Children's home run by Aurora ASD Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1263084 1 Registered provider: Aurora Asd 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

Aurora Oakfield House is part of The Aurora Group and offers residential care. The home offers 52-week placements with inclusive education at Aurora Hedgeway School. The home is registered to care for children and young people aged between eight and 19 years, irrespective of gender, who have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder including Asperger’s and additional complex needs and/or learning disability.

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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

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2018 Full Requires improvement to good Inspection report children’s home: 1263084 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(a)) 31/08/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a home that is safe and homely. Staff have ensured that the home provides each young person with space to play and socialise. In particular, they understand the need for each young person to have private space, where they can go to relax and calm. Young people have personalised rooms which they are proud of and which reflect their individuality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, there have been a number of staff changes. For a short period of time these changes had an unsettling effect on the young people. However, there is now a stable team that knows and understands the young people well. As a result, relationships between the young people and staff are warm, trusting and loving. Both staff and young people said they are more settled. Inspection report children’s home: 1263084 3 Young people have good opportunities to develop their independence skills, meet friends, and learn through play. Going on day trips and holidays, and having regular positive time with their families, have helped each young person to develop social skills and grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All of the young people go to school and are achieving well. From their starting points they have made good progress. Staff understand that young people all learn differently, and a number of different learning opportunities are made available to young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people’s health needs are clearly identified and promoted, and there is good management of medicines and regular attendance at routine health appointments. A clinical psychologist has recently been recruited. This is a positive move to ensuring that staff have professional advice when supporting young people who have complex learning and behavioural needs.

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

The staff have a good understanding of how to keep young people safe. A thorough induction programme and a package of safeguarding training mean that the staff are kept up to date with current practice and research.

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

Staff recognise the importance in young people developing independence. A range of well-written and informative risk assessments means young people are able to take age- appropriate risks and remain safe when in the community.

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

Young people rarely go missing from the home. If this does happen, staff members are proactive in their responses. They follow each of the young people’s missing-from-home protocol and report to all relevant agencies in a timely manner.

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

The ethos of the home is one that promotes positive behaviour. Staff use strategies, incentives and rewards to help the young people behave positively, and the young people choose their own rewards and incentives with the staff. These may be an activity or a trip out.

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

One young person who has since left the home had a negative impact on the other young people’s behaviours. The registered manager was swift to recognise this and worked with the local authority to identify an alternative home for the young person. Subsequently, serious incidents have significantly reduced, and the young people are much calmer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change in the registered manager and a number of changes within the staff team. The new registered manager has worked hard to stabilise the staff team. This has led to a much improved staff team whose members work well together. Staff spoken with reported feeling settled and well supported by the registered manager. Inspection report children’s home: 1263084 4 The registered manager is experienced and is currently undertaking further learning and development in leadership and management. He has high aspirations for the young people and has a good understanding of their needs. Relationships between the registered manager, staff team and young people are sincere and positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Detailed care and support plans provide staff with guidance on how to meet the young people’s individual needs. The registered manager ensures that these plans are regularly updated and reviewed. There is good evidence of challenge and advocacy by the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has demonstrated good reflection and learning from a number of serious incidents that occurred. As a consequence, impact risk assessments and moving in plans are much improved and ensure the safe introduction of a young person into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and there are effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care, including the routine visits of the independent visitor and an electronic recording system.

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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: 1263084 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT

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Inspector

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263084 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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