Children's Home run by Aspris New Education Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412971 1 SC412971

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Priory New Education Services Limited 07221650

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was last inspected in May 2019. Recent reports from the home’s independent visitor indicate that there are vacant posts within the staff team and agency staff are regularly used to cover these vacancies. Reports also indicate that management oversight has not always been sufficiently robust to identify gaps in some records. Therefore, a decision was taken by Ofsted to conduct an unannounced monitoring visit focused on these areas of concern and their impact on the progress of children.

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This monitoring visit

There were three children living at the home at the time of the monitoring visit. Two of the children were self-isolating at the home, following contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus). As a result, this monitoring visit was conducted remotely, using technology to view the condition of the home and to speak to children and staff.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a high turnover of staff since the last full inspection of this home. The manager has struggled to recruit and retain a consistent staff team. Until recently, there has been a reliance on agency staff and bank staff to cover vacant posts. The manager recognises this issue and the impact it has on the consistency of care for children. She has made efforts to minimise the impact on children by using regular agency staff and by moving members of the core staff team onto night-time shifts. This change to the rota, coupled with a recent recruitment drive, has meant that agency staff have not been used in the home for several weeks. A requirement has been made in order to secure sustained improvement in this area. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412971 2 The manager demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the children’s needs and the progress they are making. She is ambitious for children and sets individual monthly

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This monitoring visit

targets to maximise their independence in all aspects of their daily life.

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This monitoring visit

Children receive high levels of supervision and support that are in line with their complex needs. They are making good progress and learning important new skills that are supporting them to become more independent. For example, with the support of staff, one child is learning how to make their bed and do their laundry.

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This monitoring visit

Children are supported to access community healthcare services. Careful and sensitive planning has enabled one child to attend an optician’s appointment for the first time. With encouragement and positive reinforcement, the child is now learning to tolerate wearing glasses.

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This monitoring visit

Children are supported to keep in touch with their families. Staff help children to use technology and social distancing measures to communicate with their families safely. These arrangements are kept under review and adapted to align with current government guidance in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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This monitoring visit

Staff expressed confidence in the manager. They told the inspector that the manager is accessible and that they value the support they receive from her. One member of staff said, ‘The manager is easy to talk to and makes sure everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing. She’s very approachable.’

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This monitoring visit

Records of recent physical interventions were reviewed as part of this monitoring visit. Robust management oversight was evident in all the records sampled. However, some shortfalls were identified in the manager’s oversight of other records. For example, the home’s statement of purpose has not been updated to reflect the details of the new staff employed at the home. In addition, the format of the staff roster is confusing. This makes it difficult to establish with accuracy which staff are on duty on some shifts. Requirements have been made to address these shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

Two recommendations made at the previous full inspection were not considered as part of this monitoring visit. Therefore, they are repeated for consideration at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/05/2019 Full Good 20/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/06/2018 Full Good 10/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412971 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, 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 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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)) 30 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 30 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the staff duty roster must be a record of the actual rosters worked. 30 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412971 4

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. In particular, the registered manager should better manage noise and activity levels within the home at busy times, such as during staff handovers. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)  The registered manager should ensure that staff are aware of whether a child has an EHC plan and the information in it. An EHC plan details the education, health and social care support that is to be provided to a child or young person who has special educational needs or a disability. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.4)

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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 New Education Services Limited 07221650

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC412971 5 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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