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

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Not all staff follow behaviour management plans, and rules and expectations are not always clear or consistent.  Relationships between staff and the young person are varied.  The young person does not have access to an advocate to act on his behalf.  The home is not meeting its aims and objectives as set out in the statement of purpose.  The young person does do not have sufficient opportunities to undertake a wide-range of activities that strengthens his skills, interests, knowledge and enhance his physical well-being.  Partnership working with other agencies is varied.  Relationships with the young person’s family are not constructive. The manager has been slow to address this.  Managers do not follow safer recruitment practice.  Staff are not proactive in building up trust through social interaction by encouraging the young person to have meals together.

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The children's home strengths

 Staff feel valued and supported by the manager.  Staff support individual learning. Consequently, the young person is now receiving every opportunity to thrive educationally.  The home’s surroundings are comfortable and homely.  The young person is encouraged to develop live skills, including cooking their own meals.

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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 the ‘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

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met In order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must ensure that; (c) if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and (d) seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. 08/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must ensure that ; (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose. 08/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

9: The enjoyment and achievement standard In order to meet the enjoyment and achieve standard the registered person must ensure that; (1) The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills. 08/11/2016 (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff help each child to— (i) develop the child’s interests and hobbies; (ii) participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences.

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard In order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must ensure that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans; (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child's age and understanding. 08/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(d)) 08/11/2016

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 All children must have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked- after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)

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Information about this children's home

The home accommodates up to seven young people, irrespective of gender, who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is run by a private company. The home’s statement of purpose indicates that the age range will be between 11 and 18 years.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/06/2016 Full Inadequate

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Requires improvement

At the last full inspection in June 2016, the home was judged inadequate. A monitoring visit took place on 4 August 2016, which evidenced that improvements were beginning to be made. Although the manager has begun to address the shortfalls, they are still in their infancy so their impact has not yet begun to take full effect. There is currently one young person residing in the home. The young person and the staff team have recently moved back into the main house after it had been refurbished. The refurbishment has been completed to a good standard and the home is now homely and inviting. Relationships between staff and the young person are varied. Where staff are consistent and maintain boundaries, a relationship of mutual respect exists. However, where staff lack challenge in behaviour the young person will present behaviours that reflects this opportunity. The lack of joint up working within the staff team undermines the behaviour management plan.

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Requires improvement

Where positive relationships are in place, staff speak positively about the young person and want the very best for him. These relationships help the young person to engage in one-to-one sessions about issues that are important to him with staff that he trusts. Key worker sessions take place to help the young person to participate in decisions that are important to them. For example, the young person has discussed gardening and is growing his own fruit and vegetables. This leaves the young person with a sense of feeling valued and listened to and promotes his self-esteem. Staff place more focus on encouraging and enhancing the young person’s education since the last inspection. Staff give practical and emotional support to him. Consequently, the young person is beginning to succeed in his learning and development. Staff do not play a central role in helping young person to stay healthy. Although there has been investment in physical activities within the home’s grounds such as

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Requires improvement

a swing ball its use is not optimised. Staff do not encourage time away from the young person’s bedroom and as a result the young person spends a lot of time on his console away from staff. Furthermore, there has been a lack of clarity about the rules of the games console use. For example, where he can use it and how long for. This has led to frustrations for the young person. The young person is supported to complete baking activities and to make basic meals. This aids in a sense of independence. However, he often chooses to isolate himself from staff to eat his meals. This results in a missed opportunity to socialise with staff. Staff have been too slow to recognise the importance of building up trust through social interaction by encouraging the young person to have his meals together. Staff have been proactive in encouraging contact. However, contrasting views between the staff and family has led to difficulties in implementing the behaviour

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Requires improvement

management plan. For example, the family openly states that they do not trust the staff and questions their abilities. This has led to conflicting feelings for the young person. The manager has been slow to take action to improve these relationships and consequently, conflict remains unresolved.

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Requires improvement

Staff update plans when change occurs and reflect on the young person’s current needs and support. These plans are put together with the guidance of the placing authority to help ensure that the staff are meeting expected standards for the young person. However, not all staff follow these plans and this leads to inconstancies for the young person. The young person does not go missing or self-harm and is not at risk from child sexual exploitation. Nevertheless, staff receive training surrounding these areas so they stay knowledgeable about the potential risks. The manager works effectively with local police to ensure that the young person stays protected. For example, this partnership means that the young person has a detailed missing from home plan. This plan specifies the actions to be taken by staff and others to ensure that he is quickly located and returned to the home. This integrated approach helps to protect the young person.

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Requires improvement

The young person does not have access to an advocate to act on their behalf. Therefore he does not have someone to provide an independent voice should he require it. Health and safety checks are routinely completed, including fire safety. This attention to detail helps to make sure that everyone in the home stays safe. The recruitment of staff is still not meticulous to safeguard the young person. For example, managers do not validate previous employment when an applicant has a history of working with children or vulnerable adults. Although audits have taken place recently, these have not been vigorous and gaps in recruitment practice remain. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

Since the last full inspection, the manager has made a number of improvements. For example, the manager has brought across an experienced worker from another home to provide better stability and consistency for the young person in the home. Other improvements include ensuring that regular and meaningful supervision now takes place as well as structured team meetings. There are also further plans to allocate more garden space so that the young person can grow fruit and vegetables. The manager has managed the home since April 2016. She holds her level 5 qualification in leadership and management and is in the process of applying for registered manager status through Ofsted. Staff feel valued and supported by the manager. This helps the staff to remain motivated in their care of the young person. A member of staff commented, ‘[the manager] has come in and has provided stability. I truly believe that she has

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Requires improvement

brought a new lease of life to [the home]. She feels she is only as good as her staffing team. Staff are driven now.’ All staff have obtained their level 3 qualification in residential childcare or are working towards this in the appropriate timescales. Staff have completed their mandatory training, and have undergone further training to help them to develop their skills further. The manager has identified the majority of significant practice shortfalls in the home and has recently implemented processes to improve monitoring further. An independent visitor undertakes monthly visits and produces a report. The organisation also has a ‘quality team’, which has been visiting the home to help improve standards. The management team finds these visits useful. These visits, together with other systems, enable the manager to monitor the quality of care. As a result, improvements are beginning to emerge. The manager keeps the

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Requires improvement

statement of purpose up to date. This sets out the vision, values and aims of the service. This, in turn, helps placing authorities, parents and other interested parties to have a clear understanding of what they can expect from the service. However, not all aspects of the home’s aims and objectives are currently being met. For example, it states for each individual child or young person to enjoy good physical and mental health and live a healthy lifestyle, which nurtures positive well-being. This is not being achieved, because little is being done to encourage the young person to undertake a wide-range of activities that strengthens their skills, interests, knowledge and to enhance their physical well-being. Partnership working with other agencies remains varied. Although positive partnerships are secured with the police and local designated officer, difficult relationships exist with the placing authority. Although end goals are agreed, a lack

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Requires improvement

of communication and differing professional views are not openly discussed. This has led to the manager feeling unable to challenge practice to bring about clarity and consistency in the best interest of the young person.

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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’.

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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 looked after children 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that 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 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 .

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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, 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,

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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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