Children's Home, Residential special school run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC401685 1 SC401685 Registered provider: The Priory Group

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a residential special school and owned by a large private care organisation. The service is registered to accommodate 23 young people who have learning disabilities. The home offers planned long-term placements and short-break stays. The school is registered with the Department for Education.

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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: 11 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC401685 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2017 Full Good 28/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC401685 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 registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)) 07/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

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’)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and 07/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC401685 4 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 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. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)) 07/01/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress because they are provided with a stable and supportive environment. One parent told the inspector, ‘The staff are constantly working with him and developing him; among other things, his self-care is much improved. I think it is a fantastic home, we are really happy with where he is.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have personalised care plans that are prepared by the staff. Staff ensure that the young people’s care plans are regularly reviewed and updated. These care plans take account of the young people’s full range of needs and identify their daily support requirements. However, some young people’s files did not contain a copy of the local authority care plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that young people have access to a range of health services to promote their physical and emotional well-being. Medical consents are in place and staff are clear about the health decisions and responsibilities that are delegated to them. The arrangements for the controlled storage and administration of young people’s medication are safe and effective. Staff work closely with all health professionals and specialist services to promote young people’s positive health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have good school attendance. Staff value education and recognise it as a means of enabling young people to reach their full potential. This has included staff working closely with teachers and providing direct support in the classroom. This provides continuity of support and ensures that there is clear communication between the home and school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build relationships with families as appropriate and help young people to maintain contact with their families and carers in accordance with their individual plans. This helps young people to build relationships and attachments with those significant to them and to have a sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have made good progress in developing their independence skills. This has empowered them to do more for themselves. For example, young people are able to help the staff to prepare meals and snacks. Young people have developed life-skills, Inspection report children’s home: SC401685 5 which means that they can wash and dress themselves.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of young people’s vulnerabilities relating to their level of disability. This enables staff to ensure that young people are safe at home and when they are out in the community. A social worker told the inspector, ‘All staff working with [young person’s name] show they are nurturing and fun, but are also able to ensure that appropriate boundaries are in place to help the young people to feel safe and secure.’

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

Because of young people’s complex needs, they can at times display extremely challenging behaviour. Staff have a good understanding of each young person and use well-thought-out behaviour management strategies and positive relationships to defuse and manage these situations. However, recording of behavioural incidents is not consistent. For example, some restraints have not been recorded as physical interventions. As a result, this limits the manager’s ability to monitor and safeguard young people, to assess staff practice and to analyse the quality of care that young people are receiving.

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

Young people live in a home that is physically safe and secure. Regular environmental safety checks are undertaken, and staff and young people regularly practise evacuating the home in an emergency.

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

The manager ensures that young people are protected by the organisation’s recruitment practice. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment can be confirmed. This means that only those staff deemed suitable to work with vulnerable individuals look after young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager in place. The manager has been in post since January 2018 and holds a national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care at level 4.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff access a wide range of training that is centred on the young people’s specific needs and vulnerabilities. Most staff are qualified to level 3 in residential childcare. Those who are not yet qualified are still within the regulatory timescale for achieving their qualification. The manager encourages continual staff progression. Consequently, staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide the specialist care that young people need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff knowledge and development are also promoted through attendance at team meetings and by receiving regular supervision. These occasions provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on their practice and on the needs of the young people they are caring for. Inspection report children’s home: SC401685 6 The staff team works well with parents, professionals and other agencies. This provides a consistent approach to young people’s care. Professionals speak positively about the care and support that young people receive. One social worker said, ‘I believe this improvement in quality of life is thanks to communication and joined-up working with the school, parent and other professionals and the positive commitment of the staff.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is a comprehensive document that sets out what services the home offers. However, the age range for young people’s admission is incorrect, as is information around the frequency of staff supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has addressed the requirements from the last inspection. The manager makes sure that improved monitoring and reviewing systems are in place, a lock has been removed from a young person’s wardrobe, the statement of purpose is now being submitted to Ofsted and the home’s care plans contain greater detail.

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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: SC401685 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Priory Education Services Limited, 80 Hammersmith Road, London, Middlesex W14 8UD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Katherine Bridon

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Inspectors

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Sarah Junor Fitzpatrick, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC401685 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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