Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Service

Inspection report children’s home: 1241836 1 SC1241836 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

The home is privately owned and run by an education specialist service provider. It is registered to care for up to seven children who have learning disabilities and focuses on caring for children who have complex needs that may include autism spectrum disorder and associated difficulties. The home is located within the provider’s school campus. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since January 2017.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1241836 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/03/2019 Full Good 23/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1241836 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

Ensure that staff 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. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that all risks to children are recorded, together with the risk reduction strategies. 01/04/2020

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; 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)) 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home— the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 01/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— 01/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1241836 4 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.

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Requirement Due date

Case records must be kept— securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated; in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(c)(d))

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improvement to be good

The inspector identified shortfalls in the standard of practice relating to safeguarding the children, particularly in regards to fire safety. Therefore, an overall judgement of requires improvement has been made. However, these shortfalls have not resulted in children coming to significant harm. Many aspects of the day-to-day life at the home ensure that children have a positive experience.

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improvement to be good

There is no consistent reporting system to demonstrate the progress that the children are making or have made. In addition, there is no specific process to ensure that targets are reviewed once children have achieved them. One child’s target had not been reviewed for two years. The manager identified this shortfall prior to the inspection and has devised a method to record children’s progress; however, this was not being used.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not developed a specific programme to help children to achieve independence skills. The staff were not aware of opportunities to encourage life skills, such as children doing their own laundry.

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improvement to be good

Despite these shortfalls, some children have made progress. A social worker reports that, ‘[Name of child] has learned to manage his emotions…he has made steady progress.’ Another child has a reward system in place and, as a result, is managing her self-care skills much better.

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improvement to be good

The staff have demonstrated sensitivity towards a child who is known to explore his gender identity. However, they have not had the relevant training to ensure they have the knowledge and understanding to best support him.

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improvement to be good

Staff prioritise the educational needs of the children. They work closely with the organisation’s school, which the children attend, to ensure a consistent approach. Inspection report children’s home: 1241836 5 The children form positive relationships with staff. They participate in fun learning activities during children’s meetings. The staff engage children in activities in the home and out in the community.

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls in the monitoring of the children’s safety were found during this inspection. Electrical safety risks in a child’s bedroom had not been identified. This was rectified during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Not all risk factors are considered. The use of generic risk assessments for activities such as going to the gym does not give staff the necessary guidance. A child participating in this activity presented different behaviours depending on the staff member who accompanied them. A more planned and individualised approach would provide safer and more consistent care.

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improvement to be good

A risk to a child from a family member was discussed at the child’s care planning meeting; however, there is no record of any guidance given to staff on how to manage this risk. While staff are aware of the measures to take, there is a risk that a new member of staff would not have this knowledge.

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improvement to be good

While there is some evidence of effective work being completed with children in children’s meetings, this is not reinforced in the direct work with children. There is no evidence of safety messages being reinforced, for example regarding personal and road safety. There are some good examples of children being well prepared for health appointments through the use of social stories. This helps children to know what to expect.

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improvement to be good

Managers respond appropriately to disclosures made by children and consult with external professionals to agree actions to safeguard children. They advocate for children and ensure that they support safe contact with those who are important to the children. They ensure that children have the necessary assessments to inform their care plans and any support services needed.

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improvement to be good

The high level of supervision keeps the children safe from going missing or coming to harm while out in the community. There have been no episodes of children going missing since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been serious shortfalls with regards to the responses to fire risk assessments. An external fire risk assessment completed on 18 March 2019 contained recommendations in relation to seven fire-door defects. These had not been addressed at the time of this inspection. In addition, there was a recommendation to check for issues regarding compartmentalisation. This was not completed until January 2020. It is of concern that there has been significant delay in responding to these Inspection report children’s home: 1241836 6 recommendations. In addition to these serious failings, there were additional concerns found in relation to the storage of paint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

During the inspection, confidential files, including safeguarding files, were being stored in a toilet. These files are therefore accessible to visitors to the home, and there is a risk of them being seen or taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Team meetings enable staff to share their knowledge and information about the children. However, staff have not had regular supervision. Staff do not have regular protected time with the registered manager, or other appropriately experienced senior members of staff, to share any concerns or to reflect and receive feedback on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not demonstrated the capacity to raise the standard of care being provided. The manager could not evidence how she had met the requirement in relation to recording all risks to a child, together with the risk reduction strategies. There have been further failures identified in this inspection. This requirement is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is inconsistent recording of children’s placement plans, personal profiles and care planning records. While some children’s records have been reviewed, others are incomplete. There is therefore a risk of staff not being aware of how to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to adequately monitor the home and identify all the weaknesses found. However, they have recognised some of the shortfalls and action has been taken to rectify these.

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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: 1241836 7

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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

Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241836 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 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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