Children's home run by Aspire Child Care Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 1 SC403464 Registered provider: Aspire Child Care 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 is a privately-run children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to two children and young people. The registered manager has suitable experience and the required qualification for her post.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 February 2020

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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 good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 17 September 2018

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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: SC403464 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/09/2018 Full Outstanding 03/10/2017 Full Good 15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 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, the 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 registered person must ensure that— at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) Specifically, ensure that staff renew their first aid qualification every three years. 30/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)) Specifically, ensure that copies of any statutory reviews and health assessments in relation to the child are on the file. 30/03/2020

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Recommendations

 First aid boxes should be provided and maintained. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.13) This is in relation to ensuring that remedies and bandages are in date, as identified on individual packaging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people have made excellent progress since they began living at the home. The progress is in relation to all aspects of their lives, including education, health, social development and gaining life skills. Staff understand the importance of education; they provide encouragement and support to the young people. Young people have bespoke educational packages in place which recognise their different learning styles and needs. As a result, young people have a desire to learn, and have aspirations for their further education and employment. Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 4 One school teacher said: ‘Staff at the home recognise the complex issues for [Name of young person] which impact on his learning. They provide exceptional nurturing skills and work in partnership with the school to make sure the right educational support is in place. The support is balanced with the young person’s current healthcare, and this is

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

enabling him to make progress.’ Young people benefit from having strong, respectful relationships with staff and view the home as their home. One young person said: ‘This home is a good place to live. It isn’t like other children’s homes because it really is like a family home. The staff are great, the rules are fair, and I am happy that this will be my home until I move out to live on my own.’ Young people’s healthcare needs are promoted. This includes their physical, mental and psychological health. They attend all routine appointments, have access to healthy meals and take part in activities which keep them active, including attending local gyms and football training. One healthcare practitioner said: ‘Staff demonstrate a good insight into the complex healthcare needs of the young people and deliver care to meet these to a high standard.’ Young people’s daily routines include learning skills for independence. This enables them

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

to take greater responsibility for their future, for example planning and preparing meals, going shopping and budgeting. Pathway planning has commenced for the young people. This enables staff to work with young people in line with up-to-date plans. Clear arrangements are in place for young people to spend time with family and friends. These arrangements are supported by staff. Family members report that the staff are excellent at communicating with them. This means that family feel included in current and future plans. The home provides a warm, welcoming and comfortable environment for young people and feels very much like a family home. Health and safety checks are discreetly completed to further add to the safety of the home. Young people say it is their home and they are very happy and comfortable living there.

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

Staff have an excellent understanding of the overall needs of the young people, including risk-taking behaviour. Effective safeguarding strategies are in place. As a result of these strategies, alongside staff’s knowledge and practice, young people are better protected. Risk assessments are detailed and take into account potential triggers for young people which may result in increased risk-taking behaviour. There are clear strategies in place which minimise risks. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed, updated as required and shared with placing social workers to gather any additional comments or views. All staff are trained in behaviour management, including physical intervention. Because of the positive de-escalation techniques implemented by staff, there have been no incidents which required physical intervention. Young people say that staff are very good at helping them manage their emotions. As a result, they feel safe and well supported.

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

Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 5 The manager ensures that all staff are appropriately selected and vetted prior to commencing work in the home. Regular health and safety checks are completed by staff to make sure the home is safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified, experienced and her practice is child centred. She strives to ensure that young people living at the home regard it as their home, building their esteem to feel safe, happy and cared for. This enables them to make progress and have aspirations for their future. An experienced and motivated deputy manager provides support for the manager. Together, they lead a strong and established staff team. This means that young people benefit from continuity of care and support from staff whom they are able to build positive relationships with. The manager undertakes regular monitoring of the home. This helps her understand the strengths of the home and areas for further development. However, a system for ensuring that homely remedies and bandages are checked and in date has not been in place and resulted in some having passed the expiry date. Staff are experienced and hold relevant qualifications required to work with young

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

people. In addition, they complete mandatory training as identified by the manager. However, two staff need to update their first aid training to comply with required health and safety legislation. All staff receive regular supervision to enable them to continue to reflect on their practice and enhance their skills. They receive annual appraisals with the views of young people contributing to these. Team meetings enable them to further enhance their practice and make sure that the care received by young people is of a consistently high standard. The manager has taken action to address the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. There has been difficulty obtaining all documentation from placing social workers in a timely fashion. The manager has escalated this to senior managers in the local authority to obtain the documentation required to inform future care planning. Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 6

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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: SC403464 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspire Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christine MacKay

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Ofsted Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 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 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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