Children's home run by Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 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 is one of two residential short-break services run by a small private organisation. The service provides residential short breaks for a maximum of four children at any one time and longer-term care for up to two children between the ages of six and 18. The children may have intellectual and developmental disabilities and additional complex health needs, including autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 17 January 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 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. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has addressed two of the five requirements raised at the full inspection. Activities provided for the children have increased. Sensory sessions, music activities and trips to local parks, the zoo and the coast have broadened the experiences offered to children during their stays at the home. Safe recruitment processes have improved and are comprehensively carried out to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been improvements to the interior of the home since the last inspection. Bedrooms have been redecorated to reflect children’s interests. The home’s gardens are large and provide space for children to be outside. However, they are not well maintained. Uneven surfaces, garden debris and discarded play equipment limit the areas that children who use wheelchairs can access. There are no swing seats on the frames for children to play on. There is a lack of play equipment; therefore, the gardens do not provide a safe, stimulating or enjoyable area for children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not regularly receive practice-related supervision. Staff have not had their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised. This means that staff do not benefit from the oversight and guidance that they need to support them in their roles or with their continued professional development. Not all staff have achieved a relevant level 3 diploma within two years of commencing a care role.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Generally, feedback from parents, education professionals and social workers is positive. Parents are happy with the range of activities offered to their children during their stays. Children have good attendance at school. Regular communication between the staff, parents and school staff ensures that children benefit from a coordinated approach to their health needs and emotional well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s plans are clearly written. Support plans contain guidance for staff to follow. Behaviour-management plans provide staff with strategies to respond to individual behavioural needs. However, staff do not consistently follow the plans. This lack of consistency does not provide children with the boundaries that they need to make them feel safe and secure. In some cases, daily records do not provide a clear account of the strategies followed. This is not helpful to the child and does not mirror the ethos and values of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff inductions and training have improved. There is now a healthcare lead based at the home to provide health-related training, such as in buccal midazolam, first aid and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. Some staff have received training in safeguarding disabled children. However, not all staff have accessed the training. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 3 The training records are complicated, making it difficult for the manager to keep track of the staff’s training needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one occasion, staff did not immediately report a safeguarding concern. Although there is nothing to suggest that the child was placed at risk because of this, there was a failure to follow basic safeguarding procedures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager recognises that there are areas that need to be improved. Several staff vacancies have been filled, with continued recruitment ongoing to ensure a full staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/04/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have knowledge and understanding of the protection needs of disabled children;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that strategies identified in behaviour support plans are followed by staff.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 29 May 2022

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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 16 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 6 promotes their welfare.

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff undertake training to equip them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to safely care for the children at the home;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that managers maintain clear records of which staff have undertaken training and the date of completion.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. 16 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 7 The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the physical condition of the home and the garden contributes to a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff have sufficient clear guidance on managing behaviour. Staff should set high expectations of children’s behaviour and have a consistent approach to behaviour management. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 8

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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: 1258276 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 80 Compair Crescent, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 0EH

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Inspector

Rachel Watkinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1258276 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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