Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Rotherham

Inspection report children’s home: SC473631 1 SC473631 Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home can accommodate children and young people aged between nine and 18 years old.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since June 2019. He holds the relevant qualification in leadership and management of a residential childcare provision.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 30 October 2018

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC473631 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/10/2018 Full Good 02/05/2017 Full Good 28/06/2016 Full Good 17/05/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC473631 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people enjoy living at the home. Staff are committed to providing the children and young people with a nurturing and family environment. The children and young people receive a high level of care and support.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are supported with individualised care. The staff encourage children and young people to carry out daily household tasks and routines which are consistent with a family home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are making good progress since their arrival to the home. The majority are attending their school or college placement. The staff are aspirational for the children and young people and support them to succeed.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children and young people’s health, and their routine health needs are being met. Some children and young people benefit from therapeutic support, which helps them to have a better understanding of their behaviour and strategies to help with self-regulation. This is improving their overall emotional well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people engage in key-work sessions with the staff. Open and honest discussions take place with children and young people which enable them to have a better understanding about issues that have an impact their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have discussions with children and young people daily and more formally in their young people’s gatherings. This helps the children and young people feel listened to and their views respected. Children and young people influence the running of the home and the care that they receive. Children and young people have built trusting relationships with the staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people’s family time is actively promoted, where appropriate. The staff work hard to build positive and effective relationships with families. One parent said, ‘I visit, and the staff are friendly, respectful and allow us quality time. I know they are there to support if we need it.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has created a bespoke independent programme to support children and young people with life skills in preparation for when they move on from the home.

p.3

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

Children and young people feel safe due to the individualised support and intervention from the staff. One young person said they were supported and helped to stay safe. The competence and experience of the staff are good, which means the children and young people’s individual needs are met very well. Inspection report children’s home: SC473631 4 Allegations against staff are investigated quickly and in line with the home’s safeguarding policies. Risk management plans and reviews of risk assessments have taken place, and these have kept children, young people and staff safe during the investigation period.

p.3

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

When complaints are made, these are fully investigated in a timely manner. Children and young people are fully supported by the manager, and staff work hard to provide an open forum for children and young people to have their voice heard. The manager and staff are reflective and look at all lessons learned to improve practice and outcomes for children and young people.

p.4

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

The manager and staff are insightful and use their skills to identify risks for each child and young person. The individual risks are documented clearly in the behaviour support and risk management plans, which supports a quick and effective response from the staff.

p.4

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

Children and young people engage in discussions and learning. They cover a variety of topics, such as bullying, harassment, online safety, overall safeguarding, child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation. Some children and young people have presented their learning about these topics and have facilitated discussions with others in the home. This has improved the children and young people’s understanding of the risks and is helping them to make informed choices about how to keep themselves safe.

p.4

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

Children and young people’s incidents of going missing from care have considerably reduced, with no known concerns for any of the children and young people. The proactive manager and staff team refer to individualised missing-from-care protocols in the event of a child or young person going missing. The manager and staff have good relationships with the community police, who said, ‘The manager and staff team are brilliant. We have good communication about all the young people moving into and living in the home, which ensures we support the children, young people and the home.’

p.4

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

The manager’s safer recruitment process means that staff are thoroughly vetted before employment. All new starters receive a structured induction and probationary period to give them a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

p.4

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

During the day, children and young people have full access to the home. Children and young people’s access to the kitchen is restricted during the night.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has addressed the two requirements raised at the last inspection. He now has signed placement plans from placing authorities for all new admissions to the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC473631 5 The manager has high aspirations for the children and young people. He is passionate and committed to ensuring that children and young people have the best experience and opportunities.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has full oversight of the day-to-day running of the home. He has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the staff team and the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good professional working relationships. This contributes to the consistent approach when caring for the children and young people living at the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, training and support which enhances their personal and professional development. Staff said they feel valued and well supported by the manager. The manager is always available to give staff clear expectations and guidance to support the children and young people’s individual needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring and quality assurance systems inform his oversight of the home. He uses these to improve practice and outcomes for children and young people. The quality of care review now includes feedback from children and young people about their care. However, the quality of care review report, which was submitted to Ofsted five months late, does not provide the regulator with a timely overview of the outcomes for children and young people or how the home is managed. Inspection report children’s home: SC473631 6

p.5

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.

p.6

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 once every six months. (Regulation 45 (4)(a)) 10/04/2020

p.6

Recommendations

 Just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)(iii)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

p.6

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: SC473631 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony Armstrong

p.7

Inspector

Sue Hatton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC473631 8 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, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8