Children's Home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Herefordshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 1 SC476486 Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered for up to seven children, whose complex needs may be associated with having autism spectrum disorder and related difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in March 2021. She is experienced and appropriately qualified.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 15 and 16 February 2022. Serious and widespread concerns were found in the protection of children and leadership and management. As a result, eight requirements were raised. The report is available on Ofsted’s website.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to view the provider’s progress since the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

No children were living at the home. The child who was living at the home at the time of the full inspection left two days later.

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This monitoring visit

Currently, there are not enough staff for the home to open. However, recent recruitment has been undertaken and successful candidates are going through safer recruitment checks. The provider is in the process of reviewing and updating the home’s statement of purpose to reflect these staffing changes.

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This monitoring visit

Annual health and safety checks remain current and no issues have arisen relating to the environment since the last child moved out. The provider intends to redecorate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 2 the home before another child moves in. An independent visitor visits the home monthly and has identified no issues or concerns with the environment.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has submitted an action plan to Ofsted with work undertaken to address the eight requirements raised at the last inspection. Some positive work has been undertaken in addressing these shortfalls. As the requirements remain in date they have not been judged during this visit. They will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2022 Full Inadequate 24/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/07/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 4

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s medication reviews are scheduled when required. 25 April 2022

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that risk assessments include all information about known risks to the child and set out clear guidance for staff about how to manage and reduce these risks. 25 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 5 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

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there are sufficient staff, that they have received mandatory training, and that they receive induction and supervision. In addition, the registered manager must ensure that investigation activity takes place when there are concerns about staff’s practice. 25 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 25 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which 25 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 6 the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that all gaps in employment are checked and information about the worker is clear and consistent.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that recording of interventions used is clear, and that children and staff receive debriefs following incidents. 25 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. 25 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 7 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the home having an up-to-date rota.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need for a child’s up-to-date care plan and education plan to be in place. 25 April 2022

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 8

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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

Registered manager: Caroline Adams-Evans

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Inspector

James Tallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC476486 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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