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

Inspection report children's home: SC449307 1 SC449307 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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to seven children. 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, 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 in January 2020.

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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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 19 November 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 17 February 2020

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC449307 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/02/2020 Full Outstanding 20/11/2018 Full Outstanding 20/03/2018 Full Outstanding 07/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC449307 3

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improvement to be good

Children have some very strong relationships with staff. However, inconsistencies with leadership, the numbers of new staff and the use of bank staff have resulted in an inconsistent approach to care provided to children. Despite these issues, children have always had someone they could trust to go to within the staff team.

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improvement to be good

Children have moved into the home without sufficient consideration to whether the mix of children is suitable, or whether staff have the skills to meet the children’s needs. Two children have moved on as a result of poor initial planning. The organisation’s policy is for registered managers to make decisions on placements. The head of care and responsible individual have now adapted the process with regards to the registered manager’s acceptance of children to the home. The head of care has overturned agreements for at least one child who was due to move in, recognising the mix of children and staff skills are not currently suitable.

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improvement to be good

Children all attend the organisation’s school. Attendance is very good, particularly given that some children had been out of education for a considerable period before moving into the home. Barriers to learning are discussed with school staff and all staff endeavour to provide consistency in their approach across the settings.

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improvement to be good

Children have not always been supported to engage in positive activities. With little planning in place, children have been left to make their own choices. This has led to children not being supported by staff and to making decisions without necessary support or guidance. Plans and routines are now becoming more prevalent, and children are supported to consider more rewarding activities. For example, one child is currently working towards his moped licence.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health and well-being have not been activity promoted. Records are contradictory about what medication a child takes and help to stop smoking was not sought when a child first suggested they wanted it. Improvements are being made and children do now receive the medication they are prescribed. Joint work with the school’s therapy team is strong, and children are encouraged to attend their sessions. Links with child and adolescent mental health teams are improving. Children are encouraged to try a varied diet and take up positive physical activities.

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improvement to be good

Children have opportunities to share their views in group and individual sessions. There have been challenges in responding to their ideas and requests. This was prevalent during the summer holidays due to staff not being able to support a child effectively. There is little evidence of how the child’s views were acted upon, but some key-work sessions are extremely well detailed, and actions are clear, although this is currently the exception and not the norm. Children’s culture and identity are respected, and children are accepted as individuals who can explore who they are. Inspection report children's home: SC449307 4 Staff are keen to ensure that children have access to culturally appropriate foods and positive role models who represent their culture.

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improvement to be good

Responses to safeguarding concerns are now in-depth and detailed. Previously, there have been significant delays in responding to safeguarding concerns. This has left a child at risk of further exploitation. Children’s support plans are ambiguous at times, but staff are now clear on how to support the children who are currently living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Previously, poorly planned shifts and lack of structure have led to children feeling unsafe or bored, leading to aggression towards others or going missing from the home. Structures are now in place to ensure that children have clear guidance and expectations for the day, in addition to activities being planned to ensure that children are engaged. Rules have been blanketed and not tailored to children’s needs.

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improvement to be good

The numbers of staff who are trained in the organisation’s chosen behaviour support approach are low. However, the rota shows at least one trained member of staff has been on every shift. Incidents of challenging behaviours have been high. Staff have been harmed with sharp craft utensils on two occasions, with plans and risk assessments not being reviewed in-between incidents. This has left staff and children vulnerable. Ofsted was not notified of the first incident.

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improvement to be good

Daily room searches, in response to cannabis being found in a child’s room, are overly invasive and not reflective of the initial safeguarding concern. However, children’s privacy is respected in the main. Children’s post and parcels are not routinely checked, although this did lead to a child receiving an inappropriate item, which was then used to harm a member of staff.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices are sound, meaning that children are not exposed to inappropriate people working in the home. Health and safety checks of the fire alarm systems further protect children from avoidable risk. The home is looking dirty and tired from the outside and in need of redecoration across all communal areas inside. The gardens are overgrown and unkempt. It is not an inviting space and some of the paint work has been completed to an extremely poor standard. A plan has been put in place to improve the physical appearance of the home, but the home has been poorly maintained and looked after. However, children’s bathrooms and bedrooms are clean and well decorated with personalised touches.

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good

The registered manager has been absent from the home since mid-July 2021. The management of the home has been inconsistent over the last year. This is due to the registered manager’s absence for varying reasons, in addition to changes in deputy Inspection report children's home: SC449307 5 management arrangements. The current deputy manager, who has been in post for a month, is experienced. They are working through the gaps in records and improving practice for children. The deputy manager is supported by managers from other homes, the head of care and responsible individual.

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good

Children’s plans are inconsistently recorded and updated. There is little reflection on the progress children are making, and targets are not in line with their education health care plans or placement plans. This is now being fully addressed, and the deputy manager is reviewing all children’s targets to ensure that they are achievable and relevant for that child.

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good

Staff say they now feel well supported. They raised concerns that issues they have brought to supervision had not been followed up on. They now benefit from more regular supervision and feel that they are being listened to. Staff do not feel they have all the skills they require to meet the needs of the children who have lived in the home since the last inspection. They are becoming more confident under the current leadership arrangements and feel able to support those children who currently live in the home.

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good

The quality of oversight in the home has been lacking by the registered manager. Senior managers have offered support throughout the last year during the managers absence and on his return. Weaknesses have not always been identified or acted upon quickly by the home’s management team. Monitoring by the independent person has improved, and managers are responding to any concerns raised. Inspection report children's home: SC449307 6

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)) 8 October 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;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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 child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and 8 October 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC449307 7 well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii))

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d)) 8 October 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

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)) 8 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 8 October 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC449307 8 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 8 October 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the safety of children and staff when children purchase items online. Any policy in relation to this should balance safety of children and staff while making sure the child’s rights are upheld. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.35)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63 paragraph 14.13)

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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: SC449307 9

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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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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC449307 10 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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