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

Assurance visit report: SC481221 1 SC481221

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides 38- and 52-week placements. The home cares for up to five children aged eight to 18 years who have experienced abuse or neglect and who display challenging behaviour.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 10 December 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained 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. 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: SC481221 2

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The care of children

Two children were living at the home at the time of the visit. One child moved in just before the first national COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020. No children have left during this period.

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The care of children

The staff and children experienced an unsettled period during the first national lockdown. The two children were establishing their relationships. This led to periods of conflict, but also occasions when the children would team up against the staff. During this time, there were changes to the staff team. This resulted in a period of children testing staff’s commitment to them with some challenging behaviour.

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The care of children

The lockdown restrictions meant that the children’s usual routines were disrupted and both children were educated at the home. Staff were supported by the organisation’s school staff, who worked on shift at the home. However, the children found it difficult to adapt to home schooling, so the staff incorporated learning into craft and outdoor activities.

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The care of children

In recent months, a more consistent staff team has provided the children with a greater sense of stability. The manager and staff care for the children well and are committed to them. As a result, children feel less anxious and there has been a decline in the number of incidents.

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The care of children

One child, who was not in education prior to living at the home, is now attending school. The manager has successfully advocated for increased hours and the child will be attending full time from next term. The other child has returned to school following the initial national restrictions. There is good communication between the home and school. This means that staff know how the child is feeling after school and offer the support that he needs.

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The care of children

Staff support children to maintain relationships with their families. They supported children to do this virtually during COVID-19 restrictions and have now reverted to face-to-face meetings, following the local guidance.

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The care of children

The home is clean and comfortable. Children’s bedrooms are personalised. However, the games room is locked, restricting children’s access to all communal areas. This measure has not been assessed to explore the necessity and proportionality of the restriction. The children benefit from the large outdoor space. One child enjoys helping to care for the home’s chickens, pigs and goats.

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The care of children

The staff have helped the children to understand the guidance around COVID-19. Both children follow this at school and when out in the community.

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The safety of children

The staff have continued to undertake training during the pandemic and have relevant training in safeguarding, first aid and fire safety. The new members of staff have only been able to undertake the theory element of physical-intervention Assurance visit report: SC481221 3 training. The manager has addressed this risk within lone-working risk assessments for each member of staff.

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The safety of children

Incidents of physical intervention are decreasing. The managers ensure that they talk about each incident with the staff and the children involved. Debriefs are used to learn from incidents and to continually develop de-escalation strategies that work for each child. Professionals are positive about the boundaries and routines that the staff have put in place for the children.

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The safety of children

The staff are familiar with the home’s whistle-blowing policy. The manager supplements safeguarding training with a monthly focus on a different safeguarding issue. This month, the focus has been radicalisation.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments for children are detailed and individualised. However, one risk assessment contained contradictory information about how staff should manage online risks for a child. This could lead to inconsistencies in how staff respond to children.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is reflective about the unsettled time at the home during the first national lockdown period. She has made changes to the home’s interview processes to help improve consistency of care to the children.

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Leaders and managers

The staff talked openly about the period in the summer when they found the children’s behaviour challenging. The staff are sensitive to the effect that the staff leaving had on the children. They recognise the reassurance that the children now need to build relationships with new staff.

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Leaders and managers

Staff feel supported by the managers and are enjoying a more settled period. They receive regular supervision, with new staff receiving supervision every two weeks. The manager maintains good oversight of incidents involving children and staff. She reports on any safeguarding concerns to the designated officer and Ofsted. This enables independent scrutiny of the home.

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Leaders and managers

The manager acts appropriately in response to complaints. There have been two complaints from children: one from each child about the other. Staff are using a restorative approach and relevant fictional stories to help improve the children’s relationship.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC481221 4

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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—

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments contain clear guidance for staff to follow. 10 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, review the need to lock the games room. 10 January 2021 Assurance visit report: SC481221 5

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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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Inspector

Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC481221 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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