Children's Home, Residential special school run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 1 SC401685 Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private care organisation. It provides care to 23 children aged between seven and 18 years who have learning disabilities. Many children have autism spectrum disorders and associated difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Children may remain beyond their 18th birthday so that they can complete their education.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by an experienced manager who registered with Ofsted in January 2018.

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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 good

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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

Date of last inspection: 4 December 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/12/2019 Full Good 05/11/2018 Full Good 28/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 4

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outstanding

Children make exceptional progress while living at the home. Staff know children’s starting points and have developed comprehensive plans which detail the action staff need to take to help children develop. For some children, it can take several years for them to reach their targets. Despite this, staff do not give up and regularly research different approaches to inform their strategies to ensure that children receive the support and encouragement they need to progress.

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outstanding

Staff’s perseverance and commitment to helping children progress is a strength of this home. Staff have worked closely with children over a number of years to support them to reach their targets. Examples of children’s targets are tolerating having their hair cut or having a meal in a restaurant.

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outstanding

Staff work tirelessly to help children to do things for themselves. Children are learning how to dress themselves, how to make simple meals and drinks and how to pay for things when shopping. As a result, children are more confident, and they are able to access the community as other children do. Through helping children to develop these skills, staff are ensuring that children can be as independent as possible in the next stages of their lives.

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outstanding

Staff encourage and help children to participate in activities away from the home. This helps children to try new things and widens their social experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the children could not do the things they normally could or go to places for their usual treats. Staff were creative by sourcing items from a well-known fast-food outlet and a coffee shop and replicating the treats at the home. As a result, children enjoyed having their treats even though they did not understand why the shops were closed.

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outstanding

Children often remain at the home beyond their 18th birthday so they can complete their education. Placement breakdowns are rare, with children living at the home for many years. Children’s parents told the inspector about the exceptional progress their children have made, and that staff go above and beyond in their care.

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outstanding

Staff are proactive in making sure children remain in good health. Staff seek advice and support from health professionals such as dieticians and occupational health specialists. This collaborative approach has been invaluable in improving children’s health. For example, children who had been very overweight are now at a much healthier weight due to a balanced diet and exercise.

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outstanding

Children do well in education. Those who previously struggled, were excluded, or were on a very reduced timetable are now attending full time. There is good joined- up working between staff and educational professionals and staff support the Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 5 children in school. This means that the children receive a greater consistency of care from those who know them well. This results in children achieving academically.

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outstanding

Staff help children stay in touch with their families. Children go on visits home and spend time with their families. Children are helped to stay in touch using technology such as video calling. However, staff could help children more to understand their culture.

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outstanding

Children who are moving on from the home are supported well by staff. Staff think about the number of changes in a child’s life and how best to plan children’s moves on from the home, so it causes the least disruption. As a result, children’s moves are positive and take place at the child’s pace.

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

Staff develop detailed plans about the behaviours children may exhibit and the actions they need to take in order to protect the children. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated. Consequently, children are kept safe.

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

Staff know children well and can anticipate when they may become distressed. This helps staff support children to regulate their emotions. Staff analyse children’s behaviours to look for trends and patterns to identify how best to support the children. As a result, children’s challenging behaviours decrease. For example, one child who regularly displayed challenging behaviours has not had any incidents for several weeks.

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

Staff only use physical interventions when they are necessary, and when they are used, staff have good systems in place for recording incidents. This includes the completion of body maps to show where a child was held. This is in case there are any marks or bruises that develop after the physical intervention has ended. Staff use individual communication books to explain to children why staff have held them. In addition, it also helps children tell staff if they have been hurt or to express their feelings. As a result, children feel valued and respected as they have a voice and can express any concerns they may have.

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

Children do not go missing from the home as staffing levels and the security of the grounds prevent this. When children go out into the community, staff consider the risks and the actions they need to take to ensure that children are kept safe. For example, staff consider if it is a suitable location or if additional staff are needed. Despite children not going missing from the home, staff have developed good missing-from-care protocols.

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

Staff are recruited to the home safely, including agency staff. There is a good system in place, and managers use their professional curiosity when recruitment queries arise. As a result, those who should not work with children are less likely to be employed at home. Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by an experienced, child-focused manager who is inspirational and wants the very best for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children receive individualised care that is personalised to them. The manager knows all the children well. The manager can tell others with ease about the children’s progress from their starting points and how staff have helped the children to achieve their goals. Plans for the children are clear, and there is good oversight by the manager, who regularly reviews these plans. As a result, children make exceptional progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff spoken to say they are well supported by the manager, as there is an open- door policy and managers are always available and approachable. Staff receive regular supervision, which is reflective. Consequently, staff are inspired to do their very best for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff ensure that they undertake a variety of training so that they can meet the needs of children effectively. Staff undertake further learning, such as the level 5 diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services . The manager is creative in sourcing new learning. For example, she completed some shifts in an adult provision and shared her learning about how staff work with children who are ready to transition into adult services. However, one staff member has yet to complete the level 3 diploma within the required timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses her monitoring systems well. She is aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has developed a robust plan to make sure improvements are continually made to the home. For example, she ensures that the environment is continually refreshed to meet the needs of the children, such as by installing a new sensory room. The manager has successfully trialled training in supporting children with autism spectrum disorder to find the best suited course for the needs of the children. This has meant staff have the skills and knowledge to provide excellent care to children, resulting in the achievements and progress children have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Families and professionals told the inspector about the positive relationships between them and the home. Comments shared include, ‘the home is amazing’, ‘nothing is too much trouble’ and ‘they go above and beyond’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Complaints are rare, but when they are received, the manager takes appropriate action. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager reflected on a complaint from a child’s family and reconsidered her decision on the number of visitors allowed. Consequently, children were able to see those who were important to them. Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 7

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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

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.

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Requirement Due date

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

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all staff have obtained the required qualification in the specified timescales. 30 June 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 8

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are able to maintain and develop their cultural or religious beliefs as far as practicable and where appropriate, through participation and instruction. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the Quality Standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.22)

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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: SC401685 9

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Katherine Bridon

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Inspector

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC401685 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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