Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Service in Hammersmith and Fulham

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to make good progress while living at the home. They are supported by knowledgeable, skilled staff who enable them to explore and learn positive ways to manage and self-regulate their behaviour and emotions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people are engaged in full-time education. Young people are supported to attend further education facilities in the local area. They are making good progress within their individual academic capabilities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support each young person to address their basic health care needs. A newly admitted young person has been supported to register with local health care services and attend initial appointments and medical reviews. Young people access services that promote their emotional well-being at the school which is provided by the same organisation as the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

New admissions to the home have been well supported through the application of detailed and robust transition plans. Staff consider all known risk factors, and plans and assessments detail how and what is needed to support young people to minimise and reduce risk. Young people are fully involved in the early stages of planning and visiting the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff detail preferred behaviour-management strategies and approaches to support young people in their care plans. Behaviour support plans detail basic guidance to de-escalate and support young people to manage their anxiety and challenging behaviours. However, the strategies recorded require more information, detail and clarity to help staff to be consistent in their approach to behaviour management.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Incidents of bullying in the home have not been responded to in a consistent manner, and young people have not been given any sanctions or consequences following negative behaviours towards peers. A young person made a complaint that he felt he was being bullied by a peer. Records show that a young person was spoken to, but they lack detail and information about the actions that followed or the final outcome of the complaint. There is no evidence to show that staff responded to this concern in line with the home’s anti-bullying policy and procedure.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records detailing physical intervention and other incidents have improved but continue to vary in quality and detail. One incident recorded has inconsistent information and creates confusion. Managers now ensure that young people’s and staff members’ views are sought following an incident, physical intervention, or sanction being given.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff use a variety of sanctions following negative behaviour. These have included a financial sanction or missing a paid activity. The quality of records is improving, and staff are beginning to record whether the sanction was effective and whether the young person has been spoken to about the sanction.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are encouraged to raise concerns and complaints; they do this using the home’s complaint form. Staff have recorded these complaints and provided basic detail about the outcome to these. However, there is no evidence of young people being provided with a written response to their complaint. This has caused young people to think that their complaint has not been responded to.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff act robustly when responding to safeguarding concerns. They have referred matters on to other agencies and sought advice and support when required. They keep detailed records showing actions and outcomes and amend plans when required.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has recently appointed new staff to the home. They have previously worked in other homes in the organisation. These staff do not possess the required qualification even though they have been employed prior to the relevant date in the organisation. Staff are now enrolled on the required qualification.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff regularly seek young people’s views through the weekly house meetings, questionnaires and through gaining their views in debriefs and feedback following incidents. A newly admitted young person was seen to be choosing how he wishes to decorate his bedroom.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage and support young people to develop their life and independence skills. They offer a wide variety of activities in the community and encourage young people to develop life skills through independent shopping and cooking.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff adhere to safer recruitment practice, and newly appointed staff are provided with a thorough induction to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is well presented and homely, and young people take pride in the home and its appearance. Staff ensure that the home is pleasant and welcoming to young people. They encourage young people to personalise their bedrooms. Young people have good relationships with staff, seeking their support and guidance when they are anxious or worried. Staff monitor the outside areas regularly to ensure that they are safe and well maintained. The home’s location risk assessment is being reviewed, and managers are ensuring that outside agencies contribute to this.

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned by a large organisation. It is linked to a specialist school operated by the same organisation, which the young people attend. The home is registered to care for up to six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Young people can access therapy services at the school site. The home is located in an urban area within easy reach of all local amenities and services.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/06/2016 Full Good 27/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/09/2015 Full Good 09/12/2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children’s home staff should take every step to make sure individual children and young people are not subject to discrimination, marginalisation or bullying from their peers by virtue of their gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, disability or for any other reason. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, paragraph 3.12, page 16)

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Recommendations

 Staff should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary and, specifically, to be informed of an outcome to their complaint. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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Recommendations

 Staff should understand what they must do to prevent bullying of children by other children or adults. Staff should be able to recognise and address different types of abuse such as peer abuse, cyber-bullying and bullying in day to day relationships in the home. Registered persons must ensure that procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)

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Recommendations

 The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised as appropriate specifically behaviour support plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)

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Recommendations

 All managers working in a children’s home must have the qualification in regulation 28(2) within relevant timescales listed in regulation 28(3). All staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). The registered person may extend the period if the member of staff hasn’t worked in the role for a prolonged period, such as sick leave or maternity leave, or if it is not reasonable to expect the member of staff to complete in this timescale due to the nature of the hours they work. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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 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

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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