager continually gathers evidence from a wide range of sources

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Progress

to determine the quality of care provided and outcomes achieved. Checks of the records and the review of the quality of care, like the internal monitoring systems, include consultation with young people. This provides an overview of the home’s day-to-day practices, with responses made to any actions set.

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Progress

The development plan identifies specific tasks to improve the home. The majority of tasks are either completed, or near to completion. The new development plan is already being used as part of the change in use for the home. Senior management, in consultation with the Registered Manager and staff team, are reviewing changes to the home's registration. Due to the reduction in referrals for next September the home is considering offering some placements for short breaks in response to parents requesting respite care for their children.

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Progress

Young people continue to thrive in this caring environment and achieve good outcomes in all aspects of their lives. All health and safety issues are robustly monitored and reviewed. All children have up to date individual fire evacuation assessments. The local fire service have arranged a visit in April to assess all fire assessments, equipment and paperwork.

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Progress

Overall, young people continue to receive the necessary support and guidance from a well-supported team of staff who know each young person well. Very stable placements continue to exist because of the longstanding, caring and effective relationships staff have with young people. There is a clear determination, energy and motivation to continuously improve the care framework of this home by well- trained and forward thinking staff.

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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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