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

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.2

The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff and managers have good-quality relationships with the young people.  Young people live in a consistent environment where they are able to develop a sense of belonging, and achieve stability and safety.  Young people make good progress in relation to their education, health, and their emotional and social well-being.  Young people feel listened to.  Staff encourage young people to sustain positive relationships with their family.  Staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the young people’s needs.  Young people live in a safe environment where staff protect them from harm.  The risks associated with young people’s behaviours are well known by the manager and staff.  Staff feel valued and supported by the management team and each other.  There is effective leadership in the home. The registered manager is qualified and longstanding.  There are two shortfalls in practice. These include the maintenance of the

p.3

The children's home provision is good because:

home and locking of the communal room doors at night.

p.3

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 with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that staff— (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. 15 September 2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that, in relation to locking the downstairs doors at night, any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 15 September 2016

p.4

Information about this children's home

The home accommodates up to five young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. A private company runs it. The home looks after young people between the ages of 9 and 18 years.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

24 February 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

16 March 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people are living in a stable and consistent environment where they can develop a sense of belonging and permanence. Most of the young people have lived at the home for a substantial .period. Staff know them well. They build secure relationships with the manager and staff. New admissions are clearly considered and matched. Good preparation is made before a new young person moves in. For example, a new young person was known to have an interest in football. Staff sourced information regarding local clubs in readiness for the young person’s arrival. Young people receive good individualised care. This is because care planning is good, and staff take time to build strong and trusting relationships with them. Staff are fully aware of young people’s needs, as placement plans and risk assessments are clear and frequently reviewed. All the young people are in full-time education. They attend the company’s own

p.6

Good

school and most have 100% attendance. Even those who, in the past, have struggled to attend school now attend regularly. Staff have high aspirations for the young people and are clear on the expectation of attending school daily. For example, staff from the home go into school to help to support young people when necessary. Good communication with the school and the use of incentives further strengthen the potential for achievement and good career opportunities for the future. Staff and managers have good-quality relationships with the young people. Relationships are based on trust, consistency and an understanding of the young people’s backgrounds and past experiences. Boundaries are clear and reasonable. Behaviour management is consistent and staff are vigilant regarding bullying. This all helps to create an environment where young people are able to make significant emotional and behavioural progress.

p.6

Good

The young people are in good health. None of the young people smoke or involve themselves in drug and alcohol misuse. Most young people take part in their routine health checks. When young people choose not to do so, staff work with them and encourage them to attend. They have a ‘never give up’ attitude and keep trying. Positive relationships with staff enable the young people to engage in one-to-one sessions. These are used to discuss subjects and gain views that are relevant to the young people, including health and welfare. This enables young people to make informed decisions about aspects of their lives that are important to them. Young people take part in meetings, and staff respond accordingly to issues and requests raised. As a result, young people feel that their views matter and that they are listened to. When it is appropriate to do so, young people are encouraged to develop their levels of responsibility in preparation for the transition to adulthood. For example,

p.6

Good

young people are supported to undertake their own laundry. The home has a self- contained annexe where young people approaching adulthood can live semi- independently. This helps them to prepare for their future and manage the transition to independence. Contact arrangements are assessed, safe and in the best interests of young people. This gives them a sense of identity and helps them maintain links with people who are important to them. Young people’s living accommodation is spacious and appropriate to their needs. It is personalised by them and there are pictures of the young people throughout the home. However, areas of the home look unkempt. A bedroom window has been broken and has been boarded up for a number of weeks. Maintenance has been slow to rectify the damage and this detracts from a homely environment. Managers have recognised that the home needs refurbishment and this work is underway.

p.7

Good

At night, young people have restricted access to the communal rooms downstairs as staff lock the doors. This is routine, rather than risk assessed. This again detracts from a homely environment.

p.7

Good

Young people are safe and live in a safe environment where they are protected from harm. The young people at the home have complex needs and in the recent past have displayed challenging behaviours. Staff have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of young people. This supports them to care effectively for and provide support to young people in all areas of their lives. The home uses a system of financial rewards and incentives to promote positive behaviour. Consequently, there are a low number of physical interventions. Sanctions are appropriate, and young people are given the opportunity to reduce the sanction by good behaviour and completing tasks around the home. Young people are also further rewarded for positive behaviour and achievements, no matter how small. This further helps to support the young people with their behaviour management skills. The risks associated with young people’s behaviours are well known by the

p.7

Good

manager and staff. Young people’s risk-taking behaviours have decreased since admission. Young people who were previously challenging in their behaviours are making excellent progress in being able to de-escalate and moderate their own behaviour. Staff develop warm and nurturing relationships with young people. They build trusting relationships with key staff members, and this enables staff to help to keep them safe. Young people rarely go missing from the home. Staff understand the ‘missing from care’ protocols and are aware of how to safeguard young people from going missing. Staff utilise the established positive relationships with the police. The registered manager works in effective partnership with local police and local authorities to protect young people from harm in these circumstances. This solid partnership ensures that local intelligence is shared. On young people’s return to the home, staff speak with young people’s social workers to arrange independent

p.7

Good

return interviews. The young people in the home are not currently at risk of child sexual exploitation, nor do they self-harm. However, staff know the signs and symptoms, and proactively monitor all young people at the home. Staff have engaged in training to support their understanding and heighten their awareness. Strong recruitment and vetting processes are in place. Applicants undergo appropriate checks, including criminal history and employment history checks. These reduce the possibility of young people being harmed by those in positions of trust. There have been no complaints from the young people at the home. Staff ensure that, on their admission to the home, young people receive information about how to make a complaint Health and safety checks are routinely completed this includes fire safety. This attention to detail helps to make sure that young people stay safe.

p.8

Good

Leadership and management is strong and effective. The registered manager holds her diploma in social work and a level 4 in management, and has managed the home for many years. There is a new deputy manager in post and she has worked in the home for many years. All staff have obtained their level 3 in residential childcare in the appropriate timescales. Many staff have been at the home for a number of years. The home currently has two vacancies. However, current staff are working overtime and regular bank staff are used to ensure that young people are experiencing consistency and continuity of care. The registered manager is child focused in her practice. She understands young people’s individual needs, and ensures that staff have the skills and knowledge to meet them. The crucial importance to young people of having well-supported and trained staff is recognised. Staff receive good-quality and regular

p.8

Good

supervision, and consequently work safely and consistently together. The registered manager is aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She constantly strives to improve her practice to achieve the best possible outcomes for young people. An independent visitor undertakes monthly visits and produces a report. The management team finds these useful. The visits, together with other systems, enable the manager to monitor the quality of care. The registered manager has taken the time to ensure that there is a good development plan in place for the home. This is regularly updated. As a result, young people benefit from a consistency of care that achieves better outcomes than previously. The manager ensures that the home’s statement of purpose accurately reflects the services offered to young people, updating when necessary. The statement of purpose is shared with placing authorities and helps social workers to be well

p.9

Good

informed about the provision of care. Staff feel valued and supported by the registered manager and each other. They feel listened to, and that their views are valued. This helps the staff to remain highly motivated in their care of young people. A member of staff commented, ‘My manager is a great manager, she runs the home really well. I wouldn’t want to work for another manager, it is always structured. She knows what is going on and she runs the home really well.’ Effective team meetings ensure good communication and consistency of practice across the staff group, where there are mutually supportive and respectful relationships. These demonstrate positive role models and consistency for the young people. Partnership working with other agencies remains vital in helping young people to make good levels of progress educationally, socially and emotionally. Parents and external professionals are complimentary about the home and say that the

p.9

Good

manager and staff work well in partnership with them. For example, one social worker stated, ‘Staff communication has been good, so far. I can get hold of staff. They are responsive and helpful, and share relevant information. They also communicated with the young person’s parents.’ A parent commented, ‘They are very good with meeting his needs. They’ve been really nice and patient, they are looking after him really well.’ The manager escalates any concerns sufficiently to bring about the necessary change in the best interests of young people in a timely fashion. For example, concerns were raised by the home about another professional’s understanding of professional boundaries. This was escalated by the manger to ensure good practice.

p.9

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

p.10

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.

p.10

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

p.11

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 .

p.11

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,

p.12

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

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

p.12