Children's home run by Aspire Child Care Ltd

Inspection report children's home: SC413779 1 SC403464 Registered provider: Aspire Child Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately operated children’s home. The provider states in their statement of purpose that they provide care for two children with social and emotional difficulties. The manager has been registered since 2010.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, Ofsted suspended all routine inspections of social care providers 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: 17 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/02/2020 Full Outstanding 17/09/2018 Full Outstanding 03/10/2017 Full Good 15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good relationships with a small, consistent team who care for them. One child has just moved on from the home after seven years. Staff supported him with this transition and continue to keep in touch. Children who live in the home feel safe. One social worker said, ‘The staff are brilliant. I am really happy. Everyone is working together.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health. Staff work with other agencies to support children’s mental health needs. Clear wrap-around support means that children are closely supported but are not restricted more than necessary. As a result, both children have friends in the local area that they enjoy spending time with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress in a number of areas. Efforts are made to help children settle in. Staff are sensitive to the needs of each child and are creative in the ways they encourage children to feel more comfortable. Support is given to children to help them learn life skills. However, this is not planned or reviewed. This leaves it difficult to track areas where children need further support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is welcoming, clean and tidy. Staff treat children with dignity and respect. Children enjoy spending time in their bedrooms. Locks on internal doors mean that children do not have access to all areas of their home, and make the home feel less like a family home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress with their education and one child has achieved GCSEs in Maths and English. Staff have supported children with home learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Clear lines of communication between staff and school mean that any problems can be resolved quickly. However, plans do not include education targets, or the support required from staff to provide this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to see their families and have friends in the local area. Staff support the children to feel at ease and help improve the children’s skills in forming appropriate friendships. Children do occasionally go out with staff; however, activities lack structure and planning.

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

Children feel safe. Staff support children to take age-appropriate risks. The home environment is very calm. Staff communicate well with children and are effective in supporting children to self-regulate. As a result, physical intervention has not been required.

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

Clear plans are in place for staff to follow if children do not return home at the agreed time. The plans take into account how communication from the children may Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 4 be impacted by anxiety and social pressure. However, these have not been necessary, and no children have been out without agreement.

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

Children are given medication at appropriate times and medication is kept under review by the medical professionals. Staff keep clear records, and regular audits have been completed by the manager. However, controlled medication has not been stored in line with relevant guidelines. This has not had a direct impact on the children.

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

Staff have received appropriate training to meet the needs of the children, including Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. Staff are able to implement the strategies advised, including giving a countdown and a clear explanation prior to ending a task. This means that children feel understood and do not become unsettled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is dual-registered and works closely with the deputy manager to run two children’s homes in the area. Staff spoken to feel supported. Feedback given by children and external professionals is very positive. One social worker wrote, ‘Staff are child centred, committed, relationship-focused and resilient.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff have worked in the home for a number of years. New staff members recruited have relevant experience and training. This means that they are able to fit into the team and work consistently. Staff enjoy their role. One staff member said, ‘I wish I came to work here years ago.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. Although the meetings are very child-focused, there is little reflection or developmental targets identified for staff. The views of other professionals and children have not been included in appraisals. This is a missed opportunity for more holistic reflection and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monthly visits take place from an independent person. Reports are consistently positive and evidence the support provided to the children. When recommendations have been given, they have been implemented. The manager has also completed a review of the quality of care every six months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Previous requirements and recommendations have been met. Staff have received training to ensure that there is always a staff member available who is first-aid trained. Statutory review minutes and health assessments are now on file. Audits completed now mean that bandages and homely remedies are always suitable for use.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 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, the 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to removing internal locks on the doors of communal areas. 31 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

The relates specifically to managers completing an impact risk assessment for each child that moves into the home. This also relates to care plans including details around education targets and support required, and planning and review of children’s life skills. (Regulation 14 (a)) 31 October 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged 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 the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 6  The registered person should implement the guidelines in Managing medicines in care homes (March 2014) with regard to controlled medication and ensure that medical consent is signed for each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.17)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should include the views of the children and other professionals when completing appraisals with staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: SC403464 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspire Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christine MacKay

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Inspectors

Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Inspector Carly Quinn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC403464 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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