Children's home run by Aspris Homes Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 1 SC413085 Registered provider: Castle Homes 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 owned by a large private provider and can provide care and accommodation for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties. According to its statement of purpose, the home intends to provide, ‘daily living experiences and activities that are meaningful and memorable and designed to meet the needs of individual children in areas that are personal to them’.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2019 Full Good 19/06/2018 Full Good 13/12/2017 Full Good 24/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 4

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outstanding

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. The registered manager fully considers who will move into the home alongside the current children as she understands the impact that poor matching can have on the progress of settled children. Moving-on arrangements for children are also extremely well planned. The two children who most recently left the home had made exceptional progress, which led to both of them being reunited with their families. Their substantial and life- changing progress is largely attributable to the patient, tireless and high-quality support from the registered manager and staff, which enabled these children to return to live with their families.

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outstanding

Children say they are happy living in this home. One child is adjusting to this being his first experience of living in a children’s home. Staff are sensitive and acutely aware of the emotional impact of this for the child. Their strong, nurturing practice is evident in the child saying that, while he cannot live with his family, he would choose to live at this home.

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outstanding

Memories for the children are beautifully captured and documented for them to take with them when they leave. Staff create records including photos of the children’s achievements and milestones, such as their first shave, climbing a tree, their first canter on a horse and any educational certificates. Staff are proud of the children and demonstrate this to them. This practice boosts the children’s confidence and encourages them to take pride in themselves.

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outstanding

Children’s care plans clearly describe each child’s current needs. The combined skills of the staff team are used to excellent effect to meet these needs. For example, some staff are particularly strong on maintaining boundaries and role modelling, whereas others are natural nurturers. As a result, children receive balanced and consistent care.

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outstanding

Staff understand each child’s particular needs with regard to their education and tailor their support accordingly. One child who is struggling with changes to his school timetable is being encouraged to balance his free time with his engagement in education. Staff set clear and realistic expectations about this child’s school attendance and reinforce the importance of this. Another child, who struggles at mainstream school, has a modified timetable to meet his learning needs, which includes working on a farm. Such examples showcase the flexible approach used by the staff team to accommodate the children’s needs and individual learning styles. In every case, the staff promote the importance and value of learning and working hard to achieve in life. Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 5 Key-working sessions with the children are used effectively to explore a wide variety of topics. Staff consider areas that are relevant right now for each child, and how

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outstanding

they can support their developing and changing needs through these one-to-one meetings. They explore current topics, such as conservation and eco systems, as well as exploring one child’s feelings about gender identity. In the event of an incident, such meetings are also used by the staff to reflect with the child. The quality, regularity and content of key working further enhances the excellent care that the children receive in this home.

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outstanding

Strong staff recruitment practice includes the diligent checking and vetting of individuals before they can start to work in the home. This increases the likelihood that the children are only cared for by safe and trusted adults.

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outstanding

The children are settled in a calm and supportive environment. Therefore, incidents and significant events are rare. When there is an incident, the staff response is quick, triggers are identified and lessons are learned. This approach reduces the risk of reoccurrence. Staff consider the need for wider engagement with partner agencies to explore if challenges are necessary and, when needed, meetings are convened to discuss safety strategies.

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outstanding

One child who has recently moved into the home has gone missing from home on a few occasions. When this occurs, staff actively search the surrounding areas and places close to the child’s family home, while making frequent phone calls to the child. The staff’s tenacity and efforts demonstrate their care and concern, as does the speed with which the child is picked up as soon as he requests this. Debriefs are carried out by the staff following such incidents. Staff reflect with the child about how they can help him to reduce the number of times he goes missing and what lessons they can learn as a staff team.

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outstanding

Children rarely use the home’s complaints procedure because of the ample opportunities that are available to them to share their views and opinions. One child has used the process and, despite the issue not meeting the complaints threshold, the registered manager respected the child, dealing with their concern sensitively and with a clear understanding of the child’s needs.

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outstanding

There has been one incident when physical intervention was required. This was appropriately managed and reflection work was undertaken with staff involved and the child. The registered manager has reviewed this incident and taken lessons from ited. Since then, there have been no further incidents requiring physical intervention.

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outstanding

The home is clean and nicely presented, providing a safe physical environment. There is a plan for the home’s continuing development which includes the children’s input, such as the decoration of the games room. At the time of the inspection, the Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 6 home was beautifully prepared for Christmas and the children’s individual wishes for how they would celebrate the day had been considered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has effective systems in place to support the day-to-day operation of the home. This results in excellent oversight. Monitoring systems have been developed in line with the needs of the home and the registered manager’s own professional development needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Research-informed practice is embedded. It is thematic and based on the emerging needs of the children. One example includes developing therapeutic relationships with horses for one child. This was discussed at a team meeting and integrated into a child’s daily routine. This has seen him flourish after a difficult time of not leaving the house during the peak of the pandemic. This child now walks to the neighbouring field every day to spend time with the neighbour’s horses. Staff fully appreciate the positive impact and what this means for the child in terms of his emotional well-being, and support this activity every single day.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel valued and supported by the registered manager. Supervision occurs at least monthly, and additional meetings are held in response to any issues which may have occurred. The registered manager carefully delegates duties and responsibilities to staff while keeping clear oversight, reviewing and reflecting with staff during their supervision. Staff training is well planned and reflective of the children’s needs. Consequently, staff have the skills to work with the children, including in relation to additional needs such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All staff speak highly of the children’s progress and the support that is in place for everyone. There is effective challenge to the local authority when needed and the registered manager is a great advocate for the children in her care. She is responsive to the children’s wishes and feelings and takes time to ensure that children are consulted in ways that make sense to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The one requirement and three recommendations made following the last inspection have been met. Following her registration interview with Ofsted, the registered manager has developed her own knowledge about relevant policies and the children’s homes regulations, using effective recording systems to demonstrate this. Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 7

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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: SC413085 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Wallace

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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC413085 9 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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