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

Good

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

p.2

The children’s home provision is good because:

 Since a monitoring visit in June, the manager has strengthened safeguarding practice and procedures in the home. Consequently, requirements made at the time have all been addressed and young people’s vulnerabilities are now better protected.  Young people make progress in all areas of their development.  Staff strive to develop positive and nurturing relationships with each young person.  Young people have clear, individualised plans and risk assessments, which are reviewed and updated.  Excellent relationships with the school exist and are a contributing factor that enables young people to have excellent attendance.  Staff ensure that young people’s views remain central to their care.  Good systems are in place to help monitor illness or injuries.  Joint working enables continuity of care in relation to health issues.  Good collaborative working exist between the home and professionals.  Young people enjoy a range of activities within the home and in the

p.3

The children’s home provision is good because:

community.  There is one area requiring improvement. Two members of staff have not obtained the level 3 qualification in residential childcare within the necessary timescales.

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 ensure that individual who work in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained –

p.4

Requirement Due date

(a) the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) ; or

p.4

Requirement Due date

(b) a qualification which the registered p[person considers to be equivalent to the level 3 diploma.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(a) is the case of an individual who starts working in the care role in a home after 1 st April 2014, the date which fails 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in the home ; or

p.4

Requirement Due date

(b) in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 st April 2015, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 20/10/2016

p.4

Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a residential special school that 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 .

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Good

A monitoring visit took place in June 2016 after concerns were raised regarding safeguarding practice. Since this time, the manager has taken swift action to improve safeguarding procedures and staff practice. Because of these improvements, young people are now better protected in the home.

p.6

Good

Young people make progress in all areas of their development. Staff strive to develop positive and nurturing relationships with each young person. This in turn helps young people to develop an understanding that staff care about them and want the very best for them.

p.6

Good

The progress young people make is well evidenced. The use of individualised, detailed progress-tracking documents ensure that staff are able to record the progress that young people are making. This includes all their achievements and celebrations. Risk assessments are also regularly reviewed and updated. This means that staff are working with current information and potential progress for each young person optimised.

p.6

Good

Staff learn personalised methods to help young people to communicate. These are used to gain each young person’s wishes and feelings. For example, the young people have a choice of snack and evening activity after school.

p.6

Good

Most young people now have advocates, while others are waiting for them to be assigned. The manager has overcome challenges surrounding this. This empowers young people to feel respected and their voices heard.

p.6

Good

The young people all have educational placements with the organisation’s school. Excellent relationships with the school exist and are a contributing factor that enables young people to have excellent attendance. Young people’s routines are maintained and familiar adults accompany young people throughout their school day. Consequently, young people’s educational progress is optimised.

p.6

Good

Young people are in good health. New systems are in place to help monitor and track any illness or injuries to ensure that appropriate actions are taken. Where appropriate, staff and parents attend specialised health appointments to ensure that there is a continuity of care, and that the health needs of each young person are being met consistently. The manager ensures that medication is stored safely, and that records accurately reflect the administration of medication.

p.6

Good

Young people’s self-esteem and interests are promoted through a range of activities. These include trips to local theme parks, swimming and visits to the beach as well as trips further afield. Young people have fun and participate in community life. One parent commented: ‘They take them out, there are lots of activities, there’s lots of choice.’

p.7

Good

Partnership working with parents is excellent. Staff work with parents to enable contact that is safe and in the best interest of the young person. One parent reported: ‘There is very good interaction between carers, staff and the residents, they listen to suggestions about diet, they take them to places and it’s safe and secure and stimulating for him. He is always happy to return to the home after contact.’ Another parent commented: ’It’s the best thing that has ever happened to him, both the care and educational side. When he went there, within six months he was roller blading, riding a bike without stabilisers – this was unimaginable

p.7

Good

Staff receive safeguarding training that enables them to stay informed about how to keep young people safe. Staff use this training to stay alert of young people’s vulnerabilities. For example, although young people do not go missing, staff use their knowledge to stay aware of risks including child sexual exploitation.

p.7

Good

Good collaborative working exist between the home and professionals. This ensures safety is enhanced. A social worker commented: ‘Staff and management work well in partnership in the best interests of the young man I am working with; this is through incident reports, phone calls, stat visits and review meetings, i.e. LAC reviews, annual reviews and PEP meetings. My young man is approaching transition to the adult’s team; we will now be working closely to plan [for] his future long-term needs.’

p.7

Good

Staff receive training in the appropriate use of physical restraint. Records made when a physical intervention has occurred receive management oversight, and young people have the opportunity to talk about the restraint with someone off site. This is helping to ensure that the use of restraint is proportionate and that staff and young people are receiving opportunities to reflect on incidents. Young people are protected by the organisation’s robust recruitment practices. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of the young people by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them.

p.7

Good

The accommodation in which young people live is of a good standard. Young people have the opportunity to personalise their bedrooms, enhancing their sense of identity and belonging.

p.8

Good

An appropriately qualified registered manager is in place. The manager has been in post since July 2015 and holds a national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care at level 5. A deputy manager supports the registered manger.

p.8

Good

The manager has addressed significant staffing difficulties and the number of agency staff has now reduced. Although there are staff vacancies, new staff are in the process of being appointed. Currently staff are working overtime, meaning that young people have consistent care from familiar staff. A parent commented: ‘It’s a consistent staff team – there have been some people who have left – [keyworker name] has been working [with] him for [a] long time.’

p.8

Good

The manager’s focus is on the safety and welfare of the young people in her care. She has a development plan for the home. This includes ensuring that the home is fully staffed, and creating more opportunities within the home to include a new sensory room and computer room.

p.8

Good

Recording for capturing young people’s progress is clear. Records clearly explain how and when a young person has achieved a target. Staff, parents and professionals are all clear about the progress that is being made. A parent commented: ‘I am kept well informed about… progress. [Staff] phone me almost every night. [Staff] tell me if he’s had good day or not.’

p.8

Good

The manager ensures that the home has clearly defined policies for the supervision and appraisal of staff, and a comprehensive induction programme designed to ensure that all staff have the skills and qualities necessary for effective childcare practice. The induction programme has been updated as a result of the monitoring visit and now includes training to support knowledge around sexualised behaviours in young people. The manager ensures 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 informed about the provision of care.

p.8

Good

The manager ensures that communication between agencies is prompt and effective in keeping all parties well informed of young people’s progress. A social worker commented: ‘Staff have always communicated well, providing regular and accurate information, and incident reports are sent advising of any incidents of significance.’

p.9

Good

Managers do not have sufficient oversight of staff qualifications. For example, two members of staff who have worked for the organisation for over two years have yet to complete their level 3 diploma. Both members of staff are due to finish by August 2016.

p.9

Good

Requirements and recommendations made at the last full inspection and monitoring visit have all been met.

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 the ‘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 children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

p.9

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.9

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 that 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.10

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.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.10

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.11

Information about this inspection

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

p.11

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.11

Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11