Children's Home run by Aspris New Education Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 1 SC412971 Registered provider: Priory New Education Services Limited 07221650

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. The home provides residential and short-break care and accommodation for four young people who have learning disabilities.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Although numbers of staff at any one time have been satisfactory, currently the home is carrying too many vacancies for permanent posts.  Once fully staffed, the home requires a period of consolidation and stability to allow the ethos and culture of the home to re-establish itself.  Strong leadership is required to provide improved support to the staff team so that everyone can move on collectively, with a clear sense of direction regarding the future of the home.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Despite the staffing issues that have affected the home, the staff team continues to provide a good standard of care.  Overall, highly dependent, vulnerable young people are being kept safe. Placements are stable and young people are progressing.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/08/2016 Full Good 21/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 05/01/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard requires the registered person to- ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13) 13/10/2017

p.3

Recommendations

 Ensure that medication is always dispensed in line with the medically approved protocol. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  Ensure that when revising and updating the home’s statement of purpose, a copy is forwarded to Ofsted. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)  Ensure that the formal staff supervision programme takes place with greater consistency to allow it to become embedded into the home’s working practice more effectively. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 61, paragraph 13.1)

p.3

improvement to be good

The home has experienced a difficult time over recent months regarding staffing issues. In the absence of the manager and other senior staff, the home has lacked direction and staff have lacked support. However, due to the positive impact being made by a new responsible individual and interim manager, the home is stabilising and has started to move forward.

p.3

improvement to be good

Despite the issues linked to staffing, the overall care of the young people has been good. Staff have been able to maintain the structure and daily routines that are in place for Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 4 young people, which has allowed for individual plans and strategies to continue. As a result, all young people have made progress in all areas of their lives since the last inspection took place. For example, one young person is far more settled and calm in the environment, which is evidenced in the reduction of behaviour management incidents. Another was observed choosing what to eat and then making his own breakfast, which is a significant development regarding his own independence.

p.3

improvement to be good

Responses from parents linked to the care and progress that their child is making are predominately positive. A strength of the home is its strong links with parents, who all visit the home on a regular basis. One parent reported, ‘Under the circumstances of what’s gone on, they have continued to do a good job in looking after him. I am happy that he is in a safe place. I don’t worry as much as I used to because I know he is being well looked after.’ Another parent said, ‘He really is progressing well and he is much more settled and relaxed.’ A third parent stated, ‘I am so pleased with the progress. She is coming on in leaps and bounds.’

p.4

improvement to be good

All young people have very limited or no verbal communication. However, in spite of this, communication levels between staff and young people are strong through the use of speech and also through alternative forms of communication. This results in high levels of consultation and gives young people regular opportunities to make choices, such as activities, food and what they want to do on return from school. Disability is not accepted as a barrier and does not preclude them from living a full and meaningful lifestyle. For example, full use of community facilities allows young people to discover new interests, hobbies and develop their social networks.

p.4

improvement to be good

Despite the issues regarding staffing, the home has maintained a core staff team which understands the needs of young people and has the skills to address those needs. Young people are highly dependent on staff and this helps to create strong bonds and relationships between staff, young people and their families.

p.4

improvement to be good

All young people are in stable, long-term placements, and all continue to progress. This is evidenced in the individualised planning documentation, coping strategies, assessments of individual risk and reports prepared monthly for social workers and families. The home also retains a lot of photographic evidence that gives insight into the quality of life being experienced by young people.

p.4

improvement to be good

All young people are in full-time education and have high attendance levels. One attends a community-based special school and the others attend a special school operated by the Priory group. This school acts as a hub for this and other children’s homes by providing specialist input alongside education, for example speech and language and occupational therapy. In addition, young people benefit from the support of a behaviour analyst, learning disability nurse and cognitive behaviour therapist.

p.4

improvement to be good

The arrangements to promote young people’s physical, mental and emotional health are good. In addition to the specialist services available through the school, the home has strong links with external services that provide specialist provision in areas such as mental health and paediatrics. Everyday health needs are addressed appropriately Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 5 through community-based services that are well established and work well with the home.

p.4

improvement to be good

The systems and arrangements for storing, administering and recording medication in the home are good, providing that they are followed at all times. Recently a mistake in administering medication occurred due to guidelines not being followed correctly. Fortunately, the mistake was quickly identified, and no damage or harm resulted. However, the home needs to ensure that at all times staff follow the appropriate protocol when dispensing and recording medication.

p.5

improvement to be good

The promotion of fitness and good health is an area being reviewed currently. For example, during the inspection a revision of the menu was being undertaken. Activities and interests enjoyed by young people take account of health and fitness, with many activities arranged with this in mind. For example, young people enjoy regular activities such as swimming, trampolining and walking. Young people make regular choices about the activities that they wish to participate in, which form the basis of their individualised weekly activity programme.

p.5

improvement to be good

Preparation for transition to adult life and developing independence skills is an area that starts to be addressed quickly after admission. Young people are encouraged to develop independence skills such as cooking, helping with chores around the home and taking some responsibility for their bedrooms. An abundance of photographic evidence shows young people participating happily alongside staff as skills are developed and honed.

p.5

improvement to be good

Young people live in a domestic environment that takes account of their needs associated with autism. For example, dependent on the individual tolerance level of each young person, their bedrooms range from being fully personalised to being very basic and unfussy to meet the interests and need of the occupant. There is plenty of space around the home which is well utilised to provide areas for relaxation and play. The overall quality of the state of repair, decor, furnishings, fixtures and equipment is good. Young people were observed as being relaxed and at ease as they moved around the home.

p.5

improvement to be good

Vulnerable young people are living in a safe environment. Up-to-date assessments of risk, the regular servicing of safety equipment and good working practices contribute towards the environment being kept safe. Visitors are unable to enter the home without first being checked by staff.

p.5

improvement to be good

All staff are trained in safeguarding and have regular refresher training. However, following an allegation made earlier in the year, it was clear to those investigating that procedures had not been followed correctly. Although no harm came to any young person and they have remained safe at all times, the fallout from this failure has affected the staff concerned. Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 6 The home has retained strong working and cooperative partnerships with external professionals and services. For example, staff have worked closely and cooperatively with the local designated officer. A social worker spoke positively about staff and how they manage a young person’s self-injurious behaviour. These partnerships ensure that should any safeguarding issue be suspected a multi-agency response can be quickly arranged.

p.5

improvement to be good

Despite the shortage of permanent, full-time staff, the overall staffing levels are high. This gives young people the individualised care that they require and helps in managing the damaging, impulsive and self-injurious behaviour that some young people present with. Young people benefit from living in a structured and routine environment where they feel safe and can express themselves. The presence of staff who understand their needs and their associated behaviours creates a non-punitive environment.

p.6

improvement to be good

Behaviour management is monitored and managed effectively. For example, due to the self-injurious behaviour of some young people, incidents of physical restraint are extremely high. However, most incidents are short lived and the high number of incidents can be justified as young people are being kept safe. Parents and social workers help to plan strategies to manage behaviour, and all agreed that levels of communication from the home remain high, so they feel well informed.

p.6

improvement to be good

Due to their vulnerability and dependency, which requires high staffing levels, young people are not exposed to the dangers that can affect others, such as drug misuse, alcohol, tobacco, sexual exploitation or extremism. There have been no incidents of young people going missing, and bullying in the home is not a live issue.

p.6

improvement to be good

The home has commenced a recruitment drive to improve the numbers of permanent support staff and increase the number of senior staff in post. Recruitment practice and clearance procedures are thorough and meet regulatory requirements and current guidance. Longer-serving staff are being re-checked every three years, which is viewed as good practice.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

For much of the time since the last inspection, the home has been without a manager and deputy manager. There have also been vacancies for the assistant manager posts. Overall, it is clear that the home has suffered in leadership terms. Initially, senior roles were filled by senior staff from other homes stepping in, but much of this was on a part- time basis.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Fortunately, the situation has started to improve. A new responsible individual acted quickly and decisively after coming into post by bringing in, on a full-time basis, an interim manager who was originally destined for another service. An appointment has also been made to fill one of the assistant manager posts. Support is still available from some senior staff based in other services. This has improved the overall management of Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 7 the home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

When speaking to the inspector, staff were quite open about the difficulties that they encountered due to a lack of consistent leadership. They reported that staff morale had been very low at that point. However, staff said that since the recent changes they feel more positive about the outlook of the home, and thatmorale has improved considerably. The interim manager has made a significant and positive impact in a short space of time, which has stabilised the home and started the process of moving forward.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

It is to their credit that, throughout this period, staff retained the structure and daily routines of the home, which has meant that this difficult period has had no measurable negative effect on young people’s care or lifestyle. Life within the home on a daily basis has continued, but a lack of management oversight has meant that the home has not progressed as expected.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The whole staff group in terms of numbers, which includes bank and regular agency staff, has been able to maintain the required staffing levels, despite the current shortage of permanent, full-time support staff. The responsible individual is supportive of the interim manager, who has commenced the process of staff recruitment. This should remain ongoing until all posts have been filled. The interim manager was also given the task of carrying on her good work by being appointed into the role on a permanent basis. The task of being registered with Ofsted is expected to commence soon.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff said that they are better supported following the introduction of the interim manager. Staff training continues to take place, and a plan for immediate, medium and long-term training needs is in place. The external monitoring of the home is taking place consistently, and reports from those visits provide action plans and identify areas of need. These should prove helpful to the interim manager as she becomes more familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She has developed systems to allow for the internal monitoring of the home to be fully re-established. The statement of purpose has been revised and updated. It reflects the purpose and aims of the home and its current staffing complement. However, copies of revised statements have not been received by Ofsted for some months.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The last two inspections have identified a weakness regarding consistency of the formal staff supervision programme, which has generated recommendations. Consistency regarding its implementation continues to be problematic. Therefore the recommendation has been repeated. It is noted that the supervision programme has been re-established by the interim manager, but time is needed for it to become firmly imbedded into working practices. All staff appraisals were completed at the beginning of the year.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The issues that have affected the home recently have been addressed, and there is some optimism now a permanent manager is in post, that the home can develop its practices further so that young people can continue to experience positive outcomes. Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 8

p.7

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 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.

p.8

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: SC412971 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Priory New Education Services Limited 07221650

p.9

Children’s home details

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

p.9

Inspector

Graham Robinson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC412971 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10