Children's home run by Aspris Care Central Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 1 SC476570 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company and provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since August 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/06/2021 Full Good 25/02/2020 Full Outstanding 16/07/2018 Full Outstanding 04/07/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 3

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outstanding

Since the last inspection, one child moved back home to their family and one child has moved in to the home. Children experience well-planned and detailed moves. Impact assessments are created to help children prepare for change emotionally and practically. Children already living at the home are consulted about new children moving in. They are encouraged to help new children to settle by spending time together. One child bought welcome gifts for a new child. This helps children to feel secure and establish relationships. At the time of this inspection, five children were living at the home.

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outstanding

Staff understand and believe in the home’s therapeutic models as the foundation to build good relationships. Staff are attentive to the children’s emotional needs. They have a nurturing and respectful approach to children. Staff prioritise and focus their time on being with children. They talk with children about anything that worries them. This helps children to develop and understand healthy relationships when earlier experiences and trauma may have prevented this opportunity. Children who have extremely complex histories and needs are helped to understand their past and enabled to make changes that help them to develop socially, emotionally and educationally.

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outstanding

Staff help children to take part in charity events in the local community. Children learn to understand the importance of volunteering and giving back to others in need. Staff have organised for children to work with wildlife charities. Children have planted trees as part of a charitable project. Children regularly volunteer their time to complete beach cleans. They work alongside a hedgehog rescue charity. The children care for injured hedgehogs and release them into the wild. Children build self-esteem and gain a sense of belonging and worth through the opportunities that staff provide for them.

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outstanding

Staff provide a wide range of activities for children, individually and in groups. One child asked to go to London. The staff organised this for him and, as a result, he has built his confidence in going to busier areas. Staff arranged for one child to travel on a plane for the first time. Staff organised a group event with another children’s home. This provided opportunities for children to build new friendships.

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outstanding

All children are in education and their attendance is good. One child has successfully completed a college course in tourism and works part time. One child is predicted to achieve high GCSE grades and plans to be an accountant. One child, who had not been in education previously, is now enjoying school. Staff help children with their homework. Staff attend parents’ evenings and events held by schools. They provide routines for children, so that children are prepared for the school day. Children are making good progress with their education. Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 4 Children are helped to spend time with family and friends. Some children’s families live a significant distance from the home. Staff help children to use video technology so that they can see each other. Staff take children to spend time with their friends. One child has overnight stays away from the home with their family. Staff carefully

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outstanding

assess this to make certain that the child is safe. One child said, ‘The staff are really helpful. They take me to see my girlfriend and she can come over here. They welcome her.’ Staff are creating spaces in the home for children to spend time with their friends.

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

Staff know children’s strengths and vulnerabilities well. They understand how past experiences can affect behaviour and dictate children’s needs. Staff use their knowledge and relationships with children to help them understand what is expected of them. As a result, there have been no physical interventions or missing-from-care episodes since the last inspection. Children are protected from significant harm by staff, who understand how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns.

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

Staff use meaningful sanctions and rewards to help children understand their behaviour. Staff use a restorative approach with children, which the children learn from. Children are encouraged to write letters of apology and attend specific workshops on respect and safety. Children’s kindness and achievements are reinforced through individualised rewards. Children learn to manage their feelings and understand how their actions may affect other people.

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

Staff understand the risks and benefits of children using the internet and mobile phones. Staff use technology to have a good oversight of children’s actions on social media. They meet with children to discuss any concerns that they have about their media searches. Staff use these meetings to help children understand about risks posed to them and how they can keep themselves safe. One child said, ‘I can only have my mobile phone for two hours, which is annoying, but the staff want me to keep safe, so I understand.’

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

Staff help children to understand how to develop healthy and safe relationships. Children meet with the home’s therapist. Staff follow up these meetings with planned therapeutic sessions. This helps children to learn through repeated and consistent messages on safety. Children’s risk factors have reduced since living in the home.

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

Staff help children to look after their own mental health. They hold mindfulness sessions for children after their monthly children’s meetings. These sessions are well attended by children. Children are helped to understand breathing techniques, gratitude and being present in the moment.

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

Staff understand how to reduce harm to children. Children are involved in reviewing their own risk assessments. However, sessions that record children’s involvement are generic and do not evidence that the child understands what risks have changed and how staff will respond. Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is experienced and qualified to manage and lead the home. The deputy manager plays an active role in the day-to-day management. Together, they influence the staff team through their passion for improving children’s outcomes. Staff morale is high. The staff feel well supported by the management team and enjoy working at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals and families about the manager and staff is extremely positive. All of those spoken with said that communication is excellent and that children are making good progress. Staff are described as forward-thinking and transforming children’s lives through their approaches.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has developed a strong safeguarding culture. Staff are trained in safeguarding vulnerable children. The manager uses a range of presentations, models and quizzes with staff to identify shortfalls in their knowledge. She addresses shortfalls through additional training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular reflective supervision by trained managers. Staff understand the impact that their actions have on children. Managers address any shortfalls in practice without delay. There is a focus on how staff maintain professional boundaries with children while building trusting relationships. Staff understand the complexities of working with children who have experienced trauma in their previous relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the strengths and areas for development at the home. She uses effective audit tools to monitor the progress that children are making. A detailed development plan is in place to make certain that the staff are providing new experiences for children. Children, families and professionals are consulted about development plans for the home. Consequently, children designed and decorated the home’s cinema room based on their wishes and feelings. Staff are recognised by children for going above and beyond expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager facilitates and advocates for all children to be involved in their reviews and meetings about them. This helps children to lead all professionals in how they want to live their lives and plan for their own futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has met both requirements raised at the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff inform children when their risks have changed and how staff will respond to risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, page 22, paragraph 4.9)

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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 children’s home: SC476570 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care 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: Victoria Wallace

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Inspector

Mandy Start, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC476570 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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