Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in West Berkshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC486479 1 SC486479 Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children. Its statement of purpose states that children accommodated have complex needs, which may include autism spectrum disorders and complex associated difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted registered the manager in March 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC486479 2

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children 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 sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior managers have dealt with safeguarding incidents appropriately, making referrals and notifications as required. Where a member of staff at the home has been implicated, a senior member of staff from elsewhere in the organisation has undertaken the investigation to provide some independence. Records provide a clear record of actions and decisions taken.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have taken steps to protect children. One took photographs of suspected injuries with the intention of capturing evidence to help any subsequent investigations. However, this was done without consultation with other professionals. The provider’s safeguarding policy does not provide guidance regarding circumstances in which it may be appropriate to take photographs to preserve evidence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although staff do check children where there has been a history of suspected self- inflicted injuries, they have not included this in risk assessments. Therefore, staff who do not know the particular child well may not be aware of the need to do so.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Key workers and shift leaders review life skills assessments regularly so that they are up to date and accurate. This means that children receive timely and targeted help to make progress. Indeed, children do gain significant skills during the time they live at the home, so enabling them to go on to adult placements that give them the greatest degree of independence possible.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are attentive to children’s verbal and non-verbal communication. They encourage children to develop their own interests and build on these whenever possible. Children’s rooms reflect their personalities and interests and they are pleased with how they look. Staff have ensured that annual passes to major tourist attractions, which are purchased by the provider, are well used and the children have thoroughly enjoyed some days out.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The process for children arriving at the home has been revised. Although yet to be tested, there are plans to fully involve existing children in discussing how a new child would fit in when the time comes. Managers and staff take opportunities to consult with children. However, the review of the quality of care does not detail what they have learned by doing so, nor what has been done in response.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff involve children in developing their positive handling plans and routinely ask them for their views if they have had a sanction. Although proportionate, sanctions are not restorative in nature, so that their focus is not on the importance of restoring relationships. The recording of incidents and key-work sessions has improved significantly since the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC486479 3 Managers and staff work well with other agencies to provide a holistic approach to care by, for example, conducting a behaviour analysis exercise to assist mental health practitioners to balance a child’s medication. This approach also extends to family members; staff facilitate parents’ visits to children effectively to make them as enjoyable as possible.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers support staff to gain skills and experience. The home’s development plan contains ideas of how to improve children’s involvement in their own planning and to improve their experiences. This shows a commitment to continue improving the quality of care at the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC486479 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2019 Full Good 02/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/09/2017 Full Outstanding 26/07/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC486479 5

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

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

In particular, that identified risks are recorded together with measures to mitigate potential harm. 30/04/2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person has specific responsibilities under regulation 34 to prepare and implement policies setting out: arrangements for the safeguarding of children from abuse or neglect; clear procedures for referring child protection concerns to the placing authority or local authority where the home is situated if appropriate; and specific procedures to prevent children going missing and take action if they do. The policy on protection of children from abuse and neglect should include arrangements in relation to dealing with allegations involving staff in the home, e- safety and to counter risks of self-harm and suicide. All policies should be reviewed regularly and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.19) In particular, the home’s safeguarding policy should refer to the limited circumstances in which it may be appropriate to take photographs to preserve

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Recommendations

evidence of injury and how to ensure the child’s dignity if doing so.  Regulation 19(2) details sanctions that are prohibited in behaviour management. Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  Regulation 45 sets out requirements for the registered person to have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in the regulation at least once every six months; also see regulation 13(2)(h) (the leadership and

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Recommendations

management standard). The registered person should undertake a review that Inspection report children’s home: SC486479 6 focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the Quality Standards as described in regulations 5 to 14. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraphs 15.2) In particular, the review should report children’s views about the home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive, together with how the registered person has responded to them.

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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

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: SC486479 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: Priory Group, Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspector

Chris Peel, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC486479 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 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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