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

This monitoring visit

Concerns were expressed to Ofsted with regard to the safeguarding and care that young people receive. In order to explore these concerns, Ofsted conducted an unannounced monitoring visit on 8 June 2016. The following shortfalls were identified as a consequence of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

The relationships between some young people have been poorly managed. As a consequence young people have been exposed to physical, emotional and possibly sexual harm due to ineffective supervision. The relationships between some young people have been poorly managed. Three out of five incidents where young people were exposed to risk could have been prevented if young people were appropriately supervised. The registered manager has implemented clear practical measures, behaviour plans and risk assessment in an attempt to prevent their recurrence. However, the effectiveness of these strategies relies upon staff’s application. Despite management instruction, episodes have continued to occur.

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This monitoring visit

Staff practice has not been sufficiently developed to recognise the possibility that young people can be sexually harmful to each other, despite their complex needs and functioning. There is a lack of professional curiosity among staff around this subject. This shortfall leaves young people vulnerable to sexual harm from each other.

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This monitoring visit

The majority of safeguarding incidents have been appropriately referred for consideration to the designated officer and local authorities. However, we are aware of one incident where a safeguarding matter was not appropriately processed, despite being recorded. On this occasion, a one young person sustained an injury from another young person. As a consequence of this ineffective practice, opportunities to protect the young person from further harm were missed.

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This monitoring visit

The home currently has five staff vacancies. The rotas demonstrate that staffing levels are largely appropriate but, due to the high level of incidents, staff are being called away, leaving other young people inappropriately supervised. Staff skills and experience are not consistently matched to meet the individual and complex needs of young people.

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This monitoring visit

There is an absence of collaborative working with some local authorities, meaning that there is a lack of clarity regarding the recommended level of supervision for some young people. Case records are inconsistent, leaving staff ill prepared to ensure that care is appropriate to the individual need of each young person.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not coordinated their efforts to ensure that young people are offered input from advocacy services. As a consequence, not all young people have the opportunity to express themselves to an independent advocate. This practice potentially leaves young people without a voice and vulnerable.

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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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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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

Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met 5. In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— (with specific reference to collaborative working with local authorities to ensure appropriate supervision staff ratio with young people) (b) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; 15 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard 7.—(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— (b) ensure that each child— (iii) is given appropriate advocacy support; 15 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard 12.—(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure (a) that staff— (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; 15 July 2016 (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard 13.—(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (e) ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 15 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

Employment of staff 33.—(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees— (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development; (Regulation 33(4(a)). 15 July 2016

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. in 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 this 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 children looked after 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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