Children's Home run by Aspireone Care Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 1 Registered provider: Aspireone Care 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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to two young people irrespective of gender who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private company operates this children’s home.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 19 to 20 September 2017

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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 outstanding

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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: 10 November 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff keep young people safe.  Young people are confident in sharing their wishes and feelings. Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 2  Feedback from young people, families and professionals is very positive.  Staff have warm and established relationships with young people. This means that young people develop their relationships with others.  The staff team provides regular and structured key-work sessions, which help young people improve their behaviour and social skills.  Incidents of physical restraint are very low due to the positive approach of staff.  The staff team follows missing from home procedures well.

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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 needs to make sure that the procedures for making safeguarding referrals to the local authority are clear and followed by all staff.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/11/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person has specific responsibilities under regulation 34 to prepare and implement policies setting out: arrangements for the safeguarding of children from abuse or neglect; clear procedures for referring child protection concerns to the placing authority or local authority where the home is situated if appropriate; and specific procedures to prevent children going missing and take action if they do. The policy on protection of children from abuse and neglect should include arrangements in relation to dealing with allegations involving staff in the home, e-safety and to counter risks of self-harm and suicide. All policies should be reviewed regularly and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, three young people have moved into the home and two young people have moved on from the home. The manager ensures that young people have a positive transition into the home. Young people are encouraged to visit the home where possible. Staff visit young people to gain an understanding of their needs. Young people receive welcome packs and are given warmth and reassurance from staff. The young person’s guide is creative, well written and user friendly. This helps young people to feel at ease and alleviates some of the worries that they may have about their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a modern, well-decorated, detached house located in a village. There is a beautiful garden with a large area of decking. The house has bright walls and modern furnishings, and feels really welcoming. Young people have personalised and decorated their rooms. There are lots of photographs and certificates of young people’s achievements around the home. Young people take pride in their home and look after it well. Young people are encouraged to do chores such as washing up and tidying their bedrooms. This means that the home environment is respected by young people and enables them to feel that they belong.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people know how to complain and feel confident in raising issues with the registered manager. One young person provided exceptionally positive written feedback in the inspection survey. The registered manager encourages feedback from young people in regular house meetings via feedback forms and on a daily, informal basis. This means that young people feel able to talk about what is important to them in their home. Young people make decisions about the food that they eat, the activities that they do and the contact that they have with family members. As a result, young people feel respected and cared for. This enriches their sense of self-worth and identity. One young person told the inspector, ‘I really do like living here. It is the best place I have lived and Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 4 there is nothing I would change. Staff really do listen and care.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s files are well organised. All necessary statutory documents are signed and are up-to-date. Placement plans are young-person centred and clearly identify aims and objectives set to enable progress. This helps staff and young people to work towards longer-term placement aims. The registered manager has considerable focus on the achievements that young people make, and offers a range of rewards and praise to celebrate these. This allows young people to feel proud of their progress and encourages more positive behaviours. Young people receive good-quality care from staff who understand their individual needs and past experiences. Key-work sessions take place regularly and are very well structured. Actions are identified, and the welfare of each young person is the focus. Sessions centre on targeted areas for improvement in line with local authority care plans. As a result, young people are helped to make progress

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

with issues affecting them, such as appropriate relationships, self-harm, family contact and building self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide young people with consistent guidance and boundaries. Young people have rotas to complete household chores. This helps them to develop their independence and self-care skills. Staff praise young people’s achievements and offer meaningful rewards to celebrate them. For example, a later bedtime is given for positive behaviour. As a result, young people are encouraged to feel proud of their successes, helping to increase their self-esteem. During this inspection, staff supported one young person to make an apple pie at school and her efforts were applauded. Young people enjoy household activities together, such as watching movies, shopping, cooking with staff, eating out and enjoying a takeaway at the dining table. This means that young people have usual and positive experiences. This enhances their opportunities and sense of well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good relationships with young people’s families and friends. Staff maintain regular communication with them. Young people receive appropriate emotional and practical support to stay in contact with people who matter to them. For example, one young person is being supported by staff to attend a family wedding in her family’s home area. Another young person is helped by staff to walk her family dog. As a result, young people maintain their family links, which adds to their sense of emotional stability and sense of identity. Young people are encouraged to have visits from family and friends. This helps young people to feel comforted and more relaxed in their home. One young person told the inspector, ‘Yeah I really do feel safe and I have made progress. I am a lot happier and now go to school. I feel better.’

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

Incidents of young people going missing from the home are managed competently. When young people go missing, staff respond well. They follow procedures, look for young people and liaise with the police. The registered manager makes sure that return home interviews are completed. Staff have good links within the local community and stay in touch with young people when they leave the home. This helps them to ensure that young people return home promptly. This promotes young people’s safety as well as demonstrating that staff care about them and want them to return. Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 5 Incidents of physical restraint are rare. There has been one incident of physical restraint since the last inspection. This is because staff are experienced in using distraction techniques, humour and talking approaches to ensure that situations do not escalate to aggression. This means that the number of episodes involving emotional and physical

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

harm are significantly reduced. This demonstrates appropriate responses to young people and helps them to develop suitable responses to others. When physical restraint is used it is as a last resort.

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

Managers verify staff references, qualifications and check that all necessary disclosure and barring checks are in place. This means that young people receive care from appropriately checked adults. The deputy manager has completed a well-evaluated assessment of the location of the home. Regular inter-agency meetings are held with police. These meetings consider the risks posed by known adults and potential ‘hot spots’ within the area for sexual exploitation. This means that possible risks within the surrounding area are identified and actions to minimise the risks are well recorded. This helps to keep young people safe and assists staff in responding to potential situations promptly. Managers ensure that staff understand and follow safeguarding processes. During this inspection, several staff members shared knowledge about dealing with safeguarding concerns promptly and professionally. Staff work in partnership with social workers and

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

share concerns directly. This means that staff are able to prioritise the safety of young people. However, the manager needs to ensure that all staff make safeguarding referrals formerly and in line with local authority procedures. This will avoid potential confusion. Detailed risk assessments and behaviour management plans enable staff to manage young people’s risk-taking behaviours well, including self-harm, inappropriate relationships and challenging behaviour. This means that young people are safeguarded as staff minimise the level of harm that they are exposed to.

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

Young people are safe and say that they feel safe. The manager ensures that she routinely obtains the wishes and feelings of young people. The manager ensures that staff meet the individual needs of each young person and take effective action to promote the well-being of young people. A social worker told the inspector, ‘I must say that the placement is really meeting her needs. The transition was excellent. Staff supported her, feedback from them is excellent. They report safeguarding concerns, they link in with me, with child and adolescent mental health services. Staff communicate well with me and they listen. The manager is so supportive and helpful, she has gone above and beyond, and there is a fantastic risk assessment.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, significant improvement has been made to the service. There is a new registered manager in post who is highly experienced. She has the necessary skills and qualifications for the role. She has made sure that all shortfalls are now met. The registered manager has a strong vision and direction for the service. She is creative and strategic in her role. The registered manager is well supported by an experienced and dedicated deputy manager. One staff member told the inspector, ‘She is a good Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 6 manager. You can go to her and speak to her about anything. She is really helpful and listens. I like working here and there is a good staff team overall.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are up to date with mandatory training requirements and new starters are working through a well-supported induction process. Training records are very well recorded. Staff receive training in relevant areas such as child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Nearly all of the staff team hold the level 3 diploma in residential care, with one member of staff on target to complete this within the required timescales. New starters are closely mentored and are well supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular and practice-related formal supervision. Staff are encouraged to develop their practice and the culture in the home is to provide a high standard of care to young people. Staff receive excellent support from managers. Annual appraisals take place with staff to further develop their skills and training. This means that young people receive care from adequately trained and skilled staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides exceptionally high levels of scrutiny and oversight of the staff to make sure that safe, high-quality care is maintained. The manager has highly effective monitoring systems in place to review the quality of care young people receive. The manager evaluates the feedback from parents, carers, young people and professionals to make improvements to the service. The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the service and has taken effective and concise action to make changes. The statement of purpose reflects the aims and objectives of the service. Managers and staff make sure that they provide care within the ethos of their statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Impact assessments for new young people highlight risk factors relating to each young person. The manager clearly evaluates and analyses whether a placement is suitable. Risk assessment and planning meetings routinely take place before young people arrive at the home. Historical information, such as aggressive and challenging behaviours, is correctly obtained and well understood. This means that staff are more likely to meet the complex needs of some young people. The registered manager ensures that staff are provided with regular team meetings to consider shortfalls in practice and to develop knowledge. This allows staff to ensure that a consistent and safe level of care is provided to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff have strong working relationships with partner agencies, including teachers, social workers and the police. This means that the best possible care and experiences are provided to young people. A police community support officer told the inspector, ‘I would like to feel that the management and staff and myself have a cohesive and effective working relationship, with the well-being of the residents at the forefront of our work together.’

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 7 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.

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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: 1228191 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 14–16 Bradwell House, King Street, Newcastle ST5 1EJ

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1228191 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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