Children's home run by Aspireone Care Ltd in Newcastle-under-Lyme

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:

 There have been no placement breakdowns, disruptions or failures since the last inspection. Young people who have left the home have done so in a very well-planned and positive way. Those young people who are new to the home have been made to feel welcome by everyone. Young people’s transitions are well planned and managed effectively.  Young people enjoy exceptionally good relationships with staff, and have stability and consistency in their lives. They enjoy living at the home, where they are kept safe and have a strong sense of personal safety.  Young people benefit from very well-planned, highly individualised care that promotes their needs effectively, and leads to change and improvement in their lives. They make good progress, taking into account their individual starting points, across all aspects of their welfare, physical, social, emotional and behavioural development. Young people have positive views about the

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The children’s home provision is good because:

home, and are developing a strong sense of permanence and belonging.  Young people who have left the home still keep in touch with staff, who continue to offer them ongoing help and support, often going above and beyond what is reasonably expected of them. This includes advocating on their behalf when support is needed but is lacking.  Young people know how to make a complaint and their rights are championed effectively. Young people have access to advocates to make representations on their behalf.  Risks associated with young people are well known and managed by staff. Staff have an excellent understanding of each individual’s specific needs and vulnerabilities, and take appropriate action to address them. Consequently, young people become safer as a result of the actions that staff take to support and protect them.  The manager makes good use of the home’s internal and external monitoring activities to improve the standard and quality of young people’s

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The children’s home provision is good because:

care. Robust monitoring and feedback from young people, schools, social workers, independent reviewing officers and families are all used to secure improvement. Young people benefit from a home that is consistently managed effectively.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  The home should work in partnership with relevant people, as appropriate, to ensure that each child is provided with support (appropriate to their age and understanding) to communicate their views, wishes and feelings and participate as fully as possible in all aspects of their care planning and daily care. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.6) This relates specifically to their involvement in staff appraisal.  Ensure that relevant plans are obtained from the placing authority. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1) This relates specifically to the home obtaining a care plan and personal education plan for each new admission.  Each child should have permission for staff to administer first aid and non-

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Recommendations

prescription medication from a person with parental responsibility for them recorded in their relevant plan. For children looked after, this permission should be sought and arranged by the child’s social worker. When appropriate, the child’s family should be involved in supporting their child’s health needs as well as in providing permission for treatment. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.14)  Continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. When there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) This relates specifically to the placing authority’s formal agreement with specific

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Recommendations

risk assessments and involvement in their subsequent review.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned and managed.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/05/2015 Full Good 24/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/06/2014 Full Good 02/10/2013 Interim Good progress

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Good

There have been no placement breakdowns, disruptions or failures since the last inspection. Young people who have left the home have been done so in a very well-planned and positive way. Those who have are new to the home are settling in, having been made to feel welcome by staff and other young people. Young people’s transitions are extremely well planned and managed. Risk impact assessments are completed by the manager to ensure placement compatibility, taking into account the needs of other young people at the home.

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Good

Young people reported: ‘I came and visited, and got to meet some of the staff. Staff also came to meet me with the young person and we went out for a meal. I moved in a few days later. It’s a quiet home, compared to where I was. I like the staff. They make you feel welcome, but I don’t really trust people until I get to know them.’

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Good

Care planning is extremely well planned and practice is highly individualised to meet the specific needs of the young people. Young people make good progress in relation to their individual starting points, and there is evidence of significant change and improvement in their lives. Young people benefit from effective, high- quality support, and have stability and consistency in their lives. They have or are developing good relationships with staff, and they build and sustain their positive attachments. Young people report: ’It’s good: pretty decent, to be honest. The staff are good and the house is nice. It’s homely and staff are easy to talk to.’

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Good

There are effective arrangements to promote young people’s good health. The specific health needs of young people are identified effectively and met. Staff ensure that young people are registered with doctors, dentists and opticians, and have access to these services when they need them. Staff are in the process of registering a new admission. Young people have access to any specialist support that they need to promote their emotional and psychological well-being. However, consent for the administration of first aid and suitable home remedies is currently outstanding for one young person, which would ensure that staff are familiar with the health decisions and responsibilities that are delegated to them.

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Good

Young people attend school on a regular basis, with good support and encouragement from staff. Staff maintain highly effective partnerships with their schools and teachers to promote their educational achievement. However, a new admission requires a care plan and, more specifically, a personal education plan to help to plan and review their educational progress. Relevant plans are already in place for other young people. Some young people have achieved their GCSEs since the last inspection, with excellent exam results. Young people are supported effectively to further their education to promote their aspirations, strengths and educational goals. Young people report: ‘I’m studying psychology, philosophy and sociology. It’s difficult, but really interesting. I want to be a forensic psychologist.’

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Good

The school reports: ‘I have been really impressed with the way that the home has supported her. Staff are always professional and you can tell that they have her needs as their best interest. They have encouraged her to work on her social skills and life skills, and have kept her engaged in activities. I think that the home is providing an excellent service. Every time I speak to the young person, she is always very complimentary about the home and the staff.’

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Good

Young people are provided with positive activities that enable them to develop their social skills, specific interests and hobbies. They enjoy horse riding, going to the cinema, trampolining and theme parks, and visiting places of specific interest to them. One young person recently enjoyed a residential course doing outdoor pursuits, team building and problem solving. This was a really positive experience for them, and it expanded their friendships and improved their social skills and self- confidence. A social worker reported, ‘the young person has made excellent progress beyond our expectations’.

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Good

Staff promote contact for young people, and maintain close relationships with their families to support contact taking place. As a result, young people sustain their close relationships with the people who are most important to them. Staff teach young people skills in shopping, cooking and budgeting. Consequently, young people develop their practical skills and readiness for independence. Eligible care leavers have clear pathway plans to promote their transition to adulthood.

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Good

A parent reported, ‘I feel that they care and help her immensely. She has an excellent relationship with some staff and good relationships with others. I can phone or email staff at any time. Always feel my opinions and feelings are listened to. Not made any complaints, but feel that they would be actioned or discussed.’

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Good

Young people know how to make a complaint and their rights are promoted effectively. Young people have access to advocates to make representations on their behalf. Concerns raised by young people are addressed effectively, and their views and concerns are acted upon. There have been no complaints raised by young people about their home. An advocate reported: ‘I have worked as an advocate for almost 10 years and have visited numerous placements for children in care. I can honestly say that I felt that the manager went above and beyond her duties in order to ensure that the young person’s wishes and feelings were heard’.

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Good

Young people are kept safe and benefit from effective support, help and protection. They become safer as a result of the actions that staff take to support and protect them. Risk-taking behaviours, such as self-harm and going missing from care for long periods, have decreased considerably and young people are far less likely to suffer actual harm. Risks associated with young people are managed by staff effectively. However, some young people’s specific risk assessments need to be signed and formally approved by the placing authority, so that there are clear guidelines on how these risks are to be reviewed and managed in keeping young people safe, while enabling their rights and entitlements.

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Good

There are no issues with bullying, and young people have a strong sense of personal safety. Young people are protected from abuse and all other forms of significant harm. Staff are trained in child protection and know how to deal with allegations and report suspected abuse. The home maintains highly effective partnerships with the police, social workers and other safeguarding agencies, to promote the safety and well-being of young people.

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Good

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safe working practice. The use of effective behaviour management strategies ensure the safety of young people. Staff promote young people’s positive behaviour and implement the home’s rules and boundaries effectively. There have been no restraints since the last inspection, and the use of sanctions is kept to an absolute minimum. Young people reported: ‘Sometimes the rules are annoying, at times, but for the most part they’re OK. I like living here.’

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Good

The home provides young people with a physically safe, appropriately secure, warm, comfortable and homely environment. Health and safety matters are addressed and met. The home is currently undergoing some redecoration to improve further the standard and quality of young people’s accommodation. There are also plans for the future improvement of the kitchen and bathroom. Young people’s bedrooms are highly individualised and personalised, in accordance with their needs, wants and wishes. Young people enjoy having spacious bedrooms with double beds.

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Outstanding

The registered manager is ambitious and energetic about sustaining the home’s improvement. They stimulate staff’s enthusiasm and channel their efforts effectively to ensure that the home delivers a high level of service to young people. The home benefits from strong and effective leadership, and is managed efficiently and effectively. The home employs a well-qualified, suitably trained and experienced registered manager and deputy who demonstrate effective leadership of the home’s staff and operation.

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Outstanding

The manager ensures that the home is consistently well managed and resourced. They demonstrate real determination and ambition for the continuing development and improvement of the home. They prioritise the needs of the young people effectively, maintaining strong and highly effective partnerships with their families, schools and social workers to improve their life chances and outcomes for the future. They escalate concerns and challenge underperforming services that fail to deliver the services or support that the young people need to improve their lives. As a result, the needs of young people are championed effectively, which leads to change and improvement in their lives.

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Outstanding

A social worker reported: ‘The young person made exceptional progress while in their care. I have recommended them to our placement team.’ Parents reported, ‘He wouldn’t be the same person who he is today, if it weren’t for the staff.’

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Outstanding

The views of young people are central to almost all aspects of how the home operates and develops its practice. Young people are involved in key decisions so that they can influence and contribute to the running of their home. Staff actively listen to young people and act on their reasonable requests. Staff are well supervised, managed and led, and are supported effectively. Staff benefit from regular professional supervision and have an annual appraisal of their practice. While young people are meaningfully consulted in all other aspects of the home’s practice, they are not formally involved in the staff appraisal process. However, this is something that the manager plans to address.

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Outstanding

Staff have access to regular high-quality training to promote their skills, knowledge and professional development. Staffing numbers are sufficient, and staff qualifications and experience meet the specific needs of the young people effectively. The home can demonstrate the positive difference that it has made to the lives of young people, and can evidence significant change and improvement in their lives. The home meets the aims and objectives as set out in its statement of purpose.

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Outstanding

There are effective systems for scrutinising the performance of the home. An independent person visits on a regular basis to review the standard and quality of young people’s care. They have consent to access young people’s records to inform their opinion of the home’s arrangements for promoting their well-being and safety. Additionally, the manager has undertaken a robust and comprehensive review of the quality of young people’s care. They make good use of the home’s internal and external monitoring activities so that they have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. They monitor patterns and trends, seek regular feedback and take appropriate action to secure improvement. Consequently, there are robust arrangements for reviewing and improving the quality of young people’s care. Significant incidents are reported to the appropriate authorities that are charged with a duty to protect young people. This ensures that young people are kept safe

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Outstanding

by sharing concerns and taking advice from the appropriate agencies. As a result, young people benefit from best possible all-round support, help and protection.

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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 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 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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