Children's Home run by Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company in Suffolk

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250253 1 Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation and provides permanent care for one child and a short-break service for up to three children with physical and/or learning disabilities. The service offers overnight respite stays and assessment breaks.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in October 2021. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 16 December 2021

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 16 December 2021

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1250253 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, six requirements and one recommendation were raised. The provider has addressed all the requirements. The recommendation, regarding the environment, has been raised as a requirement as it has not been suitably addressed since the last inspection. Three further requirements and two recommendations have been raised at this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left and the deputy manager has taken on the role of acting manager. The acting manager has developed a system to ensure that children’s care plans and risk assessments are reviewed regularly. Staff and children have benefited from consistency during the management changes and monitoring systems have improved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the home remained open. The number of children reduced by half to maintain social distancing measures. Children were allocated stays based on priority. Short-break holidays for children were offered during the summer. This meant that children were provided with new experiences and opportunities for socialisation supported by familiar staff members.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to access short breaks in accordance with their needs. They benefit from a familiar staff team and activities that they know and enjoy. Some of the children require set routine-based care. Staff provide social stories that prompt children about their routines and help them to understand what happens next. Overall, children enjoy their stays and families benefit from a respite break.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have access to a large garden area and a familiar environment. However, there are several areas of the house and garden that require maintenance and refurbishment. The children’s bedroom doors have scratch marks, thresholds to doors have tape across them to hide wear and carpets and laminate floors are worn and dirty. The garden path and borders are full of weeds and the edge of the hardcourt concrete area is uneven. The children’s outdoor kitchen has dirty, stagnant water in the sink. Syringes are soaked in an open container in the main office. These aspects fail to provide a pleasant or healthy environment for children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child made an allegation to her parent about two members of staff. This was referred by the social worker to the designated officer. An investigation completed by external agencies concluded that the allegation was unsubstantiated. The manager was not made aware of the incident until December 2021, following contact from police. However, the manager contacted Ofsted in regard to this but Inspection report for children’s home: 1250253 3 failed to notify. Consequently, Ofsted did not have a current view of safeguarding concerns at the home or how they were managed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A parent raised concerns about the quality of care for their child during a short break. These concerns were resolved and the parent was happy with the outcome. However, the previous manager failed to record these concerns and therefore these were not shared at the inspection. This does not provide a transparent record of complaints about the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children have complex health needs. There are children who require specialised gastric feeds. The feeding protocol for one child is confusing and unclear. In the child’s file, there are numerous protocols which do not correlate with the administration record. Overall, the guidance is ambiguous and has the potential to lead to errors being made.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The gaps in previous employment for one new member of staff had not been checked. This lack of oversight means that the manager may not be aware of important information about the staff member’s suitability.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of children’s risk assessments has improved. Risks are clearly recorded and identified regarding each child’s vulnerabilities. Risk-reduction measures are clearly recorded. The risk assessments are updated when incidents occur.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s care plans are informative and personalised. Their interests, hobbies and preferences are clear. Children’s assessment paperwork is comprehensive. This information is used to match groups of children and make detailed plans before a child arrives for their short break. Staff have the information that they need to provide continuity of care to each child.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The acting manager has a implemented a detailed staff training programme. Health training has been prioritised. The staff have received professional guidance and training in delegated medical procedures. Staff are signed off as competent in medical protocols. This ensures that children’s complex health needs are met by trained and competent staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff rarely use restraint. When this is necessary, the description of the incident and method used are clearly recorded and there is follow-up work with the child. The acting manager signs off each incident record on the same day. This level of managerial oversight helps to keep children safe and to ensure that behaviour management is proportionate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager, before they left the home, wrote a quality of care review report. However, this was not submitted to Ofsted as required. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250253 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/04/2019 Full Good 11/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1250253 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

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))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the upkeep of the garden and maintenance of the house; specifically, the condition of the paintwork, door thresholds, worn laminate flooring, stained carpets and the storage of syringes. 25 February 2022

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (3) (5)) 31 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 31 December

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (4)(a)) 25 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250253 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, for children on short breaks, staff maintain each child’s ongoing health treatment. This includes the management of medication on arrival and departure from the home and recording and sharing information about when medicine is administered. In particular, ensure that there is a clear protocol for administering gastric feeds. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 36, paragraph 7.20)  The registered person should ensure good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment processes safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. In particular, explore and record gaps in employment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 for children’s home: 1250253 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suffolk House, 7 Hydra Orion Court, Addison Way, Great Blakenham, Ipswich IP6 0LW

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Inspectors

Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1250253 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

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