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

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

The home has continued to improve the lifestyles of and outcomes for young people. Managers have demonstrated effective partnership in overseeing and improving the home. They use their own and external monitoring that includes feedback from young people, parents and professionals, to improve the quality of care provided. One young person said, ‘Staff look after our needs. That means that when new people arrive, the home changes because they need to support each of us differently. They know what help I need and I get it when I need it.’ This level of flexibility in the care provided means that young people feel safe and secure, and continue to make progress in their lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers ensure that there are clear actions to improve the conduct of the home. Comprehensive development plans are shared with staff, who enthusiastically respond to the leadership message of joint responsibility for improving care. As a result, all recommendations made at the last inspection have been satisfactorily addressed. These related mainly to record keeping. As staff have become used to the electronic recording system used in the home, errors in recording have minimised. The manager ensures continuous improvement by conducting regular audits of care plans and other records.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers are tireless in their pursuit of helping young people to access the services they need and are entitled to, such as a suitable education placement, good quality independent living arrangements, and improved family contact. Through appropriate challenge, resourcefulness in helping young people to find suitable services, and escalation of concern when other professionals do not carry out their responsibilities effectively, managers ensure that young people’s plans are monitored and implemented to achieve the best possible outcomes to improve their futures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has moved on from the home, and another has moved in, since the last inspection. Both moves were completed following effective planning and liaison with all those involved with the young people, which included appropriate risk management and assessment of need. Staff are committed to young people beyond their placement, and maintain contact and support for them once they leave the home to move into independent living. This helps them through difficult transition periods, as they adjust to new responsibilities and reduced levels of support. Young people know that staff are available to them, and this provides them with confidence to approach them when they encounter difficulties in their newly independent lives. One young person said, ‘Staff say that I can’t get rid of them, and that’s OK with me!’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Professional feedback is complimentary, with comments such as ‘The young person could not have achieved what he has without the support of staff’, and ‘Staff go above and beyond, and also support involved agencies to ensure they are aware of the complexities and how best to support her.’ Similarly, staff are skilled at forging and maintaining good relations with families, so that important contacts for young people are improved and sustained. This focus on young people’s emotional well- being is a key feature of the home. Young people speak confidently, expressing their opinions and sharing planning with staff. They are proud of the individual progress they make. They say that, as a result, they feel safe, secure and happy in their home, and enjoy contributing to its development, including sharing their views with Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person said, ‘Many of my past difficulties are no longer an issue, or they are not so overpowering now. This is because staff have helped me. This home is the best kind of home. It has helped me to improve my life.’ Young people are encouraged to understand and tolerate each other’s needs and trust staff to resolve any difficulties they cannot resolve between themselves. One young person spoke honestly about how she felt when young people move out of and into the home, but she was able to recognise that staff would help new young people in the same way they had helped her to improve. This level of honesty and insight is modelled and encouraged by all staff, and young people thrive on an effective balance of challenge and support.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers model good practice and use their observations of staff, and records about young people, to inform reflective discussion in daily handovers and in regular supervision, including clinical group supervision that enhances reflective practice. Managers oversee consultative practice. Staff prepare a holistic review of young people’s progress from week to week, in each aspect of their care, education and therapy. This is aligned closely to any changes in risk assessment, and individual management programmes are updated as need arises. The review drives change because young people are partners in the review and contribute their thoughts and feelings about their experiences and progress. When asked about how the home could improve, one young person said, ‘I get to make the decisions that are important to me. Staff are there for me. I don’t think there is anything I want to change.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records demonstrate that staff take action to ensure young people’s safety and welfare, both in and out of the home, and when they are enjoying family contact. Although episodes of young people going missing are rare, staff have demonstrated that they will take swift and effective action to ensure that they liaise effectively with appropriate professionals and significant others, to maximise the chance of a safe and speedy return. This approach is also used when young people go missing when they are on family contact, to give a clear message to young people that they are cared about whatever they are doing, and wherever they are. Subsequent actions include ensuring that the young person has an independent interview to explore any reasons for their absence, and effective planning to minimise the chance of a repeat episode. Sanctions are rarely used. Instead, staff offer positive praise and reinforcement, and token rewards such as money for

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

treats to motivate young people to better choices. Young people are encouraged to express their choices and opinions, and staff promote this self-determination where possible. This is evident in the way young people’s personalities and interests shape the home they live in.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff demonstrate clear enjoyment in their work, and say that this is in large part due to happy teamwork, and the way managers have supported their improved understanding of how to deliver safe care that empowers young people and meets their needs. They have participated in training and reflection that has helped them to develop their skills in supporting the individual needs of young people, particularly around changes to their understanding of, and interaction with, the therapy team who support the home, attachment trauma, and positive behaviour support.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered for 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 12/10/2016 Full Good 05/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/05/2015 Full Good 24/02/2015 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:  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. This relates specifically to their involvement in staff appraisal. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.6)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that relevant plans are obtained from the placing authority. This relates specifically to the home obtaining a care plan and personal education plan for new admissions. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.1)

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Recommendations

 Each child should have permission for staff to administer first aid and non- prescription medication from a person with parental responsibility for them recorded in their relevant plan. For looked-after children, this permission should be sought and arranged by the child's social worker. Where 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 the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.14)

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Recommendations

 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. This relates specifically to the placing authorities formal agreement with specific risk assessments and involvement in their subsequent review. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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

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

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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