Children's Home run by Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company in Suffolk

Inspection report children‟s home: 1250253 1 Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered for up to four children. It provides care and accommodation for short breaks only for children who have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has been in post since August 2017. The manager has not fully addressed or met all of the requirements and the one recommendation raised at the last inspection to good effect. Of the six requirements raised, three requirements have been met, which are in relation to vetting of staff, staff training in fire awareness, and complaints. The one recommendation raised has not been met, as children‟s plans and assessments remain out of date, leading to a requirement being raised. The children‟s care plans, „This book is about me‟, are very informative and they provide a clear pen picture of each child. However, of the children‟s plans and risk assessments reviewed during inspection, many are considerably out of date and, therefore, may not contain the relevant up-to-date information required to enable the staff to adequately care for the children in a meaningful and safe way. Inspection report children‟s home: 1250253 2

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are taken out by staff to local parks within the community and spend time in the home doing arts and crafts. However, the home does not promote new experiences and interests for some children who come to stay due to staff not preparing any activities in advance for the child‟s visit. The manager was unable to evidence any paid activities for one child for the previous six months and could not understand why activities on the activity planner had not taken place. For example, two dates reviewed on the activity planner, when swimming and bowling were planned, had not taken place, and records reviewed gave no reasons as to why. The manager and staff spoken to during inspection were unable to clarify any further information why they had not worked with that specific child. This does not demonstrate that children‟s leisure activities and interests outside of the home are catered for to good effect.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is adequately decorated and furnished; however, the children‟s bedrooms lack warmth and colour. Bedrooms are clinical in their appearance and lack accessories and appropriate furniture. For example, wardrobes in children‟s bedrooms are locked and contain the home‟s paperwork, and one bedroom has two beds, one of which is a safety bed and takes up most of the room, leaving little space for manoeuvrability for a child using this bedroom. The sofa in the lounge looks tired and worn, and the seating is broken in two areas. The home is, however, clean and tidy. The needs of all the children have not always been fully considered. A child‟s needs arising from race, culture, faith, religion and ethnicity have not been met. A child of Muslim faith, who has regular stays at the home, only receives vegetarian meals. Other children staying during the same period also receive vegetarian meals. As a result, the

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

children have not been supported to express themselves or to have a choice, and they are unable to practise their traditions and their cultural and religious beliefs. The manager and staff acknowledged that, as a result of this, the impact has not only been on the child, but other children staying at the home. Staff spoken to during the inspection struggled to acknowledge any understanding of meeting the child‟s cultural needs. Behaviour management is good. There have been no significant incidents or referrals to children‟s services or the regulator. There have been no incidents of children going missing. However, there are no up-to-date procedures for the staff to follow should a child go missing. There has been no need for physical intervention, and no sanctions have been used. One professional spoken to said that the children who come to stay at the home do well, and that the staff are always professional and calm.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not receive supervision at regular intervals and new staff do not receive a good induction into the home. The staff spoken to say that they feel supported; however, they could not recall with any certainty when they had last received supervision or an appraisal. Supervision files were reviewed and it was noticed that two new staff have not received supervision and their induction into the home is incomplete. The manager said that she had received regular supervision, but this could not be evidenced as she does not receive a copy of her supervision notes. The manager has not completed a quality of care review. Monitoring completed through monthly visits from an independent visitor are lacking in information and are repetitive. The manager stated that there are times when there are no actions for her to complete and has requested more information to enable her to effectively monitor the quality of

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Inspection report children‟s home: 1250253 3 care in the home. This does not ensure that the service is monitored and any potential shortfalls identified. Good staffing levels reduce the chances of incidents occurring, coupled with consistent daily routines and one-to-one supervision, all of which provide the children with a level of security that keeps them safe. One child spoken to during the inspection said that he was happy staying at the home and gave the inspector a thumbs-up when asked if he got on well with staff. Staff were observed throughout the inspection supervising the children at all times and supporting them to undertake independent skills.

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice; ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(ix)(c)(i)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interest skills. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 30/04/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1250253 4 registered person to ensure that staff help each child to develop the child‟s interests and hobbies; participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child‟s interests and preferences; and that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child‟s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(b)) The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision

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Requirement Due date

by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once a year. (Regulation 33(1)(a)(4)(a)(b)(c)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. Before implementing, or making any amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must, consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person; and have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home‟s child protection policies. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month. The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. The independent person‟s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44(1)(4)(a)(b)(5)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least 30/04/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1250253 5 once every 6 months. (Regulation 45(1))

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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 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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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‟.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Achieving Aspirations Community Interests Company, Suffolk House, 7 Hydra Orion Court, Addison Way, Great Blakenham, Ipswich IP6 0LW

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Inspector

Cathy Russell, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1250253 6 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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