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

Unique reference number SC402406 Inspector Suzanne Young 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 Karen Lewis-Farr / POST VACANT Date of last inspection 01/10/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 07/01/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

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

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This inspection

This home is sustaining effectiveness since judged as adequate at the last inspection in October 2014.

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This inspection

A new manager has started at the home since the last inspection. She is currently undergoing registration and is appropriately qualified. The manager has responded to the requirements raised at the last inspection. She has worked to establish systems to monitor outcomes for young people and to develop an improved quality assurance process to improve recording and review patterns and trends. The manager has also developed systems for monitoring the home’s environment. This helps ensure the home environment is clean, safe and well maintained.

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This inspection

Young people continue to display very challenging behaviours. As a result, their experiences within the home have not always been positive. Staff respond appropriately to challenging and potentially violent behaviour, although on occasions they have experienced difficulties resulting in police being called to the home. There is a good balance of experience among the staff team. Staff training reflects the presenting needs of young people. The manager has ensured that staff are trained in areas, such as, self-harm. For example, all staff have recently undergone ligature training.

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This inspection

Discussions with young people following restraints are not being adequately recorded. Records do not detail young people's feelings and views about what has happened to them. This does not allow for the manager or staff to reflect and learn in order to develop their practice. The manager has recognised this and is developing systems that will allow patterns and trends to be reviewed to inform future practice.

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This inspection

Partnership working is good. The manager and staff continue to work closely with 3 of 5 other agencies, including safeguarding teams and the police. As a result, there has been a recent reduction in young people going missing and engaging in risk taking behaviours in the community.

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This inspection

When young people move on, staff endeavour to make their transition as smooth and easy as possible. Due to the very difficult presenting behaviours of some young people, this has not always been planned as staff and the manager would have liked.

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This inspection

Some young people are making good progress at the home. They are attending school and engage in clubs and activities in the local area. Young people's views are mixed about whether they enjoy living at the home. One young person rated the home 10 out of 10. They all have formed good relationships with various staff members and generally feel staff are fair. Young people are aware of, and able to use the complaints procedure for raising concerns. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home accommodates up to three young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is run by a private company.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2014 Full adequate 27/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 28/11/2013 Full good 27/03/2013 Interim good progress

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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

 ensure young people and staff are given the opportunity to discuss incidents of restraint they have been involved in, witnessed or been affected by, with a relevant adult (NMS 3.17) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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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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