Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Suffolk

Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 1 SC481221 Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private specialist education service and is registered for up to five children aged eight to 18 years who have emotional and/or social behaviour difficulties. The home offers both 38- and 52-week placements.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since January 2018. A new manager is in post, but is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 14 December 2016

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/06/2016 Full Good 09/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 20/08/2015 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 3

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(iii)) 24/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them (Regulation 11)(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(xii)(xiii)) 08/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting 08/06/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 4 children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and that the home‟s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)(b)) Specifically, that the staff receive additional training to ensure that they understand the home‟s safeguarding policy and procedures and how to implement them in day-to-day care. Staff must

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Requirement Due date

understand their role in taking immediate action to keep children safe. Risk management must consider all factors relating to risk and implement adequate measures to mitigate these risks. The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 06/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 25/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) — has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 08/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) In particular, ensure that all complaints made by children are followed up comprehensively. 27/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant 31/05/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 5 person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40) (4)(e))

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Recommendations

 The children‟s guide should help children to understand the day-to-day routines of the home, and what care they can expect to receive while living at the home. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 24, paragraph 4.22) In particular, provide contact telephone numbers of adults whom children can contact if they do not wish to speak to staff in the home about their concerns.  The registered person must achieve continuity of staffing so that children‟s attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care that they need. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 51, paragraph 10.1) In particular, build a stable staff team so that children can build and sustain good- quality relationships with the adults who care for them.

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Recommendations

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there has been a deterioration in the progress that children make. Due to several staffing and management changes, the children have not been able to build and maintain positive relationships with the majority of the staff.

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improvement to be good

There has been a decline in children‟s education attendance because of changes to their night time settling routines. A child commented that this was a very unsettling and confusing time for him. However, since the reintroduction of these routines, the children have recently begun to re-engage in their education.

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improvement to be good

Some of the children started to disengage from activities at the home and in the community. Children said that this was due to not knowing the staff working at the home. Since a more permanent staff team has been put in place, the children have started to re-engage.

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improvement to be good

The children spoken to during this inspection reported that before the new manager arrived they were not involved in decision-making and that children‟s meetings were a waste of time. A child commented, „I felt that I couldn‟t talk to the independent person because if we got any recommendations I would get the blame. I was always being told off for something, it was not a nice place to live. Now [the manager] is back it‟s so much happier, and I can say anything to her.‟

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improvement to be good

The children know how to complain. However, their complaints are not always recorded appropriately and children are not aware of the outcomes.

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improvement to be good

The staff arrange, support and supervise appropriate contact with the children‟s families. The manager and the deputy manager have built good relationships with families and carers, and keep them updated regarding children‟s progress.

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improvement to be good

The children have recently started working on independence programmes, and progress is being made. One child was very proud of the progress that he is making, including having free time in the community.

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improvement to be good

Some of the staff‟s responses to safeguarding incidents have not been robust or proactive. Their practice has not safeguarded the children. Placement plans and risk assessments have not always been updated to safeguard the children and to support the staff to work with the children effectively. Not all safeguarding notifications have been reported to Ofsted. Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 7 Records of physical restraint are not always fully completed. The children are not always debriefed after an incident, and the records do reflect include the manager‟s commentary on the effectiveness of the interventions used.

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improvement to be good

Sanctions are poorly recorded and do not always reflect the behaviour that has resulted in a sanction. The children do not always comment on the sanction, and the manager has not consistently commented on or evaluated its effectiveness.

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improvement to be good

There have been several incidents of bullying at the home. The staff do not always record the incidents of bullying well, and there is little evidence that both the victim and perpetrator have been spoken to. The staff add to the bullying log that they have spoken to the children in key-work sessions, but there was little evidence of these sessions taking place.

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

The staff have not received regular supervision. Some of the recording of supervisions is poor and lacks information on the decisions made or actions for staff. This does not support the staff in working with the children. However, since the new manager has been in post, supervision and the supervision records have improved.

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

Internal monitoring has been poor and, in some cases, non-existent. External reporting is comprehensive. The independent visitor‟s monthly reports are robust, and she gives clear guidance when there are shortfalls.

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

The staff are qualified to the appropriate level or are currently undertaking a relevant qualification.

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

The home has experienced a turbulent time since the last inspection, which has had an impact on both the staff and the children. The children commented how unhappy they felt during this time, with different managers and staff working at the home, and how rules and boundaries changed, leaving them feeling confused. The staff commented that depending on who was managing the home at the time things would change without warning, and they felt that there was a blame culture that led to several staff leaving or being subject to suspension.

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

Since February 2018, the deputy manager has returned from maternity leave and undertaken the role of manager. An experienced member of staff has taken the role of deputy manager. The children said that they are pleased that the manager is back and that the house feels happier. The staff feel that there is more stability and that they have confidence in the new manager and deputy manager.

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

The manager and deputy manager have a clear vision for the home, and are involving the staff and the children in the redecoration and plans for the home. The children said that they feel listened to and that their wishes and feelings are acted on. Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 8

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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 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: SC481221 9

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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, Middlesex W14 8UD

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC481221 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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