Children's home run by Aspire Child Care Ltd

Good

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

p.2

The children’s home provision is good because:

 Young people maintain positive relationships with staff, who have remained stable and consistent. These staff provide a good level of individual care and support to each young person, which enables them to make good progress in all areas of their lives.

p.3

The children’s home provision is good because:

 Young people confirm that they feel safe, happy, settled and at home. They report that they feel at ease and can raise any issues or concerns with staff as these arise. Young people confirm that staff take their worries and concerns seriously and act on these appropriately.

p.3

The children’s home provision is good because:

 The staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people’s needs and work well with young people, their parents and other agencies to ensure that these needs are met . One professional said, ‘They have a very good understanding of the unique needs of the young person and work well with other agencies to ensure all their needs are met.’

p.3

The children’s home provision is good because:

 The manager uses the suitable internal and external quality assurance systems that are in place to continue to enhance the experiences and progress of young people.

p.3

The children’s home provision is good because:

 An experienced and qualified manager and deputy manager lead the small staff team well. Staff receive adequate training and support. That said, not all staff are supervised in line with the commitments identified within the home’s Statement of Purpose.  Further areas for development identified within this inspection relate to: ensuring that the Statement of Purpose and children’s guide are kept under review and revised as necessary; ensuring that safer recruitment practice is maintained; and improving the opportunities that young people are given within the home to learn about safe relationships and keeping themselves safe while online.

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the Statement of Purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it to ensure that all new staff are included within this document. (Regulation 16 (3)) 19/08/2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its Statement of Purpose. This is with particular reference to ensuring that the supervision arrangements of staff are maintained as identified within this document. (Regulation 16 (5)) 19/08/2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements identified within schedule 2. This is in particular reference to ensuring that a full employment history and a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment are provided in writing. (Regulation 32(2)(a), (3)(d)) 19/08/2016

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

p.4

Recommendations

 As part of reviewing and revising the Statement of Purpose, the registered person should review and update the children’s guide as necessary and make sure that children are given an explanation of any changes. (‘The guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.23)  Children must feel safe and be safe. The manager and staff should support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside of the home. This is in particular with regards to increasing young people’s knowledge and awareness of how to keep themselves safe and the potential dangers that they may be exposed to when accessing and using the internet. (‘The guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

p.4

Information about this children’s home

 This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and support for up to two children and young people. The home provides support and accommodation for children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

28/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

12/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people thrive in a consistent, stable and supportive home environment where they maintain positive and nurturing relationships with the caring and supportive staff team. Staff were observed to interact positively with young people and used humour and affection appropriately. As a result of the staff’s commitment to improving young people’s experiences and the positive relationships that have been developed between the staff and young people, young people make some good progress, and their experiences improve from their starting points.

p.6

Good

Young people’s health needs are well promoted, as all their medical information is on file, up to date and understood by the staff team. Staff are fully aware of each young person’s unique and specific needs and the staff work well with other agencies to ensure that young people receive the care and support they need. Staff work well with young people and encourage and support them to work with a range of services, such as child and adolescent mental health services. Staff facilitate any health appointments and get involved in the sessions to ensure that they have a good understanding of the model of therapy being used so that this can be reinforced within the home. As such, young people successfully complete their therapy programmes and benefit from improved emotional well-being and social interaction with their peers.

p.6

Good

The staff value education for young people and promote this well. All young people benefit from attending an education provider that is matched to their specific needs, and all make good progress towards achieving their individual goals. The staff ensure that young people attend their education provider regularly and on time, as they provide transport there and back despite the distance this is for some. Staff are responsive to any issues or concerns that may occur in school and address these promptly to prevent any disruption to education being necessary. One professional wrote, ‘Acting out behaviours have been an issue for our young person and the home has worked well in partnership with us to help resolve these issues.’ They went on to add, ‘Our young person is well represented at parents evening and events and continues to make good progress at school.’

p.6

Good

Staff support young people to maintain positive links with their families and friends who are significant to them. The staff are fully aware of the contact plans that are in place and work with these young people, their families and social workers well to ensure that these contacts take place regularly and are safe and enjoyable for all. Staff also value young people’s friendships with their peers and promote and enable these relationships to grow and flourish. Young people are supported to go out with their friends after school and at the weekends, as the staff team have satisfied themselves that these relationships are positive and safe.

p.6

Good

Young people enjoy a wide range of experiences and activities that they themselves have identified that they wish to take part in. They are fully involved in deciding what they would like to take part in as this is discussed regularly with them in their house meetings and during individual key working sessions. As a result of these consultations, one young person has recently joined the local football team and was pleased to discuss their success within a recent tournament. Other young people remain actively involved in community art classes and attend regular circus classes where they have been given the opportunity to display their talents during public performances.

p.7

Good

Young people are actively encouraged and helped to increase their independence skills in line with their age and level of understanding. Those who are eligible have pathway plans in place. Young people are well supported in working towards their individual goals that are agreed and recorded within these. One young person has made particularly good progress in this area and can now plan, prepare and cook meals, alongside completing their own laundry. Young people confirm that they receive good support in this area and feel adequately equipped for the transition to adulthood.

p.7

Good

Young people report that they are safe and kept safe by the actions of the staff team. Young people’s welfare in the home is promoted, as staff are aware of the home’s whistleblowing policy. Furthermore, staff are aware of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities, as they receive adequate training and updates. As a result, staff have a good level of awareness and understanding of the procedures that they must implement when disclosures are made or any safeguarding concerns are identified, and they respond to these appropriately and promptly.

p.7

Good

At times, young people can test the boundaries set within the home or within the local community. During these times, staff implement the individual behaviour management plans and risk assessments which provide them with clear, thought- out strategies for addressing this. When necessary, sanctions are used. However, these are used sparingly and are appropriate to support young people in modifying their unacceptable behaviour. Young people are offered the opportunity to discuss and consider their behaviours following any incident so that they can identify alternative strategies for the future. In addition, the registered manager regularly reviews and evaluates these to ensure that the use of any sanction is fair, appropriate and effective in order to inform future care planning.

p.7

Good

Young people live in a safe, relaxed home. Staff respect young people’s right to dignity and privacy, and the size of the home allows for them to enjoy spending time together or spending time on their own. The staff’s and young people’s health and safety within the home are promoted, as the manager and staff carry out regular health and safety checks. This, alongside the annual gas, electrical and fire safety checks, assists in protecting everybody and promotes young people’s and staff’s safety.

p.8

Good

The manager listens and responds well to any comments or grumbles that young people make. The manager takes all complaints from young people seriously and investigates these thoroughly, swiftly keeping young people and staff updated with the outcomes and actions identified. Staff are aware of and understand the potential risks for young people that are associated with the use of the internet, such as child sexual exploitation and bullying. Staff respond adequately to any concerns that are identified with young people’s use of the internet. They swiftly contact the social worker and limit the opportunities for further risk-taking behaviour to occur. For example, staff restrict the internet access, and supervise young people following consultation and agreement with the placing social worker. However, during this inspection, there was little evidence available within young people’s files of what direct work is being

p.8

Good

undertaken with them to further develop their knowledge and understanding to ensure that they can keep themselves safe online.

p.8

Good

Young people’s welfare is compromised within the home, as safe recruitment practice is not systematically undertaken by the manager. For example, one member of staff has commenced employment without an analysis of reasons for the gaps in their employment history being undertaken by the manager.

p.8

Good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager who has been registered with Ofsted since October 2009. The manager brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to undertake her roles as the registered manager and the responsible individual role for both this home and another small home . In order to support the manager in the management tasks, a suitably experienced and qualified deputy manager is in post. The manager and deputy manager work together closely to ensure that the staff team is supported well. As a result, the managers and staff ensure that the safety of all young people is promoted and that young people continue to make progress as a result of the positive experiences that they receive within the home.

p.8

Good

Effective working relationships with parents and partner agencies have contributed to the progress that young people make. One parent said, ‘I am happy with the care that [name] receives from the home and the progress that he is making. [Name’s] behaviour when he is with me has improved.’ Another professional commented, ‘Our relationship with the home is excellent. We see the deputy manager every day and the registered manager attends all the school meetings. They are very professional, caring and supporting of [name’s] needs. They support the school well and [name] is making some progress.’

p.9

Good

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for continued improvement, as she reviews the development of the home and progress of the young people monthly. This, alongside the rigorous scrutiny which is provided by the independent visitor during their monthly visits, offers additional rigour and challenge to the manager to ensure that she continues to improve and develop the services and experiences for all young people. The home has benefited from maintaining a core staff team who are trained, supported and experienced to deliver a good standard of care. A small proportion of the care staff have attained the required qualifications. Sufficient plans are in place to ensure that the others achieve these within the required time frame. While records viewed demonstrate that most staff are supervised, these supervision sessions are not systematically undertaken in line with the commitments identified

p.9

Good

within the home’s Statement of Purpose. Furthermore, the Statement of Purpose has not been updated and reviewed to include the new members of staff.

p.9

Good

The children and young people’s guide provides young people with detailed written information about the services that they can expect to receive. That said, this document has not been reviewed or updated since April 2015 and refers to previous regulations and agencies which are no longer in operation.

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’.

p.10

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 children looked after 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

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

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 that 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 the ‘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 0300123 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, workbased 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