Children's Home run by Aspire Child Care Ltd in Rochdale

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Four of the five requirements have been addressed adequately. The Statement of Purpose has been updated and accurately reflects the services which are provided to all young people. Furthermore, the Registered Manager now consults and evaluates the views of young people and partner agencies as part of the internal monitoring, to ensure the home can continue to improve the experiences and progress of young people within it. Young people’s health appointments and immunisations which are identified within their statutory health care assessments are now also highlighted within the home’s health care plans. This ensures that all young people’s health needs are being adequately met. In addition, all young people are now emotionally and practically prepared for their transitions out of the home; robust and thorough pathway plans are in place and being implemented by all. The fifth requirement regarding staff appraisals has been met in part. While

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

suitable systems are in place to ensure that the manager, leader and staff have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year, an appraisal document for one member of staff could not be located. One of the two good practice recommendations have been completed sufficiently. The fabric of the home has now improved as the young persons’ wardrobe has been fitted, the bathroom wall has been re-plastered and the home has been re- painted. Insufficient evidence was available to confirm how the Registered Manager challenges any shortfalls identified within other agencies practice and how these concerns have been escalated. As such this has been re-issued. Young people make good progress, relative to their starting points in most areas of their lives, particularly with regard to their health and education. Staff continue to promote young people’s physical health and well-being. Staff are aware of young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people’s individual health needs, which are clearly recorded within their plans, and consistently facilitate their attendance at all their routine and specialist appointments. As such young people continue to benefit from sustained physical health. Whilst some young people have been successful in completing short training courses and moved onto college placements of their choice, others who have been reluctant to engage in the training opportunities offered to them, have chosen to independently locate and take on part time employment within their home towns. This means however, that some young people are unable to benefit further from the routines and boundaries offered within the home, and enrich their relationships with the staff as they are spending large amounts of time away from the home. Young people are supported to maintain contact with those who are significant to them. Staff support young people with their contact arrangements and support

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people to develop and maintain their friendship groups. As a result young people continue to benefit from increased contact with important people in their lives. Adequate transition planning ensures young people are suitably supported and prepared for their transition out of and into the home. Staff support young people sensitively onto their further identified placements in line with their care plans and during their return back into the home. One social worker said: ‘They were proactive in returning (name) back to home after their placement ended. The staff demonstrated a high level of commitment to (name) and supported them well to return to the home after their request to do so.’ Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in promoting young people’s physical well-being, particularly during the times when young people are absent or missing from the home. Staff maintain good links with parents and the relevant

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

agencies such as social workers and the police, and work effectively with these services to minimise and address behaviour to reduce further episodes. However, whilst staff are aware of each young person’s individual risk management plans, these documents do not consistently highlight the current care practice arrangements. For example the missing from home risk management plans do not correctly identify when a young person should be reported to the police as a missing person. Young people’s health and physical well-being is promoted. There have been no sanctions, physical interventions, complaints, safeguarding concerns or allegations made against staff since the last inspection. Also the provider's robust recruitment and employment arrangements help promote young people’s welfare as only those suitable to work with young people do so. In addition, a range of health and safety checks are routinely carried out by the manager to ensure young people and staff

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

live in a physically safe environment. The leadership and management arrangements remain effective. The quality assurance and monitoring systems are used successfully by the manager; ensuring she has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas of continued development for the home. The small dedicated staff team, remain consistent in their ways of working with young people. The staff are appropriately supported by the leaders and manager to deliver a good standard of care; they receive suitable training and undertake detailed and regular supervision. The majority of the staff, including the manager undertake annual appraisals to assess their ability to continue to perform their roles. An appraisal record for one member of staff was unavailable.

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Information about this children's home

 This private run children's home provides care and accommodation for up to two young people who may need support with emotional and, or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1) (4)(c)) 25/03/2016

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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 the Registered Manager evidences what they have done to achieve engagement with the wider systems, including any actions they have taken to escalate their concerns. (The Guide to the Quality Standards. Page 11. Paragraph 2.3.)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission. This specifically relates to ensuring that the time that a young person is reported missing from home to the police is consistently recorded throughout all the young person's documentation. (The Guide to the Quality Standards. Page 45. Paragraph 9.28)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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