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

Inspection report children’s home: SC412979 1 SC412979 Registered provider: Priory New Education Services Limited 07221650

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to care for up to four young people. The home provides residential and respite care for young people who have learning disabilities. The manager moved to this home in July 2017, following a long and successful period as the manager of a sister home. She has good experience and is suitably qualified.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2017 Full Good 16/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 30/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC412979 2

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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 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 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)(b)) 27/07/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people are in long-term, stable placements. They are supported by an experienced staff group. As many staff have worked in the home for some years, strong and trusting relationships have been developed with young people and their families. As a result, young people thrive and are making very good progress in all areas of their lives. Parents and professionals speak highly about the care that is being provided at the home. Levels of contact and communication between parents and professionals are high. The opinions of those who use the service, and of families and professionals, are listened to, enabling the individual needs of children to be recognised and met. Typical of the comments received, one parent reports, `We are very happy with his progress. We much appreciate all the hard work and lots of support being given to our son.’ The complex and challenging needs of young people are well managed. Routines

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

specifically designed to meet individual needs provide young people with a sense of security. These routines are underpinned with a range of care plans, coping strategies and assessments of risk. These are revised and updated regularly to meet young people’s ever-changing needs. All young people are in full-time education, attending a school operated by the organisation that runs the home. Attendance levels are high, which contributes significantly to the steady educational progress being achieved by young people. Complex health needs are well managed. Strong and well-established links exist with community-based healthcare services. The home retains good links with a range of services that provide specialised care to young people. Medication errors have on occasions been problematic. Despite improvements to the Inspection report children’s home: SC412979 3 systems for monitoring and oversight of medication, and improved training for staff, a

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

recent error in the administration of medication shows that this remains an area requiring constant oversight and development. A requirement has been made to address this issue. High staffing ratios and good transport arrangements give young people access to community-based facilities, boosting their community involvement. Pre-planned activities provide opportunities for them to develop their own interests and hobbies. Daily life in the home is geared to the development of independence skills. Young people are encouraged to maximise their abilities, which aids their personal and social development. Disability is not seen as a barrier to a young person experiencing an exciting and fulfilling lifestyle. Young people live in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe. Significant improvements have been made to the fabric, décor and furnishings of the home. Taking account of each individual’s sensory tolerance, the home has developed a ‘softer’ look and

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

Good-quality risk management and assessment help to keep young people safe. Risk is calculated effectively to ensure that young people remain socially mobile. In and around the home, appropriate routines and checks are in place to ensure that the home and its surrounding environment are safe places to be. The staff team is experienced and staff understand their role and have the ability to keep young people safe. This is helped by initial induction training, followed by regular refresher training. Strong links with those external agencies charged with protecting children provide a multi-agency approach, should a safeguarding issue arise. Effective planning, high staffing ratios and good organisation ensure that young people do not go missing from the home, and also allow for challenging or unsafe behaviour to be well managed. Regular review of all behavioural management episodes allows for coping strategies to be modified regularly. This has led to an overall reduction in serious

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

incidents. A non-confrontational approach means that young people live in a non-punitive environment. Young people are well supported through difficulties, with progress celebrated accordingly. Recruitment and staff clearance processes are of the highest standard. Visitors to the home are also vetted appropriately. This ensures that young people only meet others who do not pose any known risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has had a positive influence in the home during her first year. She has refreshed and refocused the home by evaluating the service and implementing subtle changes. The strengths of the home and areas for improvement are part of an ongoing programme to develop the home further and to improve outcomes for young people. Young people benefit from a staff group that has longevity, with minimal staff changes having taken place since the last inspection. Morale is high. Staff have responded well and supportively towards the manager, buying into the ethos and culture that continues to Inspection report children’s home: SC412979 4 develop within the home. Supervision and appraisal programmes are taking place regularly and consistently. Staff report that they feel well supported. A solid induction programme for new staff sits alongside a well-established training programme. Refresher training targets are now being

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

met with greater consistency. Good working partnerships with the families and professionals involved with young people are in place. The manager and her team promote an inclusive approach which helps with this. Feedback from parents and social workers is consistently positive, with one comment summing up the feelings of others in saying, `The placement is proving to be beneficial. He has settled better than we hoped. I am kept well informed of any issues and I am consulted regularly.’ The manager has a good track record, having left her previous home with a judgement of outstanding. She has a clear understanding of the areas to improve in this home and has detailed plans in place to address them. One requirement has been made to address the shortfalls in medication procedures, but no recommendations have been made.

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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

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: SC412979 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Priory New Education Services Limited 07221650

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Graham Robinson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC412979 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 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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