Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Service in Hammersmith and Fulham

Good

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 have made good progress from their initial starting points since arriving at the home.  Young people are developing strategies which assist them to self-regulate and moderate their behaviour and emotions.  Young people attend and engage in education. All young people make progress within their individual capabilities. Staff have good relationships with school, promoting consistency of the approach used to support young people.  Staff support young people to develop their life and social skills by offering a wide variety of activities and opportunities.  Staff promote a healthy lifestyle, and young people are encouraged to take part in physical activities and follow a healthy diet.  Staff support young people to address their health needs, with referral to others when required to meet specific needs.  Staff use a restorative approach to behaviour management. Young people are involved in choosing appropriate sanctions.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people report that they feel safe and have a key adult whom they trust and confide in.  Young people have engaged in regular key-work sessions, providing invaluable education, learning and review of concerns.  Young people are involved in the key decisions made in the home.  Safeguarding concerns have been well-reported, referred and recorded, with clarity of investigation and outcome.  Staff receive good-quality, varied training that is specific to their role.  Staff have implemented positive changes in the home and have addressed the recommendations previously set.  Staff receive regular effective supervision and appraisal of their practice.  Staff are positive and proactive in their approach with young people, seeking to find solutions and work through the challenges that they face.

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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 ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe (Regulation 12(1)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

(a)(i) that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)).

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Requirement Due date

(2)(d)) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health (Regulation 12(2)(d)). 1 September 2016

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned by a large organisation. It is linked to a specialist school operated by the same organisation, which the young people attend. The home is registered to care for up to six children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties (EBD). Young people can access therapy services at the school site. The home is located in an urban area within easy reach of all local amenities and services.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

27 January 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

9 December 2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people have made good progress since their admission to the home. They are learning to self-regulate their behaviours and emotions.

p.6

Good

Staff focus on supporting young people to develop skills to equip them for adulthood and life after the home. They have supported them to develop and learn budgeting skills, cooking, cleaning, personal care tasks and using public transport independently. Young people have developed confidence and respect for each other. They are more equipped to take on new challenges and experiences. Staff have role modelled how to care for the home consistently, and young people are beginning to invest in the home and their individual plans.

p.6

Good

Plans are detailed and thorough, and young people are fully involved in deciding key targets and areas to develop. Placement plans detail a progressive story, which reflects the achievements that young people have made. Staff provide weekly feedback reports that highlight the highs and lows of each week for parents, families and others. Young people have a good understanding of what they aim to achieve and improve.

p.6

Good

Each young person is engaged in education. Those who previously had poor attendance now attend daily. Staff support young people to prepare for exams, and assist and encourage them to complete homework. Staff support young people to make choices and plans about further education and learning. Staff have good relationships with education providers. The daily handover communication has assisted staff in their consistency of approach.

p.6

Good

The young people’s health plans are comprehensive, detailing all aspects of healthcare. Staff access a wide variety of health services to meet young people's physical and emotional needs. They provide healthy lifestyle education in key-work sessions and house meetings. Staff encourage all young people to follow a healthy lifestyle, and the menus in the home reflect this. Young people are engaged in physical activities, and the weekly football night is a highlight for staff and young people.

p.6

Good

Staff offer a wide variety of activities to young people, encouraging each to follow a key interest or hobby. One young person has a real interest in mechanics. Staff have supported and facilitated, and bike repair sessions are a regular activity that young people engage in. Staff encourage young people to share their views and opinions through a selection of methods: weekly house meetings, key-work sessions, progress reviews and the complaints process. House meetings have a positive impact and enable young people to explore key issues within the home. They also provide an opportunity for young people to influence the day-to-day care that is provided, for example by planning menus and creating shopping lists.

p.6

Good

Staff involve young people in thinking about the next resident to join the home. They have informed and prepared young people for the imminent new admission. They support and promote positive moves to the home through well-planned transitions. Day and overnight visits have enabled all to start to develop relationships and experience what it is like to live at the home. Staff spend time with young people, developing relationships and supporting them to get to know routines, the home and the area.

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Good

Young people have good relationships with staff. They each have a member of staff in whom they trust and confide. Young people each have a key worker with whom they have a good relationship, and other staff develop positive relationships with them. Staff treat young people with respect and dignity, and encourage each young person to treat their peers in the same manner. Staff use a child-centred approach, and are caring and nurturing. Staff have good knowledge of the plans and targets for each young person.

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Good

Young people know how to make a complaint, as the young person’s guide details how. Young people have raised concerns and issues about the day-to-day running of the home at house meetings and with key workers in one-to-one sessions. Staff investigate and record complaints. The outcomes are detailed, and young people sign to state if they are happy with the resolution and action.

p.7

Good

Staff support, promote and facilitate contact between young people and their families according to their individual plans, and request reviews when required.

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Good

Young people report feeling safe. Each has a trusted adult whom they can confide in, and gain support and advice from.

p.7

Good

The environment within the home has been improved by decoration to several communal areas of the home. Outside areas are not well maintained, and monitoring of these is not robust. On the day of inspection, there was much broken glass around the property. Staff do not have systems in place to ensure that all areas are safe and free of risk to young people. There have been no episodes of going missing. Young people have a ‘missing’ profile and plan for staff to follow, if the need were to arise. The home’s policy and procedure provide clarity as to what is required from staff during an incident, and to whom to report and refer.

p.7

Good

Staff systems within the home for recording and managing safeguarding concerns are very robust. Concerns are swiftly acted upon, with substantial investigation and exploration. Concerns are reported and referred to others, when required. The evidence log, from the start of an incident through to its investigation and completion, is accurately maintained within the home. This has allowed the home manager to apply robust oversight and monitoring of incidents.

p.8

Good

Staff have managed complaints effectively, with reporting, referral and investigation as required. They have provided outcomes to the complainant, and records show good recording and detail.

p.8

Good

Staff have a clear safeguarding policy and procedures available to follow, if required. There have been no allegations made against staff since the last inspection. Staff complete pre-admission impact risk assessments, with careful analysis applied to decision making regarding admissions. Comprehensive initial support plans and risk assessments are drawn up and updated, when needed.

p.8

Good

Staff manage behaviour well, with clear boundaries and expectations in place. Behaviour support plans consider triggers, de-escalation strategies and management strategies. Debriefings and reflection are consistently available to all young people and staff. Staff update and review plans and assessments, when required. Physical intervention is used occasionally, and all staff are trained in the home’s preferred approach. Behaviour support plans clearly identify individual strategies and the levels of intervention to be used within the stepped approach. The manager has monitored and evaluated incidents to explore and identify further patterns and trends in behaviour. Young people report that staff offer support and guidance to assist them in managing their behaviour, avoiding physical intervention.

p.8

Good

Staff have started to use distinctly restorative approaches to countering misdemeanours. These have included young people choosing a sanction. Young people have bought items to replace damaged goods. They have done good deeds for those they have upset. Staff give more rewards than previously and celebrate young people’s achievements. The ‘guess what?’ system is one way in which they celebrate achievements in the home.

p.8

Good

Staff have prepared detailed risk assessments for many activities, and support strategies for young people. Young people have completed the individual risk plan document, ‘My Life, My Risks’. Staff involve young people in the creation of these documents. They have not been updated or reviewed to reflect all current risk factors. Specifically, young people have free time, and plans do not reflect current circumstances. Young people have considered risks associated with riding their bicycles, yet staff have not consistently enforced these plans to minimise risks.

p.8

Good

Staff have explored and identified strategies to minimise risks associated with child sexual exploitation. Young people take age-appropriate risks, with staff providing education about risky behaviours at house meetings and one-to-one sessions. Staff support young people to resolve situations of conflict in the home. Young people were observed to have good friendships, and choose to spend time socialising together. Staff use a rebuild approach to assist in resolving conflict, following incidents.

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Good

Medication procedures in the home are robust and effective, with several systems in place to identify errors and manage its administration.

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Good

There is a good relationship with police officers, who helpfully visit the home regularly in an informal manner. Staff are developing relationships with others, supporting the joint approach to risk management.

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Good

Staff have educated and provided young people with information about e-safety and cyber-bullying. The home’s policy and procedures currently provide restricted access to the Internet.

p.9

Good

Recruitment processes are thorough and meet the requirements to ensure that they comply with safer recruitment practice and guidance.

p.9

Good

Managers apply effective good systems to review and monitor the quality of care provided. Evaluation forms the basis of the home’s development plan. The plan identifies key areas to improve and develop, and has clear action points. Robust independent visits take place, providing additional scrutiny and oversight of the quality of care provided. Managers use the evaluation to act on the areas identified.

p.9

Good

Monitoring and evaluation are currently a manager’s task, and others do not complete this in his absence. The manager has identified this and has plans in place to address it, and to coach staff to develop their skills to include these tasks. Monitoring of the environment needs to occur more regularly to ensure that the environment is free of hazards and risk.

p.9

Good

The manager has addressed the recommendations set at the previous inspection. Case records are of good quality and reflect the daily lives of young people. Young people are engaged in target setting and review. Leaders and managers have good knowledge and insight into the needs of young people in their care. They have aspirations for each young person and assist them to fulfil their potential. They advocate on their behalf and challenge others when needed.

p.9

Good

Staff are positive and motivated when supporting young people to achieve their goals. They work in line with the home’s statement of purpose and ethos. They are committed and confident in setting boundaries and supporting young people.

p.10

Good

Staff have regular contact with families and others, providing weekly update reports that highlight the highs and lows of the young person’s week. They also show the progress that a young person is making and the key targets that they are working towards.

p.10

Good

Staff receive regular effective supervision with their practice, and are appraised annually. Staff have accessed a variety of training updates including safeguarding training and the home’s preferred behaviour management approach. The staff debriefings after incidents serve to identify training needs. These are addressed to promote staff's skill and practice. Some staff now have the required qualification, and others are enrolled and hope to complete the training during the year.

p.10

Good

Managers have plans in place to fill the current staff vacancies, which have arisen due to staff promotion within the organisation. Staff have regular team meetings. These provide the opportunity to discuss and reflect many issues in the home. Staff have reviewed practice and explored how to improve the quality of care provided to young people. This has promoted the team approach, and staff state that they are ‘a strong supportive team, all with the same goal’.

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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.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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.

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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.

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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 ‘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 0300 123 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

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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