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

Unique reference number SC407790 Inspector Kevin Whatley Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Priory Education Services Ltd Registered person address 5th Floor 80 Hammersmith Road London W14 8UD Responsible individual Helen Sharpe Registered manager Tristan Paul Mabey Date of last inspection 17/01/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 17/09/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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This inspection

The home has improved effectiveness since the last inspection, in January 2014. No requirements or recommendations were made on that occasion and none are made as a result of this inspection.

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This inspection

The home continues to make progress in a number of areas with the individual needs of young people remaining the guiding principle of care. The Registered Manager has been in post for a year and is suitably qualified and experienced. He leads by example in creating a culture where the individual needs of young people are placed firmly at the heart of practice and where opportunities are taken to learn from experience. For example approaches to care planning and risk assessment have been improved to consider the views of young people more readily and to cement such opinions firmly into plans to meet their needs. Where young people have understated the risks they feel they maybe to themselves, staff have moderated the process to ensure a suitable risk management strategy is in place. Young people are engaged in this process so that they can see their starting points which are reviewed with them on a monthly basis to assess what progress they have

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This inspection

made. Such an approach ensures young people understand what is being planned for them and allows them opportunities to gain greater insight into their thoughts, behaviours and attitudes.

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This inspection

A committed and motivated staff team display considerable understanding of the young people they look after, their specific needs and aims of their placement. Young people said they are, 'happy' living at the home and appeared relaxed and settled within the environment.

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This inspection

There have been occasions when young people new to the home have displayed increased levels of challenging behaviours. However the staff team have met such challenges with determination, skill and focus. As a result, the problematic 3 of 5 behaviours have decreased considerably, with young people responding well to firm, but fair, boundaries, routines and expectations. This has been particularly successful with young people who had histories of dealing with feelings of anger or frustration with aggression and violence.

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This inspection

The importance of developing meaningful relationships between staff and young people is clearly seen in the quality of interactions observed between them. Young people who previously struggled to cope with anxiety have been helped to settle with innovative ways sought to engage them further. For instance some young people have been able to develop improved levels of responsibility to a stage where they can keep their own pet. Staff have guided such young people with patience and experience to ensure the importance of caring for a pet appropriately is considered as part of daily life. Young people were extremely pleased to show the inspector the facility that had been built by them and staff to house the pet which in turn has increased their levels of confidence and investment in the home.

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This inspection

Young people benefit from living in a home that fully promotes their learning. All young people currently placed at the home also attend the organisations school some 30 minutes drive away. Staff convey appropriate expectations of engaging young people in education which when coupled with the consistent routines of the home result in high levels of attendance. Young people who had extremely poor histories in education have made significant progress given their starting points.

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This inspection

Young people are safeguarded by robust and pro-active planning and intervention. Staff receive suitable training in child protection matters and display a keen appreciation of internal and external protocols. Where young people have placed themselves at risk of harm, such as though self-harmful behaviours, a thoughtful response has been applied with expert advice assisting staff to support young people in addressing their issues. Where such risk has increased the home have sought swift and appropriate interventions from other care professionals resulting in decisive actions being taken to keep young people safe. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children's home that is part of a national organisation and provides care and accommodation for five young people who have emotional, behavioural and educational difficulties and attend the associated residential special school.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2014 Interim good progress 13/08/2013 Full good 03/01/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 09/08/2012 Full good Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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