Children's home run by Aspireone Care Ltd in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Inspection report for children's home: SC439116 1 SC439116 Registered provider: Aspireone Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted in July 2019.

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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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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: 25 November 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC439116 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/11/2019 Full Outstanding 17/10/2018 Full Outstanding 19/09/2017 Full Outstanding 15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC439116 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress at this home. They make progress in their education, health and well-being. Risk factors are also reduced from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children come to live at this home, managers ensure that matching is prioritised. Stakeholders are involved at all stages. Existing children are asked for their views. This robust approach means that children settle more quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has left the home since the previous inspection. As this was unplanned, managers and staff made every effort to maintain regular contact. They continued to support this child in challenging circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to make progress in education. When they move to this home, every effort is made to continue with their existing educational placements. Schools say that communication with this home is effective. This means that a consistent approach to children’s care is achieved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff effectively break down barriers that may stop children accessing ordinary life experiences. When children pose a risk to themselves or others, strong multi- agency working and detailed risk assessments mean that children can safely enjoy their interests and hobbies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by an established staff team. The importance of this consistency for the children is significant. One child has a high degree of anxiety. Their anxiety is effectively reduced by knowing which staff are providing their daily care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is generally maintained to a high standard. It has a family home environment, complete with numerous photos of children. Communal areas are in good order. However, furniture in one bedroom is of poor quality and damaged, and the outside seating is broken.

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

Children present with complex and significant risky behaviours. Managers have effective joined-up working procedures with stakeholders. Communication and information sharing are effective. Because of this joined-up approach, risks are better managed.

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

Children benefit from regular sessions with an art psychotherapist. Staff benefit from monthly clinical supervision with a psychologist. This means that staff have an opportunity to reflect on their practice and can support children to develop strategies to better manage their complex emotional health needs. Inspection report for children's home: SC439116 4 Children currently living at this children’s home have not gone missing from care. Staff have improved their practice in this area. They have gained knowledge from previous experiences of children who had less stability. Occasionally, the placing authority had not undertaken independent return interviews. However, managers made every effort to ensure that they took place.

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

All staff benefit from physical intervention training. This training, together with the promotion of positive behaviours, means that staff effectively reduce anxieties and potential conflict. Relationships between staff and children are a strength at this children’s home.

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

Joint working with local authorities is effective. They say the care provided to children is of a high quality and that children are safe. Despite significant risk factors, the manager goes the extra mile to ensure that robust plans are in place, so children continue to experience ordinary life experiences at home and in the community.

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

Children’s health outcomes improve when they start to live at this home. However, procedures for the oversight and safe storage and administration of medication are not fully effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is very experienced. Together with an effective deputy manager, they lead a consistent team of staff. There is rarely a change to this staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff, together with stakeholders, hold the management team in high regard. They say it provides effective leadership. Positive outcomes for children are at the heart of their working practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team benefits from structured and regular supervision. This supervision provides an opportunity for reflection on practice. It is recorded in detail. As staff develop their experience, they are gradually introduced to additional tasks. This means staff are encouraged and supported to develop within their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular team meetings. These are well attended and well organised. They provide staff with updates, training and challenges to improve practice. Staff have monthly clinical sessions. This offers staff further opportunities to reflect on their practice, and for support and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff increase their skills by accessing a wide variety of learning and development opportunities. Staff begin with a thorough induction. When new or emerging care needs are identified, staff are provided with additional training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External quality assurance processes are not fully effective in driving forward development. For a significant period, the views of stakeholders have not been consistently received. Inspection report for children's home: SC439116 5 This children’s home is in the process of transferring its care records to a new system. As a result, these records are not always accurate or up to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At this inspection, four recommendations have been made. Inspection report for children's home: SC439116 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  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. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with

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Recommendations

a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. When the manager and staff have questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert such as a general medical practitioner, community pharmacist or designated nurse for children looked after. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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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: SC439116 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspireone Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Lyme Drive, Lyme Vale Court, Parklands, Stoke- On-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC439116 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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