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

Unique reference number SC408655 Inspector Nicola Lownds 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 Clive Coombs Registered manager David Campbell Chedgey Date of last inspection 18/09/2014 2 of 7 Inspection date 12/03/2015

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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 was last inspected in September 2014 when it was judged as adequate with good outcomes for children and young people and leadership and management. Most of the requirements and all of the recommendations from the previous inspection have been met.

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This inspection

The behaviour management policy has been discussed in team meetings and staff have refreshed themselves on the policy. Records of restraint used have been improved however some reports continue to lack detail in relation to the restraint method used. There have been some incidents where a non-approved technique is used prior to manoeuvring into an approved restraint method. This means some records lack transparency and young people may be subject to unapproved restraint methods during the initial physical intervention from staff.

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This inspection

Positive Handling Plans indicate good strategies to manage a young person’s behaviour including initial de-escalation. They are written in collaboration with education which means the home aims to provide young people with consistency of care. Records are not clear if all staff have familiarised themselves with each individual positive handling plan. This means staff may not be prepared with de- escalation strategies required to diffuse a crisis for each young person.

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This inspection

A clear risk assessment is in place for the electricity substation within the grounds which can only be accessed by the electricity board. The home has further reduced the risk to young people as they have used distraction techniques to focus a particular young person’s attention onto other areas of the home.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager continues to recruit to vacant posts in the home. Recruitment files contain pre-employment checks which comply with safer recruitment guidelines including holding a full employment history for staff. This 3 of 7 means young people are cared for by staff who have been suitably appointed through safer recruitment practice, this enhances the safety of young people.

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This inspection

Young people’s records include care plans that detail how they wish to be cared for. The care plan for one young person includes information about the young person’s identity such as family, contact, likes, dislikes and social peer groups. This information was collated prior to the young person moving into the home. This indicates the home has made progress to promote young people’s identity.

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This inspection

Young people are consulted about their care. They have the opportunity to comment on sanctions, restraint or disciplinary measures that they are involved in. Some young people decline to comment and they personally record this or staff do this for them. Some records show a more stringent recording technique to include an observation of the young person’s demeanour following physical intervention should a young person decline to comment.

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This inspection

Young people benefit from one-to-one key-working sessions that include life skills such as bank account management and savings. Activities are planned around independence such as purchasing food from a supermarket with a set budget and cooking the meal. This means young people are developing skills to prepare them to live more independently.

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This inspection

Staff know young people well. Young people enjoy spending time with staff and each other. Staff use a diverse range of skills to communicate with young people such as Picture Exchange Communication System, Objects of Reference and Makaton. Young people feel confident to express their views and requests to staff. Photographs of activities and special occasions are displayed around the home. A parent said, ‘they do an amazing job, I think he is very happy there’.

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This inspection

Restraint records are monitored by the Registered Manager and discussions are held about significant incidents in staff meetings. Young people are benefitting from some analysis of behaviour management techniques. The Registered Manager however is monitoring incidents, sanctions and restraints they are directly involved in. This eradicates a safeguard to young people as the Registered Managers practice is not being independently scrutinised by the organisation.

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This inspection

Staff receive specialist training such as autism, behaviour management and communication. This means staff are equipped with skills to meet the complex needs of young people they care for. Supervision of staff however is inconsistent in relation to frequency. This means some staff do not have the opportunity to receive regular one-to-one support on the challenging environment in which they work.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager has strong links with the Local Area Designated Officer whom he actively seek advice from. Internal safeguarding investigations are conducted by the head of care. Actions from these investigations are not always followed up in a timely manner and records would benefit from evidencing reasons 4 of 7 for delays. Observations of young people in the home show they are happy and feel safe, one young person said, ‘I like it here; I’d rather stay in than go out; I feel safe here.’ 5 of 7

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is for seven young people. The home is run by a private organisation, providing care and accommodation for young people with learning disabilities.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/09/2014 Full adequate 14/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 08/10/2013 Full adequate 23/01/2013 Interim satisfactory progress

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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

17A (2001) ensure staff only use the measures of control, restraint and discipline set out in the behaviour management policy. Further, ensure that records are accurate with regards to restraints used, the action taken in response to a restraint, including manager's debriefs and oversight (Regulation 17B(1)(a) and (3)) 12/05/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure staff receive regular supervision. (Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 12/05/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): 6 of 7  ensure all records kept in the home are monitored to identify concerns about specific incidents. In particular that sanctions, restraints and disciplinary measure conducted by the Registered Manager are monitored by a second person (NMS 21.2)  ensure records are clear and staff understand the nature of those records. Specifically that staff have read the Positive Handling Plans for young people and clear recording is undertaken in relation to the actions following safeguarding investigations. (NMS 22.1) 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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