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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC449307 1 SC449307

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Priory Education Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children. Currently, all the children living in the home are girls. A large private organisation owns the home and provides education. The statement of purpose states that the home supports children with complex needs, which may include emotional and behavioural difficulties, epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, autism spectrum disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted registered the manager on 7 September 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place due to a number of recent serious incidents at the home. The independent visitor had also noted some concerns. These concerns were that children were not safeguarded from harm, with particular reference to how self- injurious behaviour is managed, and that complaints were not always effectively managed.

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This monitoring visit

The home was previously inspected on 17 February 2020. One requirement and three recommendations were made at that time. The requirement and the recommendations have not been checked at this visit and have been carried over.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a decline in the quality of care since the last inspection. Due to recent changes of leadership and management, there has been a lack of oversight of incidents. As a result, children have engaged in repeated behaviours such as going missing and causing harm to themselves. These incidents decreased in October 2020. However, this was after significant incidents occurred in the home. The impact of these significant incidents has resulted in some children moving to other homes that better meet their needs. This could have been detected and acted on sooner if appropriate monitoring and review systems had been in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC449307 2 Risk management plans are confused and difficult to follow. For example, one child’s missing plan directs staff to call the child’s phone ‘if she has one’. This means that staff lack clarity about the actions that they should take should a child go missing.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, when children do go missing, there is not always follow up or learning from these incidents. This means that children continue to engage in these behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

The manager carefully considers information in referrals, and detailed plans are in place. However, the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has led to delayed admissions. This has meant that several children have moved to the home at the same time, and this has presented with challenges.

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This monitoring visit

The staff’s response to managing risk is sometimes weak. On one occasion, staff failed to seek urgent medical attention when a child displayed serious self injurious behaviour. Furthermore, no subsequent medical checks took place nor was medical advice taken. As a result, the child’s health needs remained unmet, which may have resulted in significant long-term consequences. However, leaders and managers have effectively responded to the incident in a timely manner.

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This monitoring visit

The majority of complaints are managed appropriately. However, a parent made a complaint, and this was not effectively addressed by managers. The child has subsequently left the home, and the complaint, to date, has not been resolved.

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This monitoring visit

Children are encouraged to reflect on their challenging behaviour and are involved in discussing consequences. This has led to children choosing their own sanctions. For example, on one occasion a child chose to be fined £2 for going missing. The record of this incident does not make clear that this was the child’s wish nor that there was a detailed discussion. Managers have failed to always ensure that sanctions are appropriate or recorded effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Staff frequently use key-work sessions as a resource to address children’s needs and behaviours. However, children do not always benefit from positive discussions in these sessions. For example, records of sessions show that staff do not record the views of children. This is a missed opportunity to further enhance children’s learning.

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This monitoring visit

The head of care has ensured that the home is well presented. The home has appropriate furnishings to meet the needs of the children living in the home. Where there are shortfalls, the manager has taken steps to make improvements. For example, there has been maintenance carried out in the kitchen, and there are plans for door alarms to be updated.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/02/2020 Full Outstanding 20/11/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC449307 3 20/03/2018 Full Outstanding 07/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC449307 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that staff provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

‘Background’ includes a child’s gender, religion, ethnicity, culture, language, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, assessed needs and previous experiences. 5 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 5 January 2021

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if 5 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC449307 5 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(f)) 5 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 5 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

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 promotes their welfare.

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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

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; 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)(h)) 5 January 2021

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Recommendations

 Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC449307 6  Case records must be kept up to date, signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) In particular, the name of the member of staff making the record should be clear.  Staff should have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children they care for. Staff should understand that they have a responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views,

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Recommendations

acknowledging that it is not the sole responsibility of the child to ‘tell’. They should also understand how children might communicate their feelings through their behaviour, or non-verbally especially where the child has a disability which does not allow them to communicate as others might. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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

Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Pete Hylton, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC449307 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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