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

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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 home is run by a private specialist education service and is registered for up to five children. The home offers 38- and 52-week placements for children who have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma that has left them vulnerable. The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2018.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/04/2017 Full Good 14/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/06/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC481221 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is a good home. The children feel safe, listened to and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are all in full-time education, and they are making progress. The staff understand the importance of education. They take the children to and from school and attend meetings and important events such as sports day and parents’ evenings. Communication between the home and school is good. A headteacher said, ‘I think that the staff are fantastic. They attend all school meetings and are positive but also realistic. They communicate fluidly and keep me informed of everything, good and bad.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The relationships between the staff and the children are strong. They are built on open and honest communication. The staff are interested in what the children say. The children express their views, opinions, wishes and feelings through individual key- working discussions and community meetings. The children benefit from this inclusive approach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children access a range of activities in the community and at the home. These activities develop the children’s interests and hobbies. The children have livestock that they learn to rear. This gives them valuable life lessons in being responsible as well as opportunities to learn to care for animals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff take the children to see their families. They stay and ensure that relationships that are important to children are maintained. Parents value this proactive approach. A parent said, ‘When I see my child, the staff bring him and we go out together. I would not be able to enjoy quality time with him if it was not for the staff at the home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This large children’s home is set in extensive grounds that the children make full use of. Due to some recent behaviours from one of the children, there is some damage to the home and the grounds. This detracts from what is otherwise a welcoming and nurturing environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are given a guide to the home when they move in. The guide is bright and contains a lot of information. However, the format is unsuitable for young children and those who have learning needs. It does not contain information about the advocacy service, children’s social workers and independent reviewing officers. This limits children’s options if they wish to speak with someone about the care that they receive.

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

The staff receive relevant training and are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. There is a well-embedded missing-from-care procedure. If staff lose sight of children, they go and look for them. The children are often found playing in the woods or in the grounds in a matter of minutes. There have been no reported missing-from-care episodes since the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC481221 4 The staff reduce unwanted behaviours through de-escalation and redirection. This works to good effect, with the minimal use of physical interventions. The staff use positive reinforcement. Rewards are used significantly more often than negative consequences. This approach encourages children to control their behaviours.

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

The home is set in extensive grounds with paddocks and woodland. Safeguards are in place to mitigate risks in the immediate area. However, the home’s location risk assessment does not consider risks posed by rivers and other waterways, local businesses, train stations or the risk of child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and gang affiliation. This means that some risks are insufficiently assessed.

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

There are systems in place for the monitoring and handling of medication. However, temperatures in the medication room have been consistently higher than room temperature for several weeks. Failure to keep medication stored at the correct temperature compromises its effectiveness.

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

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2018 and has a relevant level 5 diploma. The manager is supported by a deputy manager. Both are respected by the staff, external professionals and the children.

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

The managers have worked hard to address the requirements from the last inspection. However, there are new shortfalls that need to be addressed. These shortfalls do not detract from the good quality of care provided but have the potential to do so if not addressed.

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

There have been improvements in the appraisals of staff. Supervision is in place for most staff but does not extend to all staff working at the home, as there are no systems for the supervision of agency staff. These staff are therefore not afforded the opportunity to reflect on their practice.

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

The result of the most recent electrical installation check in May 2019 was deemed to be unsatisfactory. Several repairs and modifications were required. This went unnoticed by anybody in the organisation. Such oversights are a risk to everyone who lives and works at the home.

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

The home’s statement of purpose gives an accurate reflection of the services that the home provides. It is updated regularly, but the manager has not sent the current version to Ofsted.

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

The most recent internal monitoring report has not been submitted to Ofsted within the required time frame. This compromises Ofsted’s ability to monitor the home effectively.

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

All of the children’s rooms have door alarms, but the manager has failed to assess the need for this monitoring. Lack of clear and documented rationale and review of Inspection report children’s home: SC481221 5 monitoring systems means that the manager cannot ensure that the monitoring is proportionate and justified and that children’s rights are not compromised.

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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 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

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

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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)(b)(2)(h)) 27/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, when appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 16/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)(2)(b)(c)) In particular, ensure that medication is stored at the correct temperature. 09/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(d)) 30/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least 30/08/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC481221 6 once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(a)(b)(5))

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Recommendations

 Staff should provide a nurturing and supportive environment that is homely. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  As part of reviewing and revising when appropriate the Statement of Purpose (regulation 16(3)(a)), the registered person should review and update the children’s guide as necessary, and make sure that children are given an explanation of any changes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.23) In particular, make the children’s guide available in age-appropriate formats, and provide details of the advocacy service as well as children’s social workers and independent reviewing officers.  The registered person should have a workforce plan that can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs19 and 20). The plan should detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33

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Recommendations

(4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff at the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

In particular, detail the arrangements for supervising agency staff.  Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Recommendations

In particular, assess risks posed by local waterways, train stations, businesses, and risks of child sexual and criminal exploitation, radicalisation and gang affiliation. Inspection report children’s home: SC481221 7

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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: SC481221 8

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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: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Ricky D’Arcy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481221 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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