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

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to three young people who have a learning disability. The home is operated by a national, private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager for this home registered with Ofsted on 5 May 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

A monitoring visit was completed on 4 August 2020. Statutory requirements were set at this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 5 November 2018

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Declined in effectiveness

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: 1271467 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

All three children present as happy, settled and confident in their home. They have good, caring relationships with the manager and staff members, who they can confide in. The home environment continues to be comfortable, well-decorated and homely.

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The care of children

During the COVID-19 pandemic, while managing associated risks due to restrictions in place as a result of government guidelines, the team was creative and responsive to children’s need to see their families. One parent explained how the staff bought a barbeque and food for their family so that they could meet with their child in the home’s garden and eat together. During the visit, the team took the other children out to enable this meeting to happen safely.

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The care of children

All three children attend the organisation’s school, and children are getting used to being back in regular routines and after-school clubs. One child in particular has shown good progress in recent weeks, following an incentivised plan, and the challenge is now for the home to help him maintain this progress.

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The care of children

A parent spoken with praised the home and the support it gives to them and their child. Social workers are satisfied with the care given to the children. They, alongside parents, are sent a ‘good news’ letter regularly, but do not receive regular written reports about progress made in relation to the children’s care plan aims.

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The safety of children

Children said they feel safe and have trusted staff members with whom they feel confident to talk. Staff encourage regular routines and family-type meals together, which helps the children feel secure. The pandemic affected the home significantly, and staff’s utmost concern was to keep the children safe and ensure that the hygiene guidelines were followed. Now the manager is able to focus on supporting the children to make progress.

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The safety of children

Safeguarding incidents have occurred, and allegations have been made. Safeguarding processes have not always been followed properly or in a timely manner. There have been no serious concerns for children identified following multi- agency discussions and intervention. However, senior leaders in the organisation have acted to ensure that human and system errors are independently investigated in order to assure themselves that any lessons that can be learned are implemented.

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The safety of children

Children know the procedure for making a complaint, and such matters raised are addressed by the manager. Assurance visit report: 1271467 3

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Leaders and managers

Since the monitoring visit in August, placement plans and guidance for staff have improved in parts. However, clarity about specific goals for children, including about how to help them achieve these goals, remains a significant area for development. Incidents of concern have occurred for one child that, at times, have had an emotional impact on other children in the home. It is vital that guidance for staff, debriefs for children and staff, and incident evaluation and review are effective and focused. Leaders and managers acknowledge these issues and are working towards improving practice in these specific areas. New systems have been recently put into place, but these are in their infancy.

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Leaders and managers

Leadership and management monitoring did not highlight missing information in supervision documents looked at during the inspection. However, monthly independent monitoring reports on the home are carried out to a good standard and assist the manager with reviewing quality of care. The manager also completes six- monthly reports, although there is limited feedback from children in these reports.

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Leaders and managers

Some of the requirements made at the previous interim inspection in 2018 are no longer applicable and were not raised as concerns during this assurance visit.

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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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)) 12/10/2020 Assurance visit report: 1271467 4 In particular, ensure that debriefs for children and staff are timely and that physical intervention records are organised so that they contain sufficient information to enable robust evaluation and review. The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and deliver the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and 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)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

 Ensure that placement plans are concise, have the necessary detail and include children’s specific, measurable goals.  Ensure that guidance and instruction to staff about caring for young people are clear and reviewed.  Ensure that the manager’s evaluation, monitoring and review of incidents are sufficiently robust and inform care planning.  Ensure that supervision and performance review of staff are thorough and take place at sufficient intervals. 12/10/2020 Assurance visit report: 1271467 5  Consider providing regular written reports of progress to parents and social workers. Assurance visit report: 1271467 6

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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, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Inspectors

Carys Flain, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1271467 7 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

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Inspectors

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

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