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

Unique reference number SC472102 Inspector Kenneth Smith Type of inspection Full 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 Hannah Cox Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 8 Inspection date 08/10/2014

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides residential provision for young people with autism. It is located on a large wooded site and has a linked school and a separate EBD school in close proximity.

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Information about this children’s home

The home consists of two separate buildings, one of which is further subdivided into two living groups. One of the three living groups is currently designated for young people with Prader Willi Syndrome. All but one of the current young people attend the on-site school.

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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

 promote children's individual health and emotional needs through more focussed daily recording (NMS 6.1)  ensure staff receive guidance if looking after children with complex health care needs; in particular provide guidance on awareness and management of injection sites (NMS 6.8)  provide a homely environment; in particular replace unsightly ramp at one entry and personalise garden areas for each of three living units. (NMS 10.3) 4 of 8

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Outcomes for children and young people good

In the first few months of operation, young people have benefitted from a secure home in which they have been able to make themselves relaxed and comfortable. They have formed good, and in some cases excellent, relationships with staff. For example, some young people have developed greater direct communication and influence over their own lives through the trusting relationships formed. Young people are growing in confidence though their experiences and activities.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are helped to take control and responsibility in their lives within a well- structured ethos. Most young people are responding well to this and show good signs of maturity and some consideration of others. They feel positive about themselves as they understand and utilise the structured day.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have all enjoyed good attendance at school, in some cases after substantial previous non-school attendance. Staff effectively support this through creating an expectation and routine which young people willingly comply with. Young people are progressing in their learning at school which is supported in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy good health supported by knowledgeable staff who are able to help them constructively with their diet and attendance at health appointments.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The home is proactive in supporting family contact and young people maintain relationships and develop a positive self-view through the sensitive arrangements made. Young people have the opportunity to learn some skills for independence although in many cases transitions are likely to be to adult services.

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Quality of care good

Staff in the home take a detailed interest in the young people and seek to make a positive impact in all areas of their development. This was demonstrated through discussion with staff and the corresponding progress of some young people.

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Quality of care good

Young people are encouraged to participate in the home. They have access to information explaining their rights and this is made clear to them on admission. Some young people have voiced concerns or complaints which have been promptly acted upon. Managers and staff explain decisions carefully to young people, mindful of their individual understanding.

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Quality of care good

The home has clear plans for young people which include health, education, communication and behaviour. They are enrolled and supported to attend routine 5 of 8 health visits. Medication is managed effectively and records and storage arrangements are both of a good standard. Where young people have specific needs these are mostly well documented but the monitoring and care of injection sites has not yet been planned for.

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Quality of care good

Meal times are subject to different approaches in each living group. This reflects the different make-up of each house and the grouping is well planned. In one house there is significant dietary control by staff in the home to meet the specific needs of those with Prader Willi Syndrome. In another house the careful negotiation with young people has resulted in an increased range of food eaten and some improvement to socialisation at mealtimes. The third house has more traditional mealtimes which young people enjoy.

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Quality of care good

Staff support educational achievement and have access to good quality information from the school to guide them in pursuing similar targets at home. Young people are encouraged to enjoy a wide range of activities. They have enjoyed: outings with staff individually and in groups; some attendance at community-based activities (for example, a drama group); activities within the home and grounds; pursuing hobbies, for example one child has a pet guinea pig and others are making similar arrangements.

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Quality of care good

Daily life is led and monitored by staff in each unit. This is underpinned with good recording arrangements, but greater focus is needed to ensure health or behavioural issues specific to each child are purposefully monitored. Staff need more direction regarding what is essential to record and what is unnecessary, to ensure these are useful for subsequent analysis, without being over-burdensome on their time.

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Quality of care good

The premises are of a high standard, and provide good communal and individual space. This is becoming personalised and individual young people are ensuring their space reflects their taste and character. This is a good achievement for many of this group of young people have been reluctant to engage in other settings. It was noted that one house is entered with a temporary ramp that needs replacement and that garden areas, which are a positive feature in their potential, remain relatively untamed.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are kept safe in this home through-well planned safeguarding arrangements.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Good supervision levels ensure young people are highly unlikely to go missing; there are clear procedures should this happen and managers are very aware of the individual vulnerability of each young person.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people may present with challenges through their behaviour, but managers 6 of 8 and staff seek to understand the underlying frustrations. Restraint has been used in the home only infrequently, as a last resort and with clear records demonstrating this. Records comply with the relevant regulation. These incidents are reviewed and managers seek alternative strategies where practical. Young people were observed to behave respectfully towards each other throughout the time of this visit and this is generally the case. Behaviour is largely managed without sanctions although exceptions have been tried with young people who are considered to be able to understand the consequences of their actions. These have been proportionate and records maintained although it is noted that, to date, young people have all refused to sign records and their views on this are not visible.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff recruitment is robustly managed and all staff files examined evidenced safe recruitment. The process is comprehensive, it is applied in practice and a detailed audit trail is retained.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are trained in safeguarding and this training had been updated prior to this inspection to include child sexual exploitation. Staff spoken to were clear about their responsibilities. Managers in the home have made effective links to local safeguarding professionals.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Safety is well managed. Records pertaining to fire and risk assessments demonstrated thorough and timely consideration of these issues. Staff training has ensured that all staff are familiar with the policy and their responsibilities.

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Leadership and management good

The leadership has been effective although undergoing some change. The registered manager who has opened the service for its first months will shortly leave to work in a different service with this company; a new manager has been appointed but not taken up post yet. The management arrangements have grown with the service and an additional manager has been appointed from within the organisation. The support from the headteacher of the linked school and through the line management process (area manager) has been substantial. The registered manager is qualified to level 5, and the prospective manager is understood to be qualified at this level as well.

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Leadership and management good

The service has a statement of purpose which does reflect all its core functions. This is a live and up to date document; the level of detail within it is good and may guide managers and staff as the service develops.

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Leadership and management good

Leaders have worked hard to build a service quickly and to understand the strengths and learning needs of a new staff team. This remains a work in progress, but actions taken include good monitoring (through regulation 34 arrangements) and timely supervisions ensure that progress is real. Incidents and issues have been used as learning opportunities and young people are benefitting from a staff team that is developing creative, whilst still sometimes tentative, practice. 7 of 8 The managers in the home take a very close interest in contributing to and following up on reviews of children. It was noted that whilst managers seek to forge good working relationships with placing authorities they are prepared to be assertive within that.

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Leadership and management good

Robust arrangements ensure complaints are investigated and responded to, including taking remedial action where needed. The transparency with which the home works is good and was noted by a range of stakeholders.

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Leadership and management good

The resourcing of the home is good and there has been a helpful, can-do approach to managing the environment and arranging activities.

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Leadership and management good

Similarly, staffing in the home is of a good level enabling each child to be individually supported, in some cases constantly but always with great reliability. Staff are well supported through supervision and training and growing in confidence.

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Leadership and management good

There are suitable arrangement for independent monitoring of the home (through regulation 33 reports) and good examples of objectives set and met within the process. The management of notifications to Ofsted and other relevant agencies has been timely, thorough and compliant with regulation. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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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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