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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This is the second inspection of this home. Since being judged as good at the first inspection, the manager and the staff have continued to embed and develop their practice. The children are happy and feel safe within the home. One said that it was ‘the best home’ she had ever lived in and she ‘loved it’. Another said, ‘[name of the home] is really nice and the staff always do their best’. A social worker who has a child living at the home said the child was the happiest she had seen her. She also said that the child is doing well, building good relationships with the staff and developing her independence. The social worker also spoke of her good relationships with the home. The staff are very positive about working at the home, and some describe it as the best place they have worked. Notwithstanding this, they are aware of how to raise any concerns they have both within the home and with senior managers and other agencies. This is an important and effective

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are supported in their moves in and out of the home as far as is possible. This includes supporting the children in their visits to potential new placements and maintaining contact with them after they leave. When the children go on to live with family members, the staff will advise the family on issues such as storage of medication and applying for benefits. This helps to reduce the stress that the children can experience when they move from one home to another.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff seek the children’s views and respond to them. The children asked for a Christmas jumper competition, which subsequently took place. They have also asked to go on holiday, and a trip to Wales is planned for half-term. A social worker gave an example of the staff listening to a child’s view on how their contact was managed. Listening to children helps to ensure that they can influence the daily running of the home and their care plans. It also helps them to develop responsibility and build their self-esteem.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a strong focus on learning and developing through a ‘lessons learned’ process. This formalises reviews of practice so that the staff are aware of any identified ways of improving practice within the home. The manager has undertaken surveys with the children and placing social workers as part of her monitoring. The responses to these have been good or excellent. Despite this, the registered manager has not included these views in her review of the quality of care. This review is very detailed and shows a good oversight of the home, but it has very limited evaluation and does not include the views of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. This limits the information available and does not allow the registered manager to consider fully what her monitoring has identified. However, the impact of this is limited because of other monitoring and improvement processes in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff deal with any required physical interventions and measures of control or discipline sensitively. Such measures are only used as a last resort. The records show that the staff understand the influences on children that lead to behaviour which requires such measures. However, the records which are kept do not contain all of the required information. Measures of control are not recorded in one dedicated place, so the staff are not prompted to record all of the required information. Records of physical interventions are recorded on a dedicated electronic system, but some records do not contain information, such as the length of a hold, whether staff were spoken with afterwards, or are not signed by the manager. While practice in these areas is good, it is not supported by robust record keeping, which adds a further layer of protection for the children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There were two requirements made following the previous inspection. These have both been met. There are clear records of appropriate recruitment checks on the staff who have been employed since the previous inspection. This helps to prevent the children being looked after by adults who may pose a risk to them. Of the 14 staff who work in the home, all except two have their level 3 qualification or higher. These two are currently working towards it. This helps to ensure that there is a knowledgeable and effective team of staff which provides a high level of care to the children.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for up to five children who have mental disorders. It is privately owned and is also registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/04/2016 Full Good

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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

The registered person’s review of the quality of care provided for children must be evaluative and provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(5)) 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all of the information required under this regulation. This relates in particular to the duration of restraints and records of measures of control and discipline. Further, that the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(b)(i)(ii)) 31/03/2017

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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 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 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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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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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