Children's home run by Aspris Care Central Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 1 SC476570 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home, which is run by a private company, provides care for up to five children. The home seeks to provide a safe and understanding environment in which children can be assisted to address their abusive behaviour and to take responsibility for their own actions.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2018 Full Outstanding 04/07/2017 Full Outstanding 28/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/08/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 3

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outstanding

Children are provided with excellent-quality and highly individualised support. As a result, children make substantial and sustained progress from their individual starting points and thrive. A parent said, ‘This home is absolutely amazing and truly a blessing for my child. His future life chances have tremendously improved.’

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outstanding

Children fully engage with specialist therapeutic support. This support enables them to make significant progress with their behavioural, emotional and social needs. Comprehensive communication between therapists and the staff enables the children to have ongoing support. The key-working sessions that follow are extremely constructive and open and challenge emerging issues effectively. This means that children can reflect on, understand and positively work through their emotions and feelings.

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outstanding

The staff are tenacious advocates and ensure that children access their rights. One child was supported to complain to their local authority, resulting in a better service being provided to him. Another child was supported to complain to their school when the support was not meeting the required standards. As a result, children feel empowered and are confident that their opinions and views are listened to and valued.

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outstanding

The staff are committed to and creative in furthering children’s social experiences and opportunities. Holidays abroad, trips to theme parks and full utilisation of local leisure attractions help to widen the children’s sense of the world. The staff find local clubs for the children that relate to their unique interests and hobbies. Consequently, children benefit from an extensive range of meaningful activities that support their well-being and development.

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outstanding

The children make exceptional progress in their education. The staff understand the importance of learning and support the children with homework tasks and revision for exams. When necessary, the staff support the children with transport arrangements, resulting in children’s excellent attendance levels at school. One child exceeded expectations in their GCSE results and has successfully transitioned into college. Other children have benefited from improved academic attainment and access to employment and volunteering opportunities.

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outstanding

The manager gives considerable thought to which children stay at the home together. Effective impact assessments are undertaken, and well-planned transitions take place. Children’s development in their independence is a strong emphasis of the home. Children make great progress through individually tailored targets and support. Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home to adult living and now has his own accommodation and job. He spoke about how the support that he received from staff was instrumental in achieving this success. Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 4 The staff work hard to provide a welcoming, spacious and stimulating environment. The children have contributed significantly to the design of communal areas and personalisation of their bedrooms. Memorabilia and achievements are creatively displayed. This helps to create a nurturing home that the children are proud of.

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outstanding

The highly skilled staff team helps children to confront and understand their past traumas. Children establish strong rapport and relationships with the staff that are built on honesty, respect and trust. As a result, children make substantial progress in understanding and taking responsibility for the impact that their actions have on others and the wider community.

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outstanding

Because of the staff’s highly dynamic and robust risk assessment processes, the children are enabled to take balanced risks, and this has resulted in a reduction of significant incidents. The staff respond to the children’s progress by reducing levels of supervision when it is safe to do so. Children regularly review their risk assessments with the staff during key-work sessions. Individualised agreements for free time in the community for children further support the range of their experiences and self-esteem.

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outstanding

The staff help the children to further their understanding of their individual risks. Children participate in compiling effective workbooks and follow comprehensive behaviour contracts, which enhances their knowledge of being safer.

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outstanding

Behaviour management plans are implemented effectively. There is an emphasis on proactive strategies and clear and consistent boundaries. The staff are firm in their approach and do not allow children to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. This provides the children with a strong and full sense of security. The children respond very well to the clear expectations and the progression of their privileges and rewards. As a result, behavioural challenges significantly reduce.

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outstanding

The staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and they have good knowledge of the procedures. The children said that they feel safe and know how to raise concerns. When an allegation was made against a staff member, the resulting actions were managed well. This provides assurances that there are robust systems in place to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

An established, qualified and inspirational management team leads the highly effective, consistent, child-centred support. The management team has high aspirations for the children, and the team’s enthusiasm is reflected by the staff and evident throughout the home. Consequently, children benefit from support that enables them to achieve and flourish. Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 5 The staff and management team have sustained exceptionally positive relationships with parents and professionals, who provided consistently strong feedback about the good quality of care, level of communication and positive impact that the home has had on children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are encouraged to develop their unique skills and strengths through added responsibilities and accountability. One staff member has created an innovative newsletter covering world topics and an inclusive way of celebrating children’s achievements. Another staff member has supported the children in environmental sustainability projects, including planting trees and litter picking from local beaches. These initiatives have benefited children in their development of an enhanced sense of pride and belonging in their community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff meetings are well attended. Regular supervisions and appraisals are child focused and are of very good quality. Staff practice is scrutinised, and meaningful development needs and targets are identified. Consequently, there are ample opportunities for staff’s continuous growth and reflection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managerial oversight is robust. The manager makes good use of external monitoring visits by an independent person to enhance support. Children’s records are thorough, well organised and fully inclusive. Auditing procedures are comprehensive and contribute to the smooth processes and continuous implementation of high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff take advantage of a wide range of training courses to equip them with the skills to meet the children’s individual complex needs. A large proportion of staff have the required level 3 qualification. However, one staff member who should have achieved this has yet to do so. The manager has devised a plan to ensure that they achieve this swiftly. Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 6

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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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 02/10/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC476570 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspectors

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 9 to 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

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

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