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

Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 1 SC472102 Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated 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 same organisation, which children and young people from this home may attend.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 9 November 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager has a clear vision for the service and works with the staff to ensure that a good standard of care is attained for the young people. She aims for continual improvement and development, with the young people the focus of this.  Managers and staff develop effective links with schools. Partnership working across the multi-disciplinary team supports young people to make good social, educational and personal progress.  Staff recognise, value and support young people’s ambitions. They proactively encourage independence. Young people learn new skills to prepare themselves for moving on from the home and they become ambitious about their futures.  The views, wishes and feelings of young people are highly valued. They are encouraged to participate in decision-making processes concerning the development of the home and their own care plans.  There is a strong commitment to keeping young people safe and protecting

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Key findings from this inspection

them from harm. A high level of supervision and engagement with young people effectively safeguards them.  Young people’s individual interests are encouraged and broadened. They are encouraged to make relationships within the local community and develop their skills.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Monitoring processes have missed opportunities to improve the consistency of some records and did not recognise when an allegation made by a young person needed an agreed protocol for staff to follow.  Staff do not consistently sign physical interventions or routinely ask young people if they may need medical assistance after one.  The registered manager’s supervision has not been regular or focused on young people’s care plans.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/05/2016 Full Good 25/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/10/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

(1) in order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (2) in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 28/07/2017

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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59.) In particular, to ensure that young people are offered medical assistance after physical interventions, staff have signed agreement of the records, and that, if staff block a young person’s exit, records are completed accurately including the duration of this measure.  Registered persons have a key role in seeking to develop the home’s effective working relationships with each child’s placing authority and with other relevant persons, for example consultation with designated officers in relation to thresholds for referrals of allegations from young people. (‘Guide to the children’s

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Recommendations

homes regulations including quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.3)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive regular supervision of their practice, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Inspection judgements

Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a secure, safe environment for young people in which they are able to make sustained progress. Staff are patient and successfully encourage young people to process information, and work toward identified targets in their own time. Young people with complex needs achieve measurable goals, which are celebrated by staff. Some young people who previously rarely communicated now speak more and interact with staff using a variety of methods, including letters. Other young people are learning to talk about their emotions more and manage their anger better by using strategies such as calming in the sensory room or in their bedrooms. Positive, close relationships exist between staff and young people, who genuinely care about them. One young person said, ‘The staff are awesome’, and another young person said, ‘I like all the staff’. The inspector observed young people seeking out staff’s company.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A range of activities is available for young people to participate in, both in the home and in the community. The home has a sensory room for young people to relax in. Young people also have large, personalised bedrooms, in which they can play supervised games with their peers. One young person proudly displays her artwork around the communal area. Young people are encouraged to care for pets, which increases a sense of belonging and teaches them to take responsibility. They engage in a good range of activities within the community, such as attending church, youth groups and trampolining clubs. All the young people attend school or access educational activities and therapy. Staff work closely with the adjacent school and multi-disciplinary team to ensure that young people make continued social and academic progress. Targets agreed with the young people reflect those set by the school to ensure consistency. Young people are ambitious

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and focused on achieving academic success. One young person’s goal is to become a marine biologist and he has a clear plan of how he will achieve this aim. Another young person has a keen interest in catering, which is encouraged by staff. His social worker reported that, ‘he is making progress and has clear aspirations for the future now’. Young people have a strong voice here. They contribute effectively to their care plans and attend meetings to review them. One young person who previously was reluctant to talk in meetings is now more confident. Staff help him to prepare for meetings so that he knows what to expect. He now attends all his review meetings and contributes fully. Staff seek young people’s views through a variety of ways including questionnaires, management consultations and key work sessions. These key work sessions effectively address areas the young people wish to discuss, with clear actions and feedback

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

following decisions made. The registered manager is reviewing house meetings with young people with the aim of making them more meaningful. Staff nurture good relationships with young people’s families and friends to ensure that they maintain important relationships. Staff have developed a good rapport with parents; they work together in the young people’s best interests. A parent spoke favourably about the home and the progress her son has made. She said, ‘He is happy at the home, Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 5 he has learned to manage his rages better since he has been there.’ Young people are aware of how to complain; if they express dissatisfaction, they are encouraged to make formal complaints. The registered manager deals with these concerns formally and any concerns are taken seriously. Matters are resolved to the young people’s satisfaction. On occasion, there is conflict between young people. The registered manager and staff

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

deal effectively with such incidents using a restorative approach. If this is unsuccessful, the registered manager involves parents in a more formal approach. Young people understand the seriousness of their actions and the impact they have on others. This approach has been effective in reducing bullying. Staff strongly advocate for young people who are experiencing difficulties. Staff ensure that young people receive the support they need for their ongoing mental and emotional well-being, for example, play therapy and the input of child and adolescent mental health services. Staff work closely with therapists; they obtain equipment needed and follow programmes recommended, such as weighted blankets and timetables incorporating a sensory programme. Young people are much calmer and learn to manage their sensory difficulties effectively. Independence work is valued by staff who prepare young people for when they leave

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

here. Those young people who can be trusted have their own keys for areas that are restricted for others’ safety. The young people’s level of maturity is recognised and rewarded. The registered manager ensures that there is a pathway plan in place that is under regular review so that young people are learning the skills necessary for adult life.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Good safeguarding practice, underpinned by well-trained knowledgeable staff and clear policies to follow, ensures that young people feel safe and are safe. All staff spoken to demonstrated a good understanding of their responsibilities regarding keeping the young people safe externally from issues such as child sexual exploitation and radicalisation, and internally in regards to addressing any poor staff practice. Supervision is vigilant for the more vulnerable young people. Episodes of young people going missing have significantly reduced in number. Staff are aware of what to do should a young person go missing or absent without permission. They implement the missing from home policy effectively. Staff usually have young people in their sight or find them within a short time of going missing, often near the home. Young people are welcomed home and staff discuss with them any worries that they may have. The

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

registered manager ensures that the local authority or an agreed organisation carry out return interviews. This ensures that young people have the opportunity to talk to someone independent of the home. Staff discuss the risks posed by the internet and social media with young people in key work sessions and during day-to-day conversations. Risk assessments identify the dangers that young people face when using the internet and social media. Staff work to the protocols in place to minimise the risks to young people. They carry out checks to Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 6 alert them if young people have accessed sites that may have negative repercussions for them. Physical interventions are used as a last resort. Staff are trained in using appropriate methods and refresher training is organised when necessary. Staff usually report allegations made by young people to the local authority. The registered manager

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

undertakes investigations as agreed by external professionals. However, she did not seek a consultation with the designated officer following an allegation made by a young person during a restraint. The registered manager addressed this during the inspection and agreed a protocol with the local authority in case this should recur. Staff record any incidents for the registered manager to review. Young people have the opportunity to reflect and give their views. Recording is not consistent; for example, staff did not sign a record to confirm its accuracy and young people are not routinely offered medical assistance following restraint. The manager critically analyses the records to identify learning points, which inform risk assessments and care plans. Young people explore the local area with staff. The location’s risk assessment provides a wealth of information about potential risks. This document informs staff of the measures

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

to take to protect young people. The newly appointed police community support officer visited the home to meet the young people and develop a trusting relationship with them. This encourages young people to trust those who are employed to protect them. Staff manage the home environment safely. Restrictions are only put in place as part of a young person’s risk assessment and care plan. Health and safety checks are regularly conducted and any actions arising from them are responded to swiftly. Medication errors are rare; however, when they do occur, staff seek advice from health professionals and the registered manager completes an internal investigation so that lessons can be learned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and manages the home well. She has a level four diploma in health and social care and is enrolled on the level five qualification in leadership and management. She is a strong leader who staff respect. All staff spoken to were very positive about the registered manager’s management of the home and the improvements that she has implemented. A member of staff said, ‘The home is much better managed since she has been the manager.’ Another member of staff said, ‘The manager is supportive towards us; we are a strong team and work well together.’ Staff report that morale is high. The manager has a thorough development plan in place, which puts the young people at the forefront of practice. She ensures that any young people moving in are well matched with the young people already living here. She has a good understanding of the young people’s complex needs, staffs skills and a clear vision for the future of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions for staff are evaluative, focused on the young people and their safety, as well as supportive to staff. The registered manager competently responds to any practice issues should they arise. However, her own supervision has not been Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 7 regular or consistently focused on young people’s care plans and progress. This does not equip her with the support needed for her role. External independent monitoring visits take place and these are suitably challenging of practice. The registered manager uses these reports and internal monitoring to evaluate the care provided in the home. She has requested additional quality assurance audits supplied by the organisation to improve practice further. She has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the service and how to improve it. Care plans and risk assessments are thorough and identify all relevant risks. Staff are

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

guided in how to support young people and promote their welfare. However, there was a lack of consistency between one young person’s risk assessment and missing from home plan. This was not clear for new staff or casual staff who may not know the young person well. The registered manager failed to identify the discrepancies as part of her auditing processes. This shortfall was corrected during the inspection and communicated clearly to all staff. Good professional relationships between the home and partner agencies are effective. The registered manager is clear about her responsibilities and liaises closely with a range of professionals in order to ensure that young people’s needs are met. A social worker said, ‘Communication is good. The manager informs me of any incidents immediately, we have a good working relationship.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Priory Group, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Wells

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC472102 9 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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