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

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The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people make good progress in all areas of their development. Their success is celebrated and rewarded.  Young people are forming appropriate attachments to staff. They enjoy positive and stable relationships.  Staff are innovative their approach to meeting young people’s individual needs  Effective management ensures shortfalls are quickly identified and addressed. Ongoing improvement continues in these areas such as medication administration and recording.

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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

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into in the children’s home (Regulation 23 (1)). 10/08/2015

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent persons report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent persons opinion as to whether (a) Children are effectively safeguarded (b) The conduct of the home promotes the children’s well- being (Regulation 44 (4) (a)(b)) 01/09/2015

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Recommendations:

The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations:

All staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5) (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 53, paragraph 10.12). This relates to encouraging staff to complete qualifications such as the Children and Young People’s Work force Diploma level 3.

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately run home. It is registered for 6 young people between 9-18 years of age with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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people living in the home are

Young people are making good progress in all areas of their development. They feel settled and a sense of belonging. Young people’s views and choices are at the centre of this home. For example individuals art work is celebrated and on display. This creates a sense of value and identity. One young person commented, `I like it here, it is my home. You can tell this because I saved the phone number under home. I did not do this when I lived at the other place.’

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people living in the home are

Young people enjoy consistent and positive relationships with staff. Some young people have started to form attachments for the first time. One young person said, `all staff are good, I like them all, my key worker is the best and I like the manager.’ Developing appropriate relationship supports young people to gain trust in others. It helps them to be able to talk through their problems, resulting in less challenging behaviours.

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people living in the home are

All young people are making good progress in education. Attendance has improved from April 2015. One young person has progressed from 75% attendance in April to 100% attendance in June. This has been maintained. Consequently this improves young people’s academic ability. For some it provides practical experience in specialist areas such as horse racing. It gives structure to young people’s day preparing them for work in later life.

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people living in the home are

Young people’s physical and emotional health has improved as a result of living in this home. Staff promote physical activities such as walking. Young people enjoy a healthy diet. This benefits young people’s physical health now and helps them to make positive lifestyle choices in the future.

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people living in the home are

Young people’s emotional wellbeing is improving because they are more willing to access specialist therapeutic services. Some are seeking out self-support for the first time. As a result they are starting to control their feelings and behaviour.

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people living in the home are

Young people are gaining essential life skills. They are working on independence tasks such as cooking, cleaning and budgeting. This will help them transition to independence. Successes are demonstrated through achievement files and awards. This demonstrates their skills are progressing and provides a story of their journey so far.

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people living in the home are

Recent shortfalls in the recording and administration of medication have been quickly identified and are being addressed. Immediate and long term risks are monitored through daily management checks, observations and staff training. Although errors had occurred therefore change to this system does need to take place. To ensures all staff are adhering to the homes medication policy. It protects young people from medication being administered incorrectly.

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people are helped and protected

Behaviour is well managed by staff who know young people well. Consistent responses from staff create a sense of predictability and safety. Individual incentives and reward schemes are extremely effective. As a result incidents requiring physical intervention have reduced. For example, between January to March 2015, for some intervention had reduced by 75%. From April to June 2015 some young people have had no physical intervention at all. One staff member commented, `We have more de-escalation techniques now and we are more effective with this. We do not have to use physical restraint as much. We have better relationships and this means better behaviour.’

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people are helped and protected

Instances of bullying are quickly identified and addressed. Staff monitoring is ongoing. Young people are confident to speak out about their feelings. They are praised for this. Innovative ways of dealing with this issue has included poetry competitions and individual sessions with staff. As a result of clear guidance and boundaries all young people feel safe in this home and like living here.

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people are helped and protected

Individual time with young people is focused and effective. Staff grasp opportunities in everyday life to educate young people about topics such as, internet safety, personal behaviour, radicalisation and child sexual exploitation. Consequently young people have growing knowledge of current risks and how to keep themselves safe.

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people are helped and protected

Young people rarely go missing from this home. Effective procedures and risk assessments ensure young people who do go missing are quickly found. There is no risk from child sexual exploitation in this setting. Staff are up to date with training in this area. They are clear how to safeguard young people should this issue arise.

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people are helped and protected

Robust recruitment procedures make sure staff are fully vetted. All checks are completed before they work with young people. Consequently young people are not exposed to inappropriate adults. Judgement grade

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leaders and managers

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. He has been in post since October 2014. He has applied to Ofsted to become the Registered Manager. His innovative approach and enthusiasm inspires staff. The appointment of a deputy manager has strengthened the management team further. It has provided additional support. As a result staff feel confident and morale is good. One member of staff commented `There is double support now from a deputy and the manager. The manager is great very supportive. We have a laugh now it’s a happy place and it makes it happy for young people.’

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leaders and managers

Staff undertake regular training. This includes mandatory and specific courses to meet individual’s needs. As a result staff have a good understanding of each young person. Completion of longer term mandatory courses will enhance staff knowledge further. A recommendation is set around this area.

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leaders and managers

Staff are supported by regular supervision. One staff member commented, `Supervision is really good and I feel supported. The manager is easy to talk to I can talk to him anytime.’ The level of evaluation and reflection in supervision varies. A recommendation is set to improve this element of supervision to help staff improve the quality of their interventions with young people.

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leaders and managers

Effective internal monitoring systems demonstrate young people’s progress and areas of further development. Effective external monitoring supports the manager’s oversight. Any issues are quickly rectified. The opinion of the external visitor is not clear, in relation to whether young people are safeguarded and their wellbeing is being promoted. This does not meet the regulation. Therefore a requirement is set. This will enhance young people’s safety and improve monitoring further.

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leaders and managers

Strong working relationships exist with other professionals such as the police, therapists, education and social workers. As a result young people benefit from a holistic approach to their care. Effective communication ensures information is shared quickly which helps to keep young people safe. One professional commented, ` The level of communication with professionals such as the psychologist, school and us is excellent. They challenge other professionals in being effective. They make action plans with professionals to make sure young people’s needs are met. No chasing them they are always in front.’

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leaders and managers

This home is meeting its Statement of Purpose. Young people are living in a home where staff place, young people at the centre of their work and strive to create the best residential experience for them.’

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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, workbased 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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