Children's Home, Residential special school run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Staffordshire

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

The home is led by a well-qualified and experienced manager who, since the last inspection, has successfully completed her registration for the home. She monitors the operation of the home and reviews the quality of care children and young people receive. As a result, she has developed a good understanding of the strengths and development needs of the home. Staff are well supported and receive appropriate supervision. The manager has developed consistency within the staff team and has reduced the reliance on agency staff to adequately staff the home. This supports continuity of care for young people. There has been one safeguarding incident since the last inspection involving a young person while at the company school. The manager has acted appropriately to safeguard the children and young people in the home. One complaint from a parent of a young person has also been thoroughly investigated. Children and young people continue to make good progress in all areas of their

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

development. All are attending full time education and are supported well by staff to attend routine and specialist health appointments. Children and young people feel comfortable with staff. This is because staff are nurturing and spend time developing respectful and trusting relationships with them. The manager and staff develop effective working relationships with children and young people’s families to promote positive contact with them. They also work with placing authorities, education and health professionals to promote children and young people’s development. The registered manager challenges others when required to ensure children and young people’s needs are met. For example, she effectively challenged a local authority to ensure a young person was promptly allocated a social worker. As the children and young people living in the home have high complex needs they receive a high level of staff supervision both inside the home and when out on

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

activities. As a result, they do not go missing from the home or engage in risk taking behaviour. Staff work in a supportive and structured way to support children and young people. Their needs are carefully assessed and managed to reduce risk and prevent children and young people from self-injury. Although there are a relatively high number of physical interventions these are usually for very short durations and used to direct young people into a safe space. Staff listen to children and young people’s wishes and feelings . The manager has developed a wishes and feelings book where children and young people can write to the manager using symbols. Toys and activity sets have also been purchased as a response to consultations with children and young people. There is a rolling programme of training for staff to ensure they are able to communicate with children and young people. New staff, however, have started work at the home

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

without training in the communication used by some children and young people in the home. This may prevent those children and young people communicating and expressing their wishes and feelings with staff effectively. The home environment is pleasant, warm and well decorated. Bedrooms reflect their personalities and are furnished and decorated to children and young people’s needs and tolerances.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection on 9 December 2015 have been met.

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Information about this children's home

This home is part of a residential special school which is operated by a large private care organisation. The two adjacent houses are registered to accommodate 14 children and young people with learning disabilities, who all attend the school. The school is registered with the Department for Education and has a specialism in autism. Young people may stay at the home past the age of 18, and leave as they finish their education at the school.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children they care for. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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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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