Children's home run by Aurora ASD Ltd

Inspection report children's home: 1245002 1 Registered provider: Aurora ASD Ltd.

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

Aurora Clifton House is part of The Aurora Group and offers residential care including education at Aurora Hedgeway School, which is situated within the same grounds. Different options are available depending on children’s needs; for example, 38-week or 41-week placements are available. The home cares for children and young people, regardless of gender, aged between 8 and 19 years, who have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome, complex needs and/or learning disability.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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Key findings from this inspection

Inspection report children's home: 1245002 2 This children’s home is good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young person living in the home is safe. He has lived in the home for five years and has developed strong trusting relationships with the manager and the staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home is led by a registered manager who is suitably qualified and is supported by a full permanent staff team. The small staff team is motivated and enthusiastic about the imminent relocation plans for the service and the positive impact this will have on the young person.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff support the young person living in the home effectively. The young person makes good progress, has developed independence skills, enjoys regular holidays and has positive visits with family members.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young person spoken with during the inspection confirmed that he is fully involved in plans for his future. He has also been involved in the improvements to the home

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff feel supported in their role and have access to supervision and training which ensure that they are equipped to meet the individual needs of the young person living in the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager has a strong presence in the home. She has effective monitoring systems and is committed to securing sustained improvement in the quality of care provided.

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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

 The registered manager is required to receive regular supervision, an annual appraisal and opportunities to develop her professional practice.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are required to receive specific training to help them understand the impact of change on young people’s behaviours. This is in relation to the imminent relocation of the children’s home and the introduction of other young people into the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 There must be robust behaviour management plans ratified by the local authority in place. They must specifically relate to the relocation of the children’s home, and contingencies should the move not take place. Inspection report children's home: 1245002 3

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Recent inspection history

This is the first full inspection since registration. Inspection report children's home: 1245002 4

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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

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

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Requirement Due date

This relates in particular to the appraisal and supervision of the registered manager. (Regulation 33 (1)(4)(a)(b)(c)) 31/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure specific training is made available to equip all staff with the necessary skills to support young people through change and how this impacts on behaviours. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(c)(g)(i)) 31/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in 31/08/2017 Inspection report children's home: 1245002 5 a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure there are robust plans, which are ratified by the local authority in place to support the young person during the re-location of the children’s home. In addition, ensure these plans include the support the young person will receive when being introduced to living alongside other young people. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(2)(b)(i)(iii))

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The one young person who lives in the home has done so for five years. He benefits from highly personalised care provided by a small stable staff team who know the young person very well. The staffing ratio and level of support the young person receives mean that positive relationships are developed and sustained. The manager ensures that the small team is consistent and well matched to the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend considerable amounts of time talking and interacting with the young person. They use a wide range of skills to communicate with and support the young person. As a result, challenging behaviours are effectively supported and have reduced, physical intervention is not used, and sanctions are rarely used. The manager and the young person routinely evaluate the effectiveness of any sanctions, and in doing so the young person is helped to understand and learn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person has good attendance at school, meets his individual targets and has good relationships with staff and teachers. The young person is well supported by the staff team to be ready for school through consistent routines and clear plans. As a result of this support, incidents of the young person becoming anxious or worried when going to school have reduced. Attention to detail when preparing the young person for activities is also applied when he visits his family. This means that he fully enjoys time with family members, and doing activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is encouraged to develop independence skills, such as making meals, tidying his bedroom and going shopping, at a level and pace which suits his individual needs. This promotes independence and choice for him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is well supported with his individual health needs, and he attends all necessary health appointments. Complex challenging behaviours and mental health issues are supported through effective working relationships with children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and the local authority. Healthy balanced meals are routinely provided and as result the young person has made progress with his Inspection report children's home: 1245002 6 weight management and overall health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is scheduled to relocate, and following the relocation more young people will live in the new premises. The significance of this change for the young person currently living in the home cannot be underestimated, and staff have a range of skills and experiences that mean they can support the young person well through changes. However, care and behaviour plans are required to be more robust, and ratified by the local authority, to ensure that the young person is fully supported through this period of change. A requirement is made to ensure that this is in place prior to the relocation of the children’s home.

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

The manager and staff have a very good understanding of the individual risk relating to the young person living in the home. They use a range of effective risk management plans to identify risk and strategies to support the young person. This means that the young person has safe unsupervised periods of time in the community and develops a sense of independence.

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

Open and regular discussions between the young person and the staff helps the young person to understand inappropriate and risky behaviour. The young person commented on the ‘adventures’ he and staff have, and how they are ‘fun’. Observation of the staff being consistent and setting fair expectations, coupled with scrutiny of records, confirms the young person to have trusting and safe relationships with the staff. This has resulted in the young person being more stable overall, and the reduction of challenging incidents.

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

The young person benefits from being supported by individual staff and an appropriately secure environment, which protect him from going missing. Challenging and complex behaviours are well managed by the staff, and positive rewards reinforce positive behaviours. While physical intervention is not used and the young person does not go missing, staff are sufficiently trained and have a sound knowledge of what to do if this does happen.

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

Staff are aware of how vulnerable the young person is when using the internet. They carefully balance the value of learning through the internet and its safe use in line with the young person’s understanding and abilities.

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

The home is generally well maintained, though there are areas that are looking tired and worn. However, there have been some notable improvements, meaning the home is more comfortable. In particular, the young person’s bedroom is now upstairs, which ensures he has privacy and space. All health and safety checks routinely take place, including routine fire drills and the supervision of visitors.

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

Recruitment procedures are well established and appropriate checks are made prior to staff commencing employment. Inspection report children's home: 1245002 7

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a registered manager who has the necessary skills and experience to provide clear leadership and management. She is enthusiastic, and is committed to the improvement of young people’s outcomes. It is noteworthy that the manager recognises her need to continuously improve her own practice, and has returned to further learning. Unfortunately it was noted that the manager has failed to receive adequate levels of formal supervision and her annual appraisal. A requirement is made to ensure that this takes place regularly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and senior members of staff are committed to providing an environment which prioritises the young person’s individual needs. They lead by example and are passionate about securing positive outcomes. Behaviour management plans are in place that guide staff in how to respond to the young person’s behaviours. They are adhered to and routinely reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager consistently puts the individual needs of the young person as the focus for all that she does. There are always sufficient staff on duty to support the young person and enable him to engage in a wide range of activities in the home and in the wider community. There have been some staff issues in the past few months which resulted in the use of agency workers. However, the manager ensured that the young person only received care and support from workers he has a relationship with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with a range of training that equips them to care safely for young people. They also provide a good level of supervision that allows them to reflect on their practice. However, the pending relocation of the home means that staff require specific training to help them help the young person to manage this period of change. A requirement is therefore made to ensure that this training is expedited, to ensure a smooth transition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular internal monitoring and development plans ensure that the manager has an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The development plan sets out the future vision of the home and is strategic. This document is useful, but could be further improved to include the admission of new young people and the impact of this on the current young person.

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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 differences 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 Inspection report children's home: 1245002 8 knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the 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: 1245002 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT

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Inspector(s)

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 1245002 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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