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

Unique reference number SC449307 Inspection date 20/08/2013 Inspector Jennie Christopher / David Coulter Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 17/05/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home is owned by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for seven children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

This second full inspection took place in response to the overall judgement of inadequate at the last full inspection in May 2013. Several requirements and recommendations were made as a result of that inspection across all judgement areas. In response the home has formulated a comprehensive action and development plan. The current group of young people will move to other accommodation within the organisation by the end of August 2013. The home plans to reopen by October 2013 with phased introductions of young people.

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Overall effectiveness

Since the last inspection the leaders and managers of the home and wider service have focused on the areas identified as in need of improvement. All the requirements have been met or partially met. As a result young people are enjoying more positive relationships with staff. Although young people do not consistently talk positively about the home and staff, the general atmosphere is more relaxed than at the previous inspection. Staff are endeavouring to support young people to overcome barriers and challenges in their lives and are listening to young people more effectively. Staff and managers are working to form effective relationships with parents, carers and external services. Social workers comment that the home is improving in areas such as communication. The management team is focusing on improvement and guiding staff while the service is being redeveloped. Training and team building are organised for the interim period when young people will not be

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Overall effectiveness

There are still significant weaknesses in the home’s leadership and management; in particular the manager’s application to register has taken several months to be completed. There remain several areas for improvement identified as a result of this inspection, mainly in leadership and management roles and oversight. A particular concern is the inadequate recruitment process. Other concerns include: submitting managers’ monitoring to Ofsted; ensuring Ofsted are aware of all notifiable events and ensuring young people’s views are gained after sanctions.

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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 all staff files contain a full employment history, together with satisfactory written explanation of any gaps in employment (Regulation 26(1)(b) Schedule 2(6)) 30/10/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure all events as listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 are notified to the appropriate agencies without delay. (Regulation 30(1)) 30/10/2013

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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

 consistently seek and record the views of young people when any sanctions or disciplinary measures have been used (NMS 3.18)  ensure staff working in the home understand their role in helping to prevent and counter bullying effectively, especially when young people do not except their behaviour is deemed as bullying (NMS 3.12)  ensure records are clear and up to date and that they accurately reflect events. (NMS 22)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are adequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people continue to make some progress in most aspects of their lives, in relation to their starting points. They are benefiting from more thoughtful and individualised support. They are learning to develop improved confidence, self- esteem and a greater understanding of their personal history. Young people are increasingly valued as individuals. Staff’s positive regard is enabling the formation of some attachments and the foundation to develop and sustain appropriate relationships.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Promotion of health means young people have a fair understanding of healthy lifestyles and what this means for them. Smoking is still a concern. Staff encourage young people to stop, but a number have expressed no desire to stop smoking at this time. Incentives and clearer setting of boundaries have started to have a positive impact and are working to some degree to prevent young people smoking in their bedrooms. Young people generally understand their risk-taking behaviours but struggle to work positively towards reducing them. However some young people no longer go missing as often as they used to and others have been supported to reduce their substance misuse.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Attendance at school is excellent and joint working between the home and school staff enables young people to progress and achieve in line with their peers. Those who struggle with education, and with attending school, have comprehensive support to overcome barriers to their learning, including personalised courses of study. Those who are approaching school leaving age do not consistently have plans in place for their future education and training to improve their life chances and outcomes, although this area is being developed for the coming academic year. Young people have some positive relationships in the community, accessing sports and leisure activities as assessed in line with their preferences and abilities.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Liaison with school staff has ensured young people now learn a wide range of practical and life skills in the home. Completing these in conjunction with school PSHE (personal, social and health education) lessons ensures a more rounded and consistent approach to learning in preparation for moving on and independence.

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Quality of care

Young people are beginning to develop as a result of increasingly positive and constructive relationships with staff who are concerned for all aspects of their welfare. While young people are non-committal about staff, compared to the last inspection observed interactions between them and the staff are increasingly nurturing and supportive. Social workers say that young people have ‘good relationships’ with staff members.

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Quality of care

Staff are enabling young people to communicate more openly and more frequently. Routine consultation with young people has had varying degrees of success. House meetings and individual sessions take place regularly to enable young people to share their views and their ideas are often acted on. Examples include young people making a greater investment in house and group decisions, such as choosing meals and activities. Young people are actively encouraged to be involved in their reviews and improved care planning. When their wishes cannot be acted upon, they are supported to understand this through group and individual work. Increasingly staff are supporting young people to manage their feelings regarding this. Staff have clear aspirations for young people and individual well-being is becoming more central to all planning. Staff are more united in their practice and supervision of young people, resulting in greater consistency of care which enables them to

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Quality of care

progress. Staff support educational placements with effective communication between home and school. It is planned that those moving onto post-16 education will have robust support packages in place to ensure smooth transitions in line with individual assessed needs. The changing needs of young people are now monitored with greater frequency and plans are updated by staff in consultation, where appropriate, with parents, social workers and other professionals.

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Quality of care

Young people mostly enjoy good health with limited use of prescribed medication. There are close links with Looked After Children’s (LAC) nurses when young people are struggling to attend necessary appointments. The LAC nurses offer support and guidance on a range of health related issues and they are easily accessible. Mental and emotional health specialists often work closely with staff to provide specific therapies. However young people are often reluctant to engage in therapy. Individual medical plans have been updated and reflect clearly each young person’s health needs and requirements. Extra appointments with consultants have been arranged where necessary. However when appointments are not kept, the reasons why are not clearly detailed in the young person’s file. Medication is stored appropriately and there is an effective system to ensure that medication is administered safely. There are staff trained in first aid on site at all times.

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Quality of care

The building is more homely since the last inspection with more soft furnishings chosen by young people. Maintenance is an on-going concern, although repairs are prompt. When young people are unhappy they appear to target certain areas more frequently resulting in the same fire doors being damaged at this inspection. There are many areas for independent or group interaction. Currently access to the internet is restricted due to the abuse of equipment.

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Quality of care

Young people now have access to an independent advocate who visits the home regularly. Young people know how to make complaints and who to complain to. Further information on how to access a range of telephone support services is clearly displayed. Although young people did not say bullying was an issue, records show that young people have raised the issue of bullying with staff. After the initial complaint however, little follow up has taken place.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is adequate at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people generally feel safe and staff are working effectively to keep them safe in the home. Staff actively promote young people’s welfare and do all they can to protect them from harm and abuse. Staff are confident in the processes to follow should they be concerned about a young person’s safety or welfare. They are aware of, and understand, the homes’ child protection procedures. Policies are proactive and updated in response to lessons learned locally and nationally, including identifying signs of exploitation. Staff are increasingly aware of individual vulnerabilities and work jointly to try and ensure the continued safety of all of the young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Some young people regularly go missing from care. There are robust measures in place should this happen. For example British Transport Police have photographs of one young person who often uses the train to return to his home area. Triggers are being identified and explored with young people, and risk assessments updated to reflect this. A social worker commented that even though the young person does leave the home often, he will always return. Incidences of this and other risk taking behaviours, such as offending, have reduced and in some cases ceased for some individuals. Young people’s files contain up-to-date photographs.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The company’s recruitment process is currently not following all of the safer recruitment elements of the regulations. A full employment history, including written explanation of gaps was not available on a sampled file.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The behaviour management policy has been updated and all staff have received intensive training in order to support young people in times of distress or when they are displaying negative behaviour. Incidents and emerging behaviours are discussed in staff meetings. This has resulted in improved individualised positive behaviour plans rewarding young people through activities and treats and give clear guidance how to manage incidents of unwanted behaviour. Sanctions are proportionate, however young people are not consistently encouraged to reflect on their behaviour and consider how future responses could be different. Young people rarely require restraint and plans are explicitly clear what holds can be used for each young person, bearing in mind any presenting medical conditions.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are safe from fire and other hazards as a result of thorough checks and procedures and prompt maintenance to damaged fire doors. Young people’s risk assessments are robust to ensure young people are able to enjoy age-appropriate activities and take controlled risk in line with individual behaviours and vulnerabilities.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are inadequate .

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Leadership and management

The home has been without a registered manager since May 2013. The current manager, who has been in position since that time, has only recently submitted their application to Ofsted. In addition, there have been failures to identify non- compliance with the requirements of regulation; including the failure to notify Ofsted of incidents as required and ensuring full written employment histories for staff are available.

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Leadership and management

The management team in the home and wider service are improving their understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The home is adequately monitored through both managers. In addition, there is independent monthly monitoring of the building and records. The management team endeavours to seek the views of young people, their families and other stakeholders regarding the service provided. The newly devised comprehensive development plan identifies all areas for improvement, including how requirements and recommendations from the recent inspection have been implemented in practice and what further development is required.

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Leadership and management

The provider meets the aims and objectives as set out in the updated Statement of Purpose. Staff generally understand the functions, purpose and ethos of the home. The young people’s guide is in a simple format and contains information on external advice and advocacy services.

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Leadership and management

The home demonstrates some multi-agency working to improve outcomes for young people. Specialist mental health services, youth offending team and police officers, are involved in ensuring sound care and outcomes for young people. Services which are not performing are beginning to be challenged appropriately. Young people are supported to complain when necessary about services they receive. There have been two complaints from the community which have now been appropriately recorded.

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Leadership and management

Changes to personnel means there is currently an enthusiastic staff team. Staff are receiving good quality training. Training needs are identified in yearly appraisals and through regular supervision. Newly appointed staff complete a thorough induction programme, based on the Children’s Workforce Development Council’s induction standards, which is specific to the service.

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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 main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

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