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

Unique reference number SC441514 Inspection date 10/02/2014 Inspector Martha Nethaway Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 08/10/2013 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 three young people with difficult and challenging behaviour. The home is owned by a private limited company.

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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 good .

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Overall effectiveness

The effectiveness with which the home promotes young people’s outcomes is good. Young people make good progress in relation to their welfare and emotional development. Young people enjoy personalised care and their holistic needs are considered and met. Young people’s views are actively sought and welcomed by staff and young people are included in decision making at the home. Young people are regularly consulted and, as a result, their views are reflected in all aspects of their care.

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Overall effectiveness

The quality of the relationships between staff and young people is good. Young people are provided with clear boundaries and their safety is prioritised. Young people say they feel safe and are safe.

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Overall effectiveness

Leadership and management are good. Team work is very effective and staff are dutiful and genuine in their work and approach with young people. Young people enjoy living in a caring and nurturing environment.

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Overall effectiveness

The home has been asked to send Ofsted a copy of the statement of purpose when any amendments are made.

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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 that any review of the statement of purpose is notified to Ofsted within 28 days (Regulation 5 (b)) 31/03/2014

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s outcomes are good. Over time they develop and grow in confidence and maturity. Young people learn to reflect on their experiences and, as a result, they are coping better with their lives. Young people’s self-esteem and self- confidence is promoted.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people enjoy healthy lives. They are actively encouraged to take responsibility for their health. and all young people have an individualised health plan. They regularly see their doctor, dentist and optician and they learn about how to keep themselves fit and healthy. One young person commented, ‘Today I am going out for a walk to trek the hills.’ Young people are openly discouraged from risk taking behaviours such as consuming alcohol or taking drugs and as a result these behaviours are not a feature in young people's lives at the home. Young people who smoke are actively discouraged from doing so. Young people say they would now like to stop smoking.

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Outcomes for children and young people

All young people are registered with the company’s school. Many do a combination of class based learning and in-house tutoring. Teaching staff and residential staff support young people’s learning needs, and many of the young people have successfully re-engaged with their education. One young person commented, ‘I am doing things like guitar lessons and ice skating. This is part of my education programme.’ Overall, young people are making good progress given their starting points and some are preparing for their exams. One young person commented, ‘I am now having extra tuition for maths.’ As a result, young people benefit from a stimulating learning environment.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make a positive contribution to home life and their community. Some young people actively do volunteer work. One young person commented, ‘I still go each Saturday to help in the shop and I enjoy doing it.’ In addition, young people take part in house meetings, positively influencing decisions and changes in menus, food, activities and rules. One young person commented, ‘We have a new chilling out room where we can play our drums and guitar.’ As a result, young people feel listened to.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people’s contact arrangements are good, and contact is maintained with family and friends. One parent said, ‘It’s a really good home in this respect. I see my son each weekend and in practical terms they drive him here each weekend.’ Each young person’s level and type of contact is consistent with their care plan. Their identity is actively promoted and this helps to ensure that they develop positive relationships with family members. The welfare and safety of all young people is carefully considered and prioritised.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Older young people are working towards a clear independence programme. They successfully learn about budgeting and money management. Young people are learning core skills such as life skills and increasing their social support networks. Young people are making clear plans for their future education and training. One young person commented, ‘I am now booked on driving lessons and this is something that I want to do because it will give me more options for the future.’ This is helping young people to prepare for transition to adulthood.

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Quality of care

Young people are making good progress in relation to their social and emotional development. This is because staff are consistent and help young people to develop self-discipline and positive behaviour. Over time they develop positive relationships with staff and with their peers.

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Quality of care

Young people regularly meet with their keyworker. They are provided with additional support to learn new and extra-curriculum activities, such as music lessons and cadets. One staff member commented, ‘The young person I support has a pet rabbit. The care and attention given is excellent. The young person enjoys watching the rabbit’s lively and responsive personality.’

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Quality of care

Information about how to make a complaint is good. Young people are openly encouraged to comment at every level about their care. The response of leaders and managers to young people’s complaints demonstrates a professional and sensitive approach. As a result, young people are confident that their views and concerns are always acted on.

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Quality of care

Care planning and implementation is good. All young people have a personalised care plan which is holistic and staff ensure that young people are working towards their individual goals as laid out in their care plans. This includes measuring progress in relation to their engagement with education, social skills and risk taking behaviours. Young people’s care plans are flexible to meet their specific needs and, as a result, over time young people improve in relation to their health, welfare and active engagement with education.

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Quality of care

Young people enjoy a range of activities and staff encourage them to develop an active lifestyle. One young person commented, ‘Each week I go to the cadets. We do events such as, swimming, cross country and football. It’s interesting and fun.’ Young people say they love going ice-skating, roller skating and going to the cinema, and these activities are helping to build young people's self-image, self-esteem and relationships.

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Quality of care

Young people’s needs relating to their cultural background and personal identity are identified and positively addressed in both daily living and care planning. Young people say they feel they are treated with respect and they say they feel their talents and endeavours are recognised. Staff provide an environment which promotes equality of opportunity and fairness.

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Quality of care

The home is located in a rural location with views over a market town. Young people say they enjoy the home. One social worker commented, ‘It’s got a very cosy cottage feel as a home.’ Leaders and manager have plans in place to replace the hallway carpets and bedroom carpets to enhance the environment further.

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Safeguarding children and young people

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

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people say they feel safe and are safe. All staff have completed child protection, safeguarding and allegations training since October 2013. One staff member commented, ‘The course refreshed our understanding of our key roles and responsibilities.’ Staff adopt a practice of listening to and engaging with young people on issues related to safeguarding and anti-bullying.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people are not at risk of going absent or going missing from the home. Young people’s whereabouts are clearly known to staff. The quality of relationships between staff and young people is good, with key worker sessions being used to talk with young people about friendships, peers and family dynamics. As a result, young people learn to understand how to protect themselves and keep themselves safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people’s behaviour is managed well. They learn new ways of expressing their emotions in relation to anger, frustration and disappointment. Staff model positive and clear expectations from the outset, carefully explaining boundaries and expectations. Over time, young people's behaviour improves. One parent commented, ‘I feel my son has made significant improvement. He is calmer and easier to talk to.’

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff recruitment and selection is good, with leaders and managers consistently following good staff recruitment procedures. Staff working at the home are deemed suitable to work with vulnerable young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff prioritise health and safety matters. All young people have in place a personalised risk assessment, which is updated as circumstances change. In addition further risk assessments are in place relating to the day-to-day working of the home. Young people take part in fire drills, which means that they know the correct steps to take in the event of an emergency. All these actions promote young people’s overall safety and wellbing.

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Leadership and management

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

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Leadership and management

Leadership and management are good. The Registered Manager is able to inspire and motivate the staff team. Staff enjoy their work and seek to help young people to enjoy their experience of living at the home. One social worker commented, ‘The team do treat it like a new beginning for young people.’ Since the last inspection, Ofsted have not received any complaints or concerns about the home.

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Leadership and management

The home has updated the Statement of Purpose, although this was not forwarded to Ofsted. This is a minor oversight and has no direct impact on the good outcomes that young people achieve. The home shares the Statement of Purpose openly with family members, social workers and placing authorities. Young people benefit from accessing therapy throughout their time at the home.

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Leadership and management

The home has in place a suitable quality assurance programme. A company representative visits the home once a month and visits take place during evenings, weekends and school holidays. This allows for discussions with young people and staff alike. A range of documents are scrutinised and any shortfalls are quickly rectified by the Registered Manager. The home has in place a development plan which is being implemented effectively. At present efforts are concentrating on improving and updating the décor, including the fitting of new carpets and the repainting of some rooms.

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Leadership and management

The home has addressed the previous requirements, significantly improving its strategy and intervention to decrease young people’s desire to go missing. The home has introduced a new book for the recording of any future physical interventions. These actions demonstrate that leaders and managers are seeking to further improve standards of care.

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Leadership and management

Staffing arrangements are appropriate. Half the staff team are qualified to work in residential care and the remaining staff are registered to complete their training. Staff receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal, and are also engaged in an on-going programme of professional training. Staff have undertaken training in Asperger's Syndrome and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. This has increased their understanding of young people with autism, in particular how to communicate with them more effectively and adapt their behaviour.

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Leadership and management

The management of records is good. Young people’s awareness of their care plan is promoted by them signing their records and through regular discussions with their keyworker. Young people’s care is being effectively planned for through well- developed care plans. Monthly progress reports are shared with each young person’s social worker and these reports reflect the good progress that each young person makes.

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Leadership and management

The home has an appropriate notification system. Leaders and managers fully cooperate with external agencies such as the safeguarding team, social workers and police. The actions of staff show that at all stages, young people's welfare is considered and promoted.

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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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