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

home are

There are serious failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and their care and experiences are poor.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 During this inspection, staff acted inappropriately by leaving a young person in a situation which was unsafe and caused them emotional distress. The incident had the potential to result in significant harm. Senior staff are taking appropriate action to address this serious issue. Other shortfalls found at this inspection:

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Other than the registered manager and the deputy, none of the staff hold the care qualification required. Although they are within the timescales to achieve this, a large proportion of the staff are new. Some lack the skills and knowledge to support young people adequately. The registered manager is mostly overseeing the home alone. The deputy is present one day a week. This leaves a lack of strong, experienced staff working directly with young people. Consequently, incidents have occurred as a result of some of the inexperience of staff on duty

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Young people do not have a placement plan when they are admitted. This means that staff do not have an understanding of their needs and young people do not receive timely coordinated support. Missing from home risk assessments do not comply with the local protocol. They fail to include consultation with other agencies. This does not promote a multi-agency approach and response to managing the risk of young people who go missing.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Some areas of the garden are poorly-maintained and contain hazards.

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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

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to ensuring that staff do not leave young people alone in vehicles, the registered person must ensure—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; 26 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to consulting relevant professionals such as the police in respect of children going missing and risk assessments being in place, the registered person must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(i) 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; 26 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

11. In order to meet the positive relationship standard, with particular reference to ensuring that staff are able to advise young people positively about their behaviour and do not allow them to participate in inappropriate activities, ensure that staff always provide young people with the appropriate support and guidance in respect of what are acceptable behaviours.

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 26 June 2016 (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

13. In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to ensuring that the staff team has the experience and skills to meet each child’s needs, and enough experience to provide appropriate role models and maintain good standards of care practice.

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 26 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

6. In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to maintaining the grounds, the registered person must— (2)(c)(i) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child; 26 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare a placement plan for the child before the child is admitted to the home or, if that is not reasonably practicable, as soon as possible after the child is admitted to the home (Regulation 18(4)). 26 June 2016

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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 timescales listed in regulation 32(5) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 53, paragraph 10.12). This relates to encouraging staff to complete qualifications such as the children and young people’s workforce diploma level 3, to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to undertake their role.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staffing is sufficient. Sufficient staff means a home having enough suitably trained staff (including someone in a management role on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1).

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Information about this children's home

The home accommodates up to six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11 February 2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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people living in the home are

Some young people have poor experiences of care in this home. On one occasion, staff have left a young person unsupervised in a car in the community, on another occasion they have allowed young people to participate in inappropriate activities. They have not always provided them with the appropriate support and guidance in respect of what are acceptable behaviours. Although the manager is quick to respond to incidents and take appropriate action, this provides young people with negative role models and adds to their already negative experiences of life.

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people living in the home are

A number of staff have recently sought employment elsewhere because of this a large proportion of the staff team is new. This has affected negatively on young people as many of the staff are new to them and previous attachments have been lost. One young person commented, `I was sad when my key worker went. My new key workers are both brilliant in their own way.’ The new staff team is working hard to form relationships and build stability and security for young people. However, the lack of experience within the staff team leaves an absence of appropriate behaviour management . Consequently, the poor standard of some staff’s practice affects the relationship and trust between staff, young people and parents.

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people living in the home are

Despite these shortfalls, some young people are making good progress with their educational attendance and academic achievements. This is helping them to develop their educational progress. For others who are new to placement, staff continue to promote the benefits of education. They continue to provide them with all the help that they need to attend school, but their attendance levels to date have not demonstrated improvement.

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people living in the home are

Young people benefit from specialist support from a psychologist employed by the home. Consequently, some young people feel that they can open up and talk about their feelings. One young person commented, `I am starting to talk about my feelings. I have started to tell the psychologist and staff about what’s happened to me.’ Young people enjoy a range of physical activities, which benefit their health, such as walking, cycling and swimming. Some individuals have combined physical activities with raising money for charity. This helps to gain understanding of others needs and promotes their sense of achievement.

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people living in the home are

Young people’s meetings and focused key-work sessions encourage young people to voice their wishes and feelings. Staff listen to young people and promote their choices, for example around activities, educational courses and food. This helps young people feel valued and encourages them to build their own identity. The home has recently achieved an award from an independent group for listening to young people’s wishes and feelings, and promoting positive change.

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people are helped and protected

Some staff are not well trained or experienced enough to manage young people’s behaviour appropriately, and on occasions, staff do not take appropriate action to safeguard young people, this has placed them at significant risk of harm. For example, during the inspection, despite staff being fully aware of a young person’s vulnerability and risk-taking behaviour they left them alone and locked in the home’s vehicle for over 20 minutes. The impact of this caused significant distress to the young person. Although swift action was taken by the manager to address this inappropriate practice by staff, this young person was left at significant risk of harm and suffered emotional distress.

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people are helped and protected

Staff appropriately follow procedures when young people go missing from the home. Risk assessment to respond to and reduce the risks of children going missing are clear and followed by staff. However, the robustness of risk assessments is reduced because staff do not complete these in consultation with other agencies, such as the police. Risk assessments and guidance to staff does not comply with the local area ‘missing from home’ protocol. For those young people who have significant histories of going missing and high levels risks identified as a result this hinders an effective individual and broader multiagency response. Staff receive regular training. They demonstrate knowledge of relevant issues, which could affect young people, such as child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and online safety. This training equips staff with the knowledge to identify signs of harm, enabling them to take action to keep young people safe. When safeguarding

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people are helped and protected

issues arise, the management team is swift to take action to address concerns. Good links with the designated officer assist the management team to make appropriate decisions in the best interests of young people.

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people are helped and protected

Staff are effective in monitoring bullying and intervene appropriately when this occurs. All young people say that they can talk to staff about any bullying. Some young people confirm they benefit from daily one-to-one time to talk about their experiences. One young person commented, `Talking to my key worker every day really helps me, it stops me doing other things.’ All young people know how to complain and feel confident to do so.

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people are helped and protected

Some staff encourage young people to behave appropriately by using reward systems to motivate them to display good behaviour. They feel proud of their achievements. Some individuals feel that their own ability to respect others has improved. Restraint is used as a last resort. Some individuals’ coping strategies have improved and, as a result, incidents of physical restraint have reduced. When physical intervention is necessary, staff use it appropriately. There are still inexperienced staff who need support and guidance in behaviour management.

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people are helped and protected

Some areas of the garden are unkempt and hazardous. For example, in places, the lawn is overgrown and there is a broken football net and wall. This is not conducive to creating a homely and well cared for environment where children feel valued

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leaders and managers

The registered manager has been in post since October 2014. He is suitably qualified and experienced to undertake the role. The deputy manager of this home is present one day a week, which impacts upon the managers ability to support staff and carry out management duties effectively. On occasions, staff have not been appropriately supported or supervised to provide appropriate care or manage challenging behaviours. The manager and deputy manager are currently the only qualified members of staff. All the other staff have been appointed within the last two years and are working towards qualification. The inexperience of some of the staff in keeping young people safe and promoting their welfare has contributed to some of the serious issues identified at this inspection. New young people are admitted to the home and placement plans are not in place on their arrival. This leaves staff without clear guidance about how to meet young

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leaders and managers

people’s needs. Staff feel supported by the management team. One member of staff said, ‘The registered manager is really good, he does listen to what you say, staff benefit from regular formal supervision meetings, particularly in their induction stages. This gives them the confidence to carry out their role, however further support for inexperienced staff is needed in particular behaviour management and supporting children in their social and emotional well being.

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leaders and managers

Staff recruitment practice is sound. This reduces the risk of children being cared for by unsafe people.

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leaders and managers

The manager maintains good communication with schools, families, social workers and therapists. He ensures that young people have access to the services that they need. Strong links with local services provide opportunities for specific work with individuals, and group work with all young people. For example, young people have been educated about how to keep safe online. This is equipping them with knowledge on how to report any concerns.

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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 ‘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

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Information about this inspection

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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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