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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Young people continue to make good progress during their time at the home. They are learning positive ways to self-regulate and manage their behaviours, feelings and emotions. Staff are providing good-quality care and support, which are enabling young people to develop positive life, personal and social skills. Staff have good relationships with young people who request support, advice and guidance from them when needed. Staff follow detailed and thorough care plans. These provide practical information and guidance to staff, supporting them in their care of young people. Staff regularly review plans, with young people being fully involved. They discuss and plan goals to work towards and review these during key work sessions. Young people are developing their self-care skills and exploring ways to assist them to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

manage their anxieties and emotions. Regular key work sessions promote positive relationships between staff and young people. They also provide regular opportunities to talk through pertinent issues and worries that a young person may have. Topics have included the risks associated with risk-taking behaviours, relationships and healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage young people to engage in a variety of social activities and clubs. They have individual interests and hobbies that staff support them to follow. Staff plan daily activities, which include swimming, walking, going to church, youth club, shopping and trampolining. They access the local community and venture further away from the home for more specific activities. A favoured activity is walking in the local area, which is rural. Following an incident, staff completed a detailed review of the risk assessment for this activity and now follow detailed plans with

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

pre-described routes to walk, to minimise risk. All young people attend school or college. They are making academic progress within their individual capabilities. Staff work closely with providers, ensuring consistency of approach. They are working with others collaboratively to promote and support transitions for those moving on to new settings. Staff support young people to address their basic health needs. They refer to others, when required, to address needs that are more complex. Young people are offered and encouraged to engage with the therapeutic service, which is available through the education provision based on site. Leaders and managers complete pre-admission risk and impact risk assessments, exploring all factors prior to admission. Staff consider whether needs can be met and whether a prospective young person is compatible with other young people already placed in the home. Managers do not evidence who makes the decision

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

regarding an admission to the home. Staff complete detailed risk assessments, which explore many known risk factors. Staff have identified risks associated with child sexual exploitation, but plans to address and minimise risk are lacking. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated when required. Staff respond to missing from care episodes well, deploying a managed and coordinated approach. However, the written plans lack detail and clarity regarding the required staff response, actions and risk factors. Staff do not complete the log of missing episodes correctly, leaving gaps in information. Staff complete detailed incident forms, but the information between the two logs is not consistent, which creates confusion and hinders monitoring. Staff are trained in the home’s preferred method of behaviour management. Each young person has a behaviour management plan, detailing triggers, behaviours and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

actions required to support the young person. Plans clearly identify methods of intervention to be used. Incidents have been well managed, with staff following each young person’s behaviour support plan. Staff have avoided the use of physical intervention. When physical intervention has been used, it has been in its lowest form for the shortest time possible. Records detail antecedents, behaviours and interventions used. However, one record lacked clarity about which type of intervention was used or for how long. Young people are always offered the opportunity to review and comment on an incident and intervention. These comments have provided invaluable information and insight to staff. Managers complete regular, detailed reviews of incidents and physical interventions. They have developed their practice and knowledge, exploring key aspects of incidents and staff responses. This has promoted good staff practice and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

consistency in the behaviour management approach used by staff. Sanctions applied are linked to the event that precipitated them. Staff are aware of which sanctions are effective for specific events. Staff have investigated complaints, and records evidence that the complainant was provided with an outcome and written response to the complaint. Systems in the home for recording and managing safeguarding concerns are robust. Staff act on concerns swiftly with substantial investigation and exploration. Concerns are recorded, reported and referred to others, when required. The evidence trail, from instigation through investigation to completion, is maintained in the home. This has allowed the manager to oversee and monitor incidents. Allegations are reported and referred in line with the home’s policy and procedure. One concern, however, was not referred, and the evidence to show the rationale for decision-making was not recorded.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection, an effective registered manager, who is bringing about effective change in the home, has started in post. She has responded and acted on the requirements set at the previous inspection. The home environment has improved, creating homely communal areas for young people.

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Information about this children's home

The home is owned and run by a national private provider. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 10 children and young people who have learning disabilities. The home shares a site with another registered children’s home. It also shares the site with two schools, also owned and run by the organisation, which children and young people attend.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

18/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where 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 the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans and when they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on existing groups of children. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4) In particular, they should ensure that the record shows who has made the decision to admit a young person.

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection, we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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

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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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