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

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 The home environment requires some improvement. For example: there are burn marks on some bedroom windows; residue and marks left on doors throughout the building where signs have been removed; mismatched wall coverings and graffiti scratched into a door.  Staff must ensure they know where young people are at all times both within the home and its vicinity. The home has many blind spots. Staff do not always accompany young people, particularly when they are in a heightened mood or have had a disagreement with another resident. This leaves the possibility that individuals could access others rooms or leave the building without staff being aware.  Young people’s risk assessments have not been promptly updated in response to changes in behaviour. Staff do not have up-to-date knowledge or information regarding how to care for the individual safely and effectively.  The approach to behaviour management lacks rigour as young people are

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because:

automatically given the opportunity to earn back any consequence they receive. This results in the process being diminished as individuals know they do not have to fully complete sanctions imposed; and staff effectively make them too punitive in order to subsequently reduce them.  Records of formal complaints do not contain the response and final outcome. When young people complete grumble forms, the action agreed has not consistently taken place, for example, key working sessions to address the concerns.  The home is currently without a Registered Manager. The recently appointed home manager is in the process of applying to be registered, however.

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The children's home strengths

 The home manager has identified many areas for improvement and has produced a comprehensive development plan. They have implemented new placement plans and built upon existing plans and recording systems to improve records and involve young people as much as possible in planning.  The staff team is increasingly consistent, affording the opportunity for young people to build trusting relationships with individuals. Staff are working together with greater effect, reducing inconsistency in approach. Young people in turn have a better understanding of what is expected of them.  Increased liaison with education staff and the school’s therapies team is providing greater consistency in approach and is improving the service for young people.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

in order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

ensure staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans, and in particular maintain young people’s risk assessments and update them when behaviour changes.

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Requirement Due date

in order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff help each child to develop socially aware behaviour and encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding and communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. In particular, cease the practice of young people automatically being able to earn the removal of sanctions.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11(2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)) 31 August

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. In particular, ensure staff are aware of each young person’s whereabouts both within the home and in the vicinity at all times.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(2)(b)) 31 August in order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished maintained so as to meet the needs of each child. In particular ensure that windows do not have burn marks, residue from old signs is removed form doors and the décor of the building is satisfactory including matching wall coverings.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must co-operate with the child’s placing authority in agreeing and signing the child’s placement plan, including ensuring plans are in place on all young people’s files.

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Requirement Due date

Where the registered person appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of; the name of the person so appointed; and the date on which the appointment takes effect.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made of the intervention. This is with regards to a restraint identified in an incident records, though not recorded in the restraint records. Additionally ensure records can easily be cross referenced for tracking purposes.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  When considering potential new placements to the home, ensure the current staff team are able to meet the needs of that individual. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards, April 2015, Page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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Recommendations

 Continue to develop practice in the home to ensure young people and their views are central to all practice. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards, April 2015, Page 21, paragraph 4.5)

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Information about this children's home

The home is owned by a private organisation and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 7 young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Young people have access to the organisations school and facilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/01/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

07/01/2014 CH - Interim Inadequate Progress

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requires improvement

Young people have formed some trusting relationships with staff. The staff team has become increasingly stable in recent months, resulting in young people feeling they are able to attach to individuals. Observations show young people feel comfortable with staff, with one saying while she misses other staff who have left; she is able to trust staff now to ‘deliver what they have agreed’.

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requires improvement

Young people’s views are actively sought with regards to activities and more recently about the decor of the home. They are currently deciding on the colour for the new kitchen and have chosen paints and soft furnishings for their bedrooms. Young people are clear on how to make a complaint and who to complain to. Resulting actions taken are not always shared with the complainant. Recently implemented key work books provide a record for all staff to detail individual discussions and issues for follow up with the key worker. These are effective and many minor issues have been dealt with promptly as a result.

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requires improvement

Young people’s in-house care plans are clear and reflect placement objectives and changes agreed at reviews. The format has been modified to be young-person focused, and include their views as much as is practicable. These need to be implemented for all young people in placement. Information on identity is limited, although in practice individuals are able to express themselves as individuals and attend religious observance as requested and events such as Bournemouth Pride. Health care plans are clear and those with specific needs attend specialist appointments with staff support. Information on how to manage medical conditions is clear. Medication is stored appropriately and staff are trained in safely administering medication.

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requires improvement

All young people attend the organisations school, where they are making some good progress. One recently sat a range of GCSE exams and she is pleased with this accomplishment. Staff are helping with her next step by taking her to visit the colleges where she has been accepted. She will make a decision on which college to attend later in the summer. The home manager liaises with education staff and the schools therapies team to ensure consistency in approach. In addition to formal education, young people are increasingly engaged in a range of socially and physically stimulating activities. A member of staff is coordinating activities and is consulting young people on what they would like to do during the summer holidays. A young person who returns home for the summer holidays also has a plan of activities for her to engage in with her parents to ensure she is sufficiently occupied during her break. Young people who are approaching adulthood learn a range of key skills to help

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requires improvement

them progress. This was a difficult task with a young person who recently moved on as she was not fully engaged in the process and had begun to distance herself from the home. Those currently in placement are learning age-appropriate skills as reflected in their placing authority pathway plan.

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requires improvement

The physical environment has improved since the last inspection. The current home manager is building on improvements made by the former Registered Manager. Areas of poor maintenance and décor remain however: burns on some bedroom windows; mismatched wall coverings in the hallways; and residue on doors where signs have been removed.

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requires improvement

Young people’s demeanour and relationships with staff suggest they feel safe within the home. Those asked said they could approach staff with any worries or concerns they may have.

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requires improvement

Staff have a good understanding of child protection and safeguarding. They are confident in procedures to follow should they be concerned for a young person’s well-being. Incidents are managed promptly with appropriate referrals to external safeguarding agencies and professionals.

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requires improvement

Staff recognise the signs of potential grooming and exploitation, and have implemented some good strategies to support former residents in reducing risky behaviour. Staff effectively supported a former resident at risk of exploitation through close liaison with police, including transport police at the local train station, and this helped to keep her safe by limiting her access to public transport. Going missing did become an increasing concern for this individual as she approached the time to move on to independence. The former manager worked well with the placing authority and professionals in the area the individual would go to, in order to protect her as best as they could. Missing has significantly reduced in the home since this young person has moved on.

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requires improvement

Staff have a sound understanding of individual vulnerabilities and reasons young people may want to leave the home without permission. The in house policy is simple to understand with a flow chart detailing how to respond to incidents. There continue to be occasions when individuals leave the home without permission. If young people do leave the home, staff usually follow them and encourage them to return, or spend time with them in the community talking through their worries. Observations highlighted that staff do not always supervise young people in all areas in the home, including when they are already upset or agitated. This is a concern due to the layout of the building, which has many hallways and blind spots. This resulted in them not always knowing if a young person has left the home.

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requires improvement

Self-injurious behaviour is a concern for some individuals in the home. Most staff have benefited from training in this area. Risk management plans are robust and afford young people the opportunity to demonstrate they can use every day items, such as razors, appropriately. However, risk assessments have not always been updated promptly when behavioural patterns have changed. Increased liaison with school-based therapists is aiding consistency in approach in responding to behaviours that place young people at risk.

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requires improvement

Behaviour management has dramatically improved with the stability in the staff team. Boundaries are mostly clear and young people are aware of expectations and expected responses to negative behaviour. Staff now manage incidents well and focus on de-escalation and diversion. Restraint is used as a last resort when other approaches have been exhausted. Records are mostly clear. However one record was missing and forms do not effectively correspond to incident reports. This compromises the ability to audit and evaluate incidents and measures of control. Sanctions are mostly fair with a degree of proportionality. However the automatic ability to earn back part of the initial sanction causes confusion and dilutes the original significance of the measure imposed; for example imposing a harsher sanction then necessary in order for a young person to earn part of it back.

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requires improvement

Young people do not have access to social media via the home’s computer. They have access through mobile phones and electronic devices and often frequent cafes in the local community offering free Wi-Fi. This reduces staff opportunity to monitor appropriate use of the internet in a casual and natural manner. This is recognised as an ongoing concern and senior managers are aware of the potential impact on young people and missed opportunities to teach safe internet and social media use.

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requires improvement

Young people do not raise bullying as a current issue, although they did feel it was an issue prior to another young person moving on. Conflict within the group could be perceived as bullying, although staff’s management of peer relationships is increasingly effective. Managers now recognise the need for in-depth impact assessments prior to placements. They give consideration to the needs of all young people in the group and most significantly the skills of the current staff in being able to support the new placement.

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requires improvement

Young people are protected from unnecessary risk through stringent pre- employment checks of new staff. Additionally, health and safety checks and risk assessments are up to date, removing avoidable risks. Judgement grade

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requires improvement

The home has been without a Registered Manager since May 2015. The current home manager has transferrable skills and qualifications from managing a home for young adults. She is in the process of applying to be registered as manager with Ofsted. Social workers comment positively about the home and changes since the new manager has been in post. The Statement of Purpose reflects the service provided and the young peoples’ guide is simple to understand, and contains information on external advocacy services.

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requires improvement

The current manager is building on the improvements made by the former Registered Manager and is focusing on identifying areas for further improvement in practice and the approach to care. Many weaknesses identified in the comprehensive action and development plan have already been addressed. The manager is in the process of identifying other shortfalls and gaining feedback from young people, their families and relevant stakeholders. While they have been proactive in their short time as manager, many of the changes are not yet fully embedded in practice and their effect cannot yet be fully evaluated.

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requires improvement

The home now benefits from a stable staff team. The previous turnover of staff has had a detrimental impact on young people, who comment that they miss some former staff. The team is continuing to form, but are now working with greater consistency and increased confidence. Staff are positive about the current changes in practice and approach and say they are working much more cohesively. Staff comment that they have regular supervision and the training they need to complete their roles effectively. They feel they can approach the manager with any ideas, worries or concerns. They appear more confident in their skills than previously and comment they are supporting each other with great effect.

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requires improvement

Young people’s views are increasingly central to care plans. The revised format provides a visual guide to their care that is young person friendly. Progress is clearly recorded and areas for development are identified in a manner to encourage young people rather than make them feel inadequate in the given area. These plans are yet to be fully integrated into all young people’s care. Young people are supported to share their ideas during their reviews, although this could be developed further.

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requires improvement

The current group of young people living in the home are generally well matched and staff have the skills required to meet their needs. The home was not always able to meet the needs of the young people who have moved on since the last inspection. A social worker raised concerns about the needs of former residents and impact they had on the young person they had placed. The home manager and senior managers recognise this and the home manager is confident that she will match future referrals to the young people in the home and staff’s skills. The manager keeps individual placements under review and will liaise with other professionals if there are any concerns regarding changes in behaviour or suitability of placement.

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requires improvement

Staff have formed positive working relationships with external professionals, such as social workers, police and education. They liaise with parents and family members as appropriate to ensure consistency in approach during home stays. There have been no complaints from family or neighbours since the last inspection. However young peoples’ complaints have not been responded to in full. Ofsted has been notified promptly of required events and incidents. Responses have been appropriate to issues of concern. The location review contains the views and knowledge of partner agencies including the local police officer.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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