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

Inspection report children’s home: SC402385 1 SC402385 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

This children’s home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 February 2017

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC402385 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 A key strength of the home is the way in which staff provide warmth and patience to young people. This warmth of care means that young people achieve positive outcomes.  Young people are very much at the heart of the home.  Young people are helped to understand the world around them and to make sense of changing feelings and global events.  Young people’s school attendance and overall learning improve.  Young people become healthier through a wide range of activities and healthy meals.  Staff are motivated and feel supported by the registered manager.  Staff are highly skilled at managing the young people’s behaviour.  The manager and staff have formed excellent relationships with families.  Young people know their rights and are confident in exercising them.  Young people take on appropriate levels of responsibility to help them to develop essential life skills.  Staff are safely recruited.

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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

 Staff have good knowledge of fire safety. However, not all staff have completed their mandatory fire safety training.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 09/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC402385 3

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Recommendations

 To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation: Ensure that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, such as teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one young person has successfully moved into independent living. Two young people remain living in the home. The registered manager carefully assesses any potential new young person coming into the home. His priority is the stability and safety of all young people. The registered manager carefully analyses the needs of the current young people and balances these with any potential new young person. This careful planning helps to ensure that young people’s progress and experiences are not compromised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff evaluate each young person’s experience and progress by revisiting objectives, analysing behaviour and identifying how the young person’s individual needs are best met. Staff do not work in isolation. Instead, staff engage young people, the placing authority and parents. This joined-up approach enables everyone to identify potential risks and carefully consider what action is required in the best interest of the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress as a result living in this home. Staff understand each young person’s complex and different needs. A key strength of the home is the way in which staff offer warmth and patience to young people. Staff understand the patterns and cycles of behaviours and, as a result, are able to de-escalate situations at an early stage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are very much at the heart of the home. A young person was very proud to show the inspector round the home and pointed out the recent new purchases of pictures, plants and furniture that she had chosen. She further explained how she had been able to construct the furniture purchased and was excited about having her bedroom repainted. These experiences help young people to invest in their home and to Inspection report children’s home: SC402385 4 have a sense of pride in where they live.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Keyworker sessions help young people to express their views and to develop an understanding of the world around them. Discussion can range from what ‘Brexit’ will mean to young people to talking about feelings such as sexuality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both young people are in education. Education is tailored to suit the needs of the young person. Young people’s school attendance is good and continues to improve. This is because staff give out clear messages about the importance of attending and engaging in learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles. Menus include freshly cooked and nutritious meals, which take into account young people’s preferences. Staff promote active lifestyles. For example, young people are encouraged to take part in a local football team and swimming.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are being supported to develop their independence skills at a pace that suits their needs and abilities. Young people have developed skills, such as cooking basic meals, using public transport and being able to keep their bedrooms tidy. These opportunities enable young people to take on appropriate levels of responsibility to develop life skills for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are given lots of encouragement to keep in contact with their families. Staff ensure that young people receive all the practical support to make this contact possible.

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

Since the last inspection, no young person has gone missing from care. All staff are trained in understanding the indicators of child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Staff are alert to any changes and know how to respond if concerns emerge. Staff engage the local police to help young people to understand dangers, including online safety. This partnership enables young people to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

Young people can sometimes display extremely challenging behaviours. Clear risk assessments aid the staff in having an in-depth understanding of the behaviour management techniques required to keep young people safe. Staff focus on re-direction and see restraint as a last resort.

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

Managers ensure that the home is maintained. This includes completing regular checks of electrical, gas and fire safety. Fire drills take place and help young people to have the knowledge of how to respond in an emergency. Staff have a good knowledge of fire safety. However, not all staff have completed their mandatory fire safety training.

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

Staff are recruited safely. This ensures that anyone employed is safe to work with young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC402385 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post for 13 months. He holds a level 5 diploma in residential childcare. An experienced and qualified deputy manager supports him. Together, they lead a skilful and passionate workforce. Most staff are qualified. Those who are unqualified are within the regulatory timescales to obtain their qualification within two years of starting work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good supervision and have yearly annual appraisals. There is a good induction process in place. The staff feel well supported by their manager. A staff member said, ‘The manager is approachable, always happy to help. He’s the best manager. I took the job here because I would be learning from him.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff understand the statement of purpose and the ethos of the home, which they apply to practice. As a result, the young people thrive physically, socially and emotionally.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. He is thinking about how to development certain aspects of the home and is consulting the rest of the staff team and, most importantly, the young people to ensure that any change makes a positive difference.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has updated the young person’s guide. This uses humour, but gets across the key messages that help young people to understand their rights.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have formed good relationships with family members. A parent told the inspector, ‘Staff understand [my child’s] behaviour. The have gone above and beyond. I have nothing but praise. [My child] has pushed them to their limit, but they have continued to offer a stable home. I cannot fault them. They have a great relationship with me. I have been very impressed. They have offered more than I ever could have hoped for.’

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC402385 6 children and young people whom 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: SC402385 7

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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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Inspector

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC402385 8 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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Inspector

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