Children's Home run by Aspris New Education Services Limited in Lancashire

Unique reference number SC443959 Inspector Elaine Clare Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Registered person Priory New Education Services Limited Registered person address Unsted Regional Office Munsted Heath Road Godalming Surrey GU7 1UW Responsible individual Katherine Bridon Registered manager Ase Sophie Farbrot Date of last inspection 27/08/2014 2 of 13 Inspection date 11/03/2015

p.1

Previous inspection declined in effectiveness Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

Overall effectiveness inadequate

Outcomes for children and young people inadequate Quality of care inadequate Keeping children and young people safe inadequate Leadership and management inadequate

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The inspection identified incidents of poor practice and ineffective management that has resulted in some young people's safety being seriously compromised and their welfare not fully protected or met. The setting's safeguarding procedures and practices have failed to protect children; with inappropriate decisions around physical interventions and the use of the sensory room in those interventions, poor supervision of children and as a result a failure to keep them safe.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Records, especially those that detail potential safeguarding concerns are not clear and confusing to read and do not show what action if any has occurred. Reviewing staff practise in light of operational policy not been a priority for the organisation. This practice does not protect children and young people and leaves them at risk.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The Statement of Purpose does not clearly outline some of the practices within the home, monitoring of records within the home is not consistently robust and monthly overviews do not improve the quality of care, as management are slow to respond to concerns raised each month. The home is currently operating outside of one of their conditions of registration in that the home is currently accommodating six young people on a long term basis while four young people were staying at the home for a short break. The condition of registration states that no more than eight young people should be residing at any one time. 3 of 13 Not all staff have the minimum level of qualifications and as a result their knowledge on autism and mental health is limited; children and young people are therefore being looked after by staff with limited experience or training.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager and organisation have responded promptly to areas of concern identified within the report, by developing and implementing a clear action plan in relation to how standards will be improved. 4 of 13

p.3

Information about this children’s home

The home is maintained by an independent company. The home is registered for eight young people with learning disabilities, three of whom can be accommodated on a short break basis.

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/08/2014 Interim declined in effectiveness 24/10/2013 Full good 12/06/2013 Interim good progress 14/02/2013 Full good

p.4

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.

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

4 (2001) compile in relation to the children’s home a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as "the statement of purpose") which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1 Regulation 4(1) 31/03/2015

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the children’s home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the safeguarding and welfare of children accommodated there. With particular regard to the implementation of the safeguarding policy following safeguarding allegations (Regulation 11 (1)(a)) * 31/03/2015 5 of 13 (2001) the registered person shall ensure that the children's home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the welfare, care, supervision and where appropriate, treatment of children accommodated there, in particular, ensure all children are adequately supervised during the day (Regulation 11 (a)(b)) 31/03/2015

p.4

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the home is conducted in a manner which respects the privacy and dignity of children accommodated there; with particular regards to the use of medication and wheelchairs (Regulation 11(2)(a)) 31/03/2015

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that children accommodated in a children’s home are provided with food which is properly prepared, wholesome and nutritious (Regulation 13(1)(a)(ii) 31/03/2015

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that written records that are kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect and of the action taken are clear and contain sufficient detail (Regulation 16 (2)(d)) * 31/03/2015

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) implement a written policy that is intended to safeguard children from abuse or neglect and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation or abuse or neglect (Regulation 16 (1)(a)(b)) * 31/03/2015

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) shall prepare and implement written a policy which in particular; consideration to be given to the measures which may be necessary to protect children in the children’s home following an allegation of abuse or neglect (Regulation 16(2)(d)) * 31/03/2015

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) make suitable arrangements for the safe recording and administration of medicines received into the home; specifically relating to ensuring all children receive the correct medication as its prescribed (Regulation 21 (1)) 31/03/2015

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all parts of the home to which children have access are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their health and safety; specifically relating to the replacing of the damaged dining room and bedroom flooring (Regulation 23 (a)) 31/03/2015

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there is at all times a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home; specifically relating to the number of teaching assistants and 31/03/2015 6 of 13 agency staff who have child care qualifications (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(b))

p.5

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure where a person works in the children’s home in a care role, that person must attain or hold the required care role qualification by the date which falls two years after the date on which that person started work in that position, in the case of a person who starts working in a care role in the children’s home after 1st April 2014 (Regulation 4(a)) 31/03/2015

p.6

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30(1)) 31/03/2015

p.6

Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the independent person’s report recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the children’s home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions (Regulation (33) (10)) 31/03/2015

p.6

Reg. Requirement Due date

2000 ensure under the requirements of regulations under section 22; the requirements of any other enactment which appears to Ofsted to be relevant, are being and will continue to be complied with (so far as applicable) in relation to the children's home; with particular reference to the conditions of registration (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(b)) 31/03/2015

p.6

Reg. Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice

p.6

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.6

Recommendations

 promote and facilitated for each child, including where appropriate visits to the child in the home, visits by the child to relatives or friends, meetings with relatives or friends, letters, exchange of photographs and electronic forms of contact (NMS 9.1)  provide a comfortable and homely environment that is well maintained and decorated. Avoidable hazards are removed as is consistent with a domestic setting. Risk reduction does not lead to an institutional feel (NMS 10.3) 7 of 13

p.6

Outcomes for children and young people inadequate

Children and young people do not always achieve a positive outcome within a caring and supportive environment. This is because staff do not have an in-depth understanding and knowledge to enable them to provide individually tailored responses to young people. Young people are unable to grow in confidence because they are not always treated with respect, and therefore fail to develop a positive self- view.

p.7

Outcomes for children and young people inadequate

Children and young people’s health including physical, emotional and psychological health is not fully supported. Healthy eating is not fully encouraged and some children and young people have continued with their poor eating habits. For example, one young person has increased their weight by two stone in two months despite having all his meals prepared by staff. Children and young people are encouraged to develop self-awareness about the benefit of good personal hygiene. Close working arrangements with social workers, parents and health professionals ensures that strategies to manage mental health needs are current and agreed by all parties.

p.7

Outcomes for children and young people inadequate

Young people currently living in the home continue to attend the organisation's education provision. Young people, who have struggled to engage in mainstream education, are motivated by the specialist curriculum that is on offer here. Young people are able to gain nationally recognised qualifications; and receive support to improve their skills in numeracy and literacy. Young people's social workers remain positive about their progress and participation.

p.7

Outcomes for children and young people inadequate

Many young people live a long way from their families; staff provide young people with support so that they can keep in contact with them. On occasions this involves travelling some considerable distance. Young people, their families and social workers appreciate this. Young people also have their own mobile telephones, subject to a positive risk assessment and a contract of agreement. This allows young people to maintain contact with their family and friends. Young people also want to be able to access social media but the organisational policy does not allow young people to use this. This prevents young people from being equitable with their peers in the community and does not help to educate them in the safe use of social media in preparation for adulthood.

p.7

Outcomes for children and young people inadequate

Children and young people develop their levels of independence according to their age and ability. For example, they are encouraged to help cook, try new foods and develop new social skills. Staff work closely with other agencies when young people move on into their adult placement. As a result, children and young people are adequately prepared for the transition to adult life. 8 of 13

p.7

Quality of care inadequate

Young people generally enjoy positive relationships with staff. But inconsistent staffing is an area of concern. There is a regular use of agency staff particularly at night. In addition staff from the organisations’ school also cover occasional shifts in the home. Most staff have not got the social care qualifications or experience to manage multi-complex young people and therefore at times find it difficult to meet the demands of the young people in the home.

p.8

Quality of care inadequate

The regular group of staff build good rapport with children and young people who use the service and are caring and responsive to their changing needs. They spend time with children and young people in groups and individually. As such young people benefit from long term relationships and attachments to key people. Children and young people are regularly consulted about choices such as activities and food. Staff gain children and young people views as best they can using a range of alternative communication methods that are preferred by the individual child or young person.

p.8

Quality of care inadequate

Incidents of challenging behaviour are common between staff and young people and sometimes between the young people themselves. This has led to a high incidence of physical intervention and a number of referrals to the local authority safeguarding team following allegations and incidents of concern. In turn this increases anxiety amongst the young people living in the home and some choose to spend time alone in their bedroom in order to be in an environment that is calm.

p.8

Quality of care inadequate

A strength of the home is their communication with parents and partner agencies to support children and young people’s needs. Staff actively listen to parents views, and regard their advice as central to the care of children and young people. A parent reported ‘they always phone if they have any queries and questions’. A social worker supported this view; ‘communication is good’, and ‘they are very good at facilitating visits that work well for families’.

p.8

Quality of care inadequate

Children and young are sensitively introduced to the home. This is because for some children and young people, this will be the first time away from their families and they can be anxious about this. Staff are diligent in getting to know children and young people and their families and them getting to know staff. This is achieved through staff visiting the school, family home and by the child and young person coming to the home for tea.

p.8

Quality of care inadequate

On the whole, children and young people’s health needs are met. This is further enhanced by all staff having access and good working relationships with health agencies who provide advice and support on a range of matters.

p.8

Quality of care inadequate

Arrangements for the storage of medication are sound, and overall medication is administered safely but not always as it should be prescribed. Records are up to date and staff are knowledgeable about the medicines that children and young people are 9 of 13 prescribed. All staff are trained in first aid, making sure that children and young people receive appropriate attention in the event of an accident.

p.8

Quality of care inadequate

Young people have individual placement plans that outline their identifying needs and times where children and young people may need increased support, such as personal care. Staff know children and young people well and implement their individual routines. In addition, children and young people’s plans identify potential triggers to behaviour and how staff can help them effectively. They clearly identify activities that children and young people enjoy such as playing in the park alongside potential risks such as no sense of danger. In the main, strategies are implemented by staff to reduce risks, whilst not impeding their independence. This helps children and young people feel secure.

p.9

Quality of care inadequate

Staff seek opportunities to positively engage and stimulate children and young people in activities such as, using the trampoline and sensory toys within the home. Currently there are no opportunities to go on holiday away from the home. This limits the activities available to broaden children and young people’s horizons, or to pursue their individual interests.

p.9

Quality of care inadequate

On the whole, the standard of décor inside the home is adequate and staff make clear efforts to make the house comfortable but it lacks a homely feel. There is damage to the dining room floor and one young person’s bedroom carpet. Children and young people have their own rooms and communal rooms adequately decorated.

p.9

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

A serious safeguarding incident resulted in information not being passed to the appropriately authorities in a timely manner. Following the incident there was a delay in contacting Ofsted. In addition, the specialist team within the police informed the manager that the matter must be reported officially to the police. The Registered Manager was not fully open and transparent with the independent visitor for the home, who was not informed of the safeguarding incident at the time of their visit. Records at the home did not record the event clearly which made it difficult for the independent visitor to gain a clear understanding of the incident.

p.9

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

The organisation did not conduct an internal investigation as to how a young person on a 2:1 staffing ratio and robust risk assessment, was subjected to the incident. This poor practice and the subsequent management of the situation resulted in a failure to protect young people living in the home.

p.9

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Records suggest that there is a moderately high incidence of physical intervention in the home. On some occasions staff have not acted constructively to inappropriate behaviour. The home has within its’ setting a sensory room, to which young people are at times escorted to maintain good order and on one occasion compliance. The 10 of 13 independent visitor wrote in their report in December 2014, 'taking a young person to a sensory room conflicts with the organisational policy as young people must be able to access the sensory room voluntarily and leave the room independently.' The response from the Registered Manager was that she has asked the organisation to review the policy but there is no evidence to suggest that she reviewed practice at the home.

p.9

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Further records indicate that a young person was held on the floor of the homes minibus and driven 25 minutes back to the house after becoming distressed in the vehicle. Following the incident no review took place or the homes risk assessment amended. Subsequently a teaching assistant and an agency member of staff took the same young person in the vehicle where he opened the car door, staff explained, they 'didn’t realise' that the child locks were not on the vehicle. This resulted a physical intervention at the side of the road and escalated the young person’s anxiety. This does not provide effective protection for young people.

p.10

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Medication has been routinely given to reduce anxiety for one young person. The medication, prescribed as when required, was given to prevent the young person presenting challenging behaviours at the end of the school day, rather than they presenting those anxieties and medication then given to help calm them. This decision was made by school and home staff without a doctor's consent; this is an improper use of medication.

p.10

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

The behaviour management policy at the home effectively promotes positive behaviour. In addition, staff present as positive role models, promoting appropriate behaviour. Children and young people have behaviour management plans; these guide staff on responses to challenging behaviour, and provide children and young people with consistency and structure. One such plan suggests staff routinely use a wheelchair to manage a young person’s behaviour. The manager explains that this is to manage the behaviour rather than because the young person has a mobility issue. The use of the chair prevents the young person from walking of their own freewill resulting in poor psychological and physical health.

p.10

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Children and young people never go missing. This is because they are well supervised by staff, both within and outside of the home.

p.10

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Staff recruitment records were satisfactory. Records demonstrated that the service has followed robust recruitment procedure to ensure that all adults are suitable to work with children and young people.

p.10

Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

The environment is physically safe for young people, taking account of the needs of the young people. Fire safety training and regular checks to the fire systems ensure due care is taken to ensure everybody is safe. 11 of 13

p.10

Leadership and management inadequate

The Registered Manager has been in post since April 2012 when the home was registered; she has over ten years’ experience of working with children and young people and is suitably qualified. This inspection has demonstrated a lack of effective and efficient management. Monitoring has taken place in the home, but this is poor and lacks effectiveness in identifying and taking immediate action to address shortfalls. In addition external monthly monitoring reports do not improve the quality of care provided in the home because the Registered Manager is not addressing the numerous shortfalls being identified each month by the independent visitor. As a result, she is not effective in ensuring that children and young people are as safe as possible.

p.11

Leadership and management inadequate

Immediate action has been taken by the Registered Manager and the organisation in response to the shortfalls identified at this inspection. For example, an action plan has been developed which the Registered Manager and organisation are in the process of implementing to address shortfalls.

p.11

Leadership and management inadequate

Children and young people receive an inadequate level of care because the home does not employ a sufficient number of staff who are appropriately trained, particularly in mental health. The majority of staff are not qualified, ie out of the 27 staff employed only 12 have the level 3 diploma in caring for children and young people. Staff comment that they receive good quality mandatory training to enhance their individual skills but there is a lack of specialist training in some areas such as autism awareness and mental health. As a consequence, there is a lack of in depth knowledge to meet all children and young people’s identified needs; that are accessing the service and living in the home.

p.11

Leadership and management inadequate

At the last inspection the home had declined in effectiveness. A serious failure to safeguard young people was identified and a compliance notice was served on the home. A monitoring visit in October found that the conditions of the compliance notice had been met and subsequently requirements were met. The service has a Statement of Purpose. Although, reviewed annually, it lacks some vital information which would allow parents and professionals to have a clear understanding of the home. For example, it does not state that an internal keypad system is routinely used throughout the house or that bedrooms have privacy windows where staff can monitor young people.

p.11

Leadership and management inadequate

The home is registered and has a condition to accommodate only five young people living at the home and three young people on a short break service with a learning disability. The home currently accommodates six young people living at the home and four young people on a short break. They are therefore operating outside their current conditions of registration.

p.11

Leadership and management inadequate

Staff meetings are regular and well attended. There is a formal process in place for staff supervision and appraisal. Management ensures that all staff receive regular 12 of 13 supervision and support. As a result staff are provided with an opportunity to focus practice on children and young people’s outcomes and the role of staff in this complex and demanding task.

p.11

Leadership and management inadequate

Children and young people’s records are up to date and stored securely. They provide sufficient information to gain an understanding of their stay at the home. However, there is a lack of robust monitoring of other records held within the home, and records are not routinely signed by the Registered Manager.

p.12

Leadership and management inadequate

There is a procedure for notifying appropriate authorities of significant events which is not followed as there was some delay in notifying the appropriate authorities and professionals following a serious safeguarding incident at the home. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.12

Leadership and management inadequate

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

p.13

Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

p.13

Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

p.13

Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

p.13

Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

p.13

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.

p.13

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.

p.13