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

Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 1 Registered provider: Priory Education Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to care for up to three children or young people who have learning disabilities. Currently, two young people are living in the home preparing to move to adult services.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 25 June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care provisions on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 10 December 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are proud of their home and love living there. One young person has captured their experiences of living at the home in a lovely poem. This poem is included in the young people’s guide and displayed in the hallway of the home so that other young people can hear about what it is like to live here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people and the team have created a positive family home, which is welcoming, well furnished and comfortable, and includes lots of photographs of the young people’s experiences. Conversely, there are several health and safety signs that detract from this otherwise very positive environment. The team is clear that this is the young people’s home and not the team’s workplace. This is endorsed by the team’s drive to provide young people with a family experience. For example, they feel it is important that young people wake up to the same team members who were there when they went to bed. At the core of this approach are the strong, positive relationships between young people and the team. These relationships are based on trust, respect and the team knowing the young people really well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s views and wishes are obtained by the team and implemented effectively. Targets are set and reviewed with the young people. Consequently, they make good progress at achieving their goals. Young people develop strong independence skills, can plan for their future and have ownership of decisions about the next stage of their lives. A young person said that they love the cards they receive from staff every month celebrating their achievements. This positive reinforcement continues to be very effective and builds young people’s self- confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both young people are preparing to move to adult homes. Staff are effectively supporting them and their families to manage their anxieties about the forthcoming moves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic have impacted on the number of activities the young people have been able to take part in outside the home. However, the team has enabled young people to pursue their interests as much as possible. One young person continues to have their flute lessons via the internet. Young people have made cards to brighten up residents in a local care home and artwork for NHS workers to thank them for all they are doing.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk is well managed. The team understands the risks for each young person and effectively helps them to manage them. A good example of this is young people being helped to keep themselves safe online, recognising warning signs to be aware of and knowing how and where to report any concerns. To support this work, risk Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 4 assessments, which young people are involved in creating, provide the team with clear guidance.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Behaviour is well managed. The team supports young people to understand their feelings and appropriately manage them. Managers conduct a comprehensive and effective review and analysis of incidents. Information from this review is used to develop strategies. This approach has been very effective, and incidents have reduced.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Team members have a good understanding of safeguarding, placing the safety and well-being of the young people at the centre of their practice. Safeguarding records are maintained. However, there has been one occasion when a team member raised a concern with the manager about another of the provider’s homes. The manager appropriately referred this to the manager of the other home but did not record this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. She is supported effectively by two assistant managers. They work well together as a management team. They have a clear understanding of the home, the needs of the young people and the team and take effective action to address these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has developed an excellent system to monitor and review the young people’s progress and the effectiveness of the strategies used to support them. Routine analysis alongside the use of research enables the team to continually develop the young people’s plans and goals. However, one local authority plan has not been reviewed for a considerable time. The manager has been requesting this, but s he has not escalated this concern within the local authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team members are very positive about the support they receive from managers. Individuals feel that managers are approachable and all work together for the best outcome for young people. Currently, supervision records require some improvement, as they do not contain enough details regarding the discussion held so do not truly represent managers’ work in this area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team members receive the training they require to meet the young people’s needs and develop their practice. This includes undertaking additional specific training, which is then cascaded to the whole team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals and parents praised the team for its collaborative approach and the progress the young people are making. Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 5

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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

Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Requirement 5 (c)) 30 June 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should review and where possible remove the health and safety signage as this detracts from the family home environment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should maintain a record of actions they have taken when a concern is raised by a member of staff about one of the provider’s other homes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15)  The registered person should ensure records of staff supervision are of a good quality and reflect the discussions held. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3) Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 7

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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, Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London, Middlesex W14 8UD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Garstang

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2535166 8 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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