Children's home run by Aspirations Specialist Residential Children’s Services Limited in Tewkesbury

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:

 Children and young people are happy in this home and feel safe.  Children and young people make good progress in all areas of their lives, and this is recognised by both professionals and parents.  School attendance is excellent. Children and young people continue to make progress.  Children and young people clearly enjoy the nurturing environment, and feel safe and listened to.  Managers and staff ensure that transition planning is comprehensive and robust when young people are moving into semi-independence.

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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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The protection of children standard

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to interim management arrangements, the registered provider must ensure— (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. 2 August 2016

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Fitness of workers

32.—(1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children's home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that— (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (4) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— (a) the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 diploma’). 16 August 2016

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Behaviour management policies and records

35.—(3) The registered person must ensure that— (a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. 16 August 2016

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. The service is operated by a private provider and has a registered independent special school on site that children and young people at the home may attend.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15 March 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

11 August 2015 Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

16 February 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Children and young people are happy and love living here. One young person stated that he, ‘has nothing to say other than he loves it’. Children and young people benefit from extremely positive relationships with caring and motivated staff. Staff adapt their parenting styles to meet the individual needs, vulnerabilities and personalities of children and young people. Consequently, they feel valued, and enjoy the experiences and fun activities that they undertake with staff. Children’s and young people’s relationships with each other are sometimes strained. Staff work hard to build and improve their relationships in a sensitive manner. A ‘suggestions box’ and a ‘grumble book’ were recently introduced to allow children and young people to raises issues or make suggestions to improve their home, relationships and day-to-day experiences. As a result, children and young people are able to spend some social time together and feel that staff listen

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Good

Children and young people enjoy good physical and emotional health. They are fully supported to attend routine health appointments. Staff ensure that they work in accordance with any medical guidance given in order to improve physical health further. Staff fully support children and young people to access and engage in therapy to help them to address any current or past difficulties. The strength of relationships between children, young people and the staff group provides and encourages a platform to discuss any problems and worries. Children and young people openly discuss and explore their sexuality with staff. A young person who recently experienced bereavement for the first time thanked staff for all the support that he had received. This ensures the safety and well-being of young people, and allows them to feel secure enough to show their emotions and talk about issues that may be difficult for them.

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Good

Children and young people have excellent school attendance and have full support with their homework. A professional commented, ’homework is always completed, they are on the ball, very supportive…. I cannot be any more positive.’ The manager works in close partnership with education professionals with particular reference to children and young people having difficulty with their peers at school. This shared approach ensures that children and young people are receiving a holistic approach both to their educational needs and in developing peer relationships.

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Good

Children and young people are encouraged to enjoy good levels of contact with their family, where appropriate. This helps them to sustain important relationships in their lives and to maintain their identity. A parent commented, ‘They are absolutely superb.’

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Good

Children and young people are actively encouraged to make a positive contribution to the home and wider community, and enjoy activities of their personal choice. For example, children and young people engage in bike riding, football and going to the cinema. Children and young people also enjoy spending time with staff. A young person highlighted that they work with staff in areas of DIY around the home. They are involved in the induction of new staff and lead on fire safety drills. This ensures that children and young people are building their self-esteem and confidence while enjoying themselves.

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Good

Staff collect photographs, keepsakes and memories of children’s and young people’s time living at the home. Achievements, birthdays and anniversaries are always celebrated. Photographs and achievements are on display around the home. This ensures that children and young people have keepsakes of their time living there, coupled with a sense of belonging and identity.

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Good

There is a gradual introduction to independence in accordance with their age and understanding. Children and young people will participate in age-appropriate chores around the home, developing basic skills that will help them in the future. Children and young people enjoy pets of their choice, for example a rabbit and goldfish. This gives children and young people a level of responsibility for something of their own choice. This helps to build their independence skills to help prepare to them for their transition to adulthood.

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Good

Staff fully advocate for young people to ensure that their future semi- independence placement meets their individual needs. The manager visits prospective homes to provide essential advice to the young person’s social worker on whether the home will meet their individual needs. A parent commented, ‘the manager has been brilliant with his transition’. As a result, young people’s transition is comprehensive and unified.

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Good

Children and young people are safe and feel safe. Managers and staff clearly know the individual needs of each young person. They recognise their individual differences while ensuring their safety, minimising risks and increasing personal safety. Managers and staff have a clear understanding of why they need to safeguard children and young people and what they need to make sure that they stay safe. Robust, clear risk assessments, combined with effective leadership and proactive safeguarding practice, ensure that children and young people are protected.

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Good

Staff implement a behaviour management structure focused on positive behaviour. Sanctions, although rarely used within the home, are fair, proportionate and reasonable, and are reviewed regularly. Staff use physical intervention as a last resort. The majority of records are comprehensive and detail young people’s views. However, a small number of recordings do not detail whether medical assistance is required. This limits the oversight that managers have, and has the potential to compromise the safety of children and young people. Children and young people do not go missing from the home.

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Good

There is a robust response to bullying in the home that clearly communicates that in any form it is not, and will not be, tolerated. Staff have worked hard with children and young people to help them to understand the different types of bullying, including e-safety. This ensures that children and young people are confident that their concerns will be addressed and to take responsibility for their actions, while at the same time enhancing their safety.

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Good

Children and young people benefit from living in a safe and well-maintained home. There are systems in place to keep them safe from the risk of fire and other potential hazards. Health and safety risk assessments and individual evacuation plans are in place, and are regularly reviewed to ensure children’s and young people’s safety. Children and young people participate in fire safety training with staff, further enhancing their safety.

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Good

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2013, and is suitably experienced and qualified. She has the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

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Good

The complaints system is transparent and child focused. Children and young people have access to independent advocacy services and information on other agencies that they may contact for support. This helps to promote their views, wishes and feelings.

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Good

Monitoring systems, both internal and external, are good. The registered manager is child focused, adapting the home’s development to the individual needs of children and young people. This sets out the aims and aspirations for how the service will continue to improve their lives. The development of the home reflects suggestions made by children and young people. This shows the manager’s commitment to ensuring that the voice of children and young people is central to all aspects of the home.

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Good

The registered manager is enthusiastic and effective in developing good relationships with professionals and parents. Professionals and parents highlight effective communication, staff awareness and information sharing as the key strengths of the home. Professionals commented, ’we were very impressed with the standards, protocols and attitudes of the managers and staff’. A parent commented, ‘It has been the making of him, and I wish he could stay there forever.’ A statement of purpose details the ethos of the home, and is readily available for professionals and parents. Since the last inspection, the staffing issues have been resolved and there is now a nurturing, stable staff team that provides children and young people with the consistency and stability that they need and deserve. The majority of staff are suitably qualified and trained to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the individual needs of young people. However, some

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Good

experienced members of staff who have worked for a number of years in the organisation have not yet completed the required level 3 diploma. All other staff are within regulatory timescales for achieving their qualifications.

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Good

The registered manager acknowledges the shortfalls of the home and is committed to and enthusiastic about developing her staff team further. Staff receive good support from the management team. Supervisions are effective and staff talk positively about the support that they receive. One member of staff stated, ‘the manager is brilliant’. Another said that they felt that senior managers were ‘really supportive’. This ensures that staff have the skills and support to meet the needs of children and young people.

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Good

The interim management arrangements during a short period of the registered manager’s absence lack rigour, particularly in relation to any effective action taken over an allegation. This means that children and young people may be at further risk, as their welfare is not always fully promoted. Their care is further compromised because the employment histories of a minority of newly recruited staff were not consistently verified.

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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’. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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

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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