Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report children‟s home: 1269421 1 Registered provider: The Priory Group Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people. It is owned and operated by a large private provider.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 6 September 2018

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Judgement at last inspection: good

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

Since the last inspection, the home has been through a period of disruption. Concerns have been raised about how staff manage behaviour and a lack of consistency. One young person said that staff „do not work in the same way‟. Managers and staff have struggled to manage some very challenging behaviours. This has been exacerbated due to inconsistent staff practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Behaviour management plans lack detail. They fail to provide clarity about the most effective strategies for managing behaviours. Plans are contradictory. They have no regard to the young person‟s views on how staff can help them through a period of crisis. The behaviour management of one young person has been poor. Inspection report children‟s home: 1269421 2 Managers have not carried out work to understand young people‟s engagement and challenging behaviours. This is a failed opportunity to evaluate the impact of the care provided and to implement plans to promote change and improvement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are concerns about professional conduct and staff boundaries. Some staff have not demonstrated the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to work with young people effectively. The registered manager has taken relevant disciplinary action when staff have breached acceptable codes of conduct. However, allegations against staff have not been managed well. This does not fulfil a recommendation set at the last inspection. This fails to protect young people from potentially harmful behaviours.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk assessment processes are not sufficiently robust. On one occasion, an unqualified staff member reviewed and amended a young person‟s risk assessment. The risk assessment was amended to significantly reduce the risk rating. The risk assessment had no information to show how the decision was reached. Managers had not reviewed this decision and could not state what information the change was based upon. This is unsafe practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has admitted new young people to the home since the last inspection. The registered manager has fully considered their individual needs. Parents of young people newly admitted confirm that there is good communication from staff and say that they felt welcomed into the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A young person, who had been a long-term resident, has left the home. The registered manager and his deputy were proactive in ensuring that the young person benefited from a well-planned transition. They advocated on behalf of the young person and they have maintained contact to support the move to adult care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have ensured that young people‟s records include the documents required under regulation. However, healthcare plans need to reflect an up-to-date and accurate account of health needs, assessments and medication.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: 1269421 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(vi)) 22/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(f)(h)) 22/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 22/03/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1269421 4 promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(c)) 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)) 22/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 22/03/2019

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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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: 1269421 5

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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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Inspector(s)

Amanda Ellis, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1269421 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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