Children's home run by Aspris Homes Limited in North Northamptonshire

Assurance visit report: SC413085 1 SC413085

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have complex difficulties. It is owned by a large private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

This home has not had a registered manager since 16 July 2020.

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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.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC413085 2

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The care of children

The children have forged strong relationships with the staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to spending quality time together. They were encouraged to choose and participate in activities during the national lockdown. One child pursued his interest in photography, another child went on long walks to visit the local horses. The children continued to pursue these interests more formally after the restrictions were lifted.

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The care of children

The children have accessed formal and informal education during this period. The educational lead has worked effectively with staff, teaching professionals and the children to ensure that they have had a personalised programme. This has eased the children’s transition back to full-time education.

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The care of children

The staff have been successful advocates for a child. This has meant that he has had funding agreed for him to continue his work placement, including working at the local farm in the school holidays. As a result, he has continued to develop essential skills in readiness for independence and adulthood.

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The care of children

The staff’s creative use of technology has helped the children to remain in contact with those who are important to them. The children have been able to talk to their families through the use of video calling. Once the restrictions eased, the large garden was used to provide safe meetings between children, their families and professionals responsible for their care. The staff supported one child to initially live at the family home by providing practical support and remaining in close contact.

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The care of children

The children have made progress in areas such as self-care and towards their independence, however, this is not measured and recorded. This is a missed opportunity for staff to demonstrate how they help children to grow and develop.

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers have focused on assessing staff’s safeguarding knowledge during supervisions and team meetings. This has raised the profile of safeguarding issues and identified any gaps in staff’s knowledge and subsequent training needs.

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The safety of children

There has not been any physical intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children’s behaviours have improved. One child’s staffing ratio has reduced. Another child has had a decrease in incidents at school since moving into the home.

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The safety of children

The children rarely go missing, and when they do, staff follow the organisation’s protocols and the child’s individual risk assessments. The staff are aware of the steps to take in the event that a child is missing or absent without permission. They keep in contact with children, search for them and work with their parents and the police to locate them.

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The safety of children

The staff have helped one child to understand the risks associated with his connection with gangs in his home area. They use different forms of media and the expertise of Assurance visit report: SC413085 3 staff within the organisation to achieve this. This has been successful in reducing his engagement in risky behaviours.

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The safety of children

The manager has refurbished the home to create a more family environment. However, there has not been a review of the use of door alarms, despite some of the children no longer posing a risk to themselves or others. The capacity to remove these devices is limited as individual alarms cannot be turned off separately. This does not demonstrate a personalised approach.

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Leaders and managers

The home has had a period of change in management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders and managers have minimised the impact of these changes by providing senior management support. The registered manager continued to work from home until her resignation. The current manager supported the deputy manager and staff prior to her being appointed as manager. The staff spoken to were positive about her leadership. However, Ofsted was not informed in line with regulations.

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Leaders and managers

The requirement from the last inspection has been met. The previous registered manager and current manager have had regular formal recorded supervision meetings. Staff’s supervision is regular. Detailed records demonstrate discussions about children and the development of staff.

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Leaders and managers

Two recommendations are met from the last inspection. These related to written agreements about using mobile telephones and recording about education. A recommendation in respect of agreements made with the local authority, parents and children in regard to who can make day-to-day decisions about children’s care has not been met. This does not reflect on the children’s increased ability to take responsibility for themselves.

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Leaders and managers

The staff engage well with parents. A parent reported that, ‘The staff always go above and beyond to ensure [my child] is happy and settled in a home-style environment. He has proven in the past to have extremely challenging behaviours, which they have addressed with total respect, care and in a professional manner.’

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Leaders and managers

Complaints are rare. When they do occur, managers deal with them well, record them accurately and resolve issues. The new manager has visited the neighbours to ensure that she develops a good relationship with them from the start. Assurance visit report: SC413085 4

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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

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of— the name of the person so appointed; and the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (2)(a)(b)) 31/12/2020

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Recommendations

 Decisions about overnight stays with friends should be delegated to children’s homes staff by the placing authority for looked-after children. The level of delegated authority should be recorded in the placement plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.9)  The home’s staff should recognise and celebrate the achievements of their children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.7) In particular, measure and record children’s progress.  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 for that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including

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Recommendations

the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) Assurance visit report: SC413085 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC413085 6 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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