Children's Home run by Aspire House Ltd in Brent

Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 1 Registered provider: Aspire House Ltd 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 for up to five children. In its statement of purpose, the provider states that care is provided for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 14 May 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

This inspection was conducted on site and involved meetings with children, staff and managers. Email and telephone contact took place with parents, family members and placing authority social workers.

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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 January 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/08/2019 Full Good 22/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s overall experience and progress have improved since the previous inspection. Children now receive individualised care and support. Staff have completed relevant training to meet the specific needs of the children in their care. Staff report that the training has improved their understanding of the children’s needs. As a result, children receive appropriate support, and they make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in education. Leaders and managers are proactive and advocate well for children to ensure that they receive the appropriate education provision. They work with the professional network to ensure that children who are struggling with their education have alternative plans. This ensures that children remain in education and make progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to develop their interests and talents such as cooking. This helps children to learn and develop their skills. Additionally, this gives children structure and supports their plans for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have recently been offered and/or completed training to help them to work closely with children, to support children to develop different strategies to manage difficult feelings. Staff are reflective and review the strategies they use when they are not effective. As a result, children remain settled in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with children and families to improve their relationships. When staff identify any areas of support needed, they bring children and parents together. Leaders and managers offer additional support to parents that helps them to understand their children’s needs better. This helps children to maintain important relationships.

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

Safeguarding practice is stronger than it was at the previous inspection. There is a proactive response from the manager and staff to reduce risk. Leaders and managers work closely with parents and relevant professionals. Safeguarding measures are put in place, such as internet safeguards and safety plans with family members. This provides a greater level of protection for children.

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

Children receive specialist support from external agencies. Leaders and managers advocate for children to ensure that they have regular reviews of their health and medication. Despite this, some of the children’s health records have not been updated. Specialist support is effective and is helping children to make positive changes to their lifestyle. Additionally, it is helping children to understand themselves better and enabling them to access appropriate support. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 4 Children have developed positive and trusting relationships with staff. Children speak positively about their key workers and report that they can talk to them easily. This enables children to talk to staff openly about issues that are worrying them and provides stability for children.

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

Children’s risk assessments are robust, and they clearly identify known and potential risks to children. Risk assessments include clear plans and actions for staff to support children and mitigate the risks. Safeguarding practice is further strengthened by the training provided to staff to help them to understand and recognise risk.

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

Key-work sessions focus on children’s individual needs and are in line with their plans. Frequent key-work sessions ensure that they are relevant to the child and what is happening in their lives. Staff use information about children to plan effective key-work sessions. Training provides staff with additional skills to provide meaningful support to children. This strengthens relationships and helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

The response from staff when children are missing from the home has significantly improved. Staff are proactive and contact children and family members to ascertain children’s whereabouts and encourage their prompt return home. Staff report children missing from home accordingly and in line with local procedures. Leaders and managers challenge placing authorities when independent return home interviews are not offered to children.

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

Further improvement is required in the recruitment of new staff to demonstrate safer recruitment practice. Recruitment files for new staff now evidence up-to-date information about DBS and reference verification. However, staff photographic identity checks are not evident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have taken sufficient action to meet the majority of the requirements raised at the previous inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work proactively with other agencies and families. They take onboard feedback from stakeholders and respond quickly when required. Feedback from placing social workers and parents is positive. This demonstrates that children receive well-rounded and consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are well informed and have a clear understanding of the progress children make. They recognise when children are struggling and if the care provided is not meeting their needs. They work with the professional network to ensure that alternative plans are in place for children when necessary. This helps children to get the right support to meet their needs and provides them with stability. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 5 Staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision focuses on children’s needs, experiences and plans. Safeguarding issues are discussed, as well as staff development needs. This demonstrates effective management oversight of staff practice and development, and the progress children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale is positive. Staff feel well supported and report that the care provided to children is of a high level. Staff retention is good. This provides stability and consistency of care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s physical environment is well maintained and safe for children. The home is warm and welcoming and has a family atmosphere. This helps children to feel comfortable in their home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 6

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

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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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that recruitment records demonstrate that staff identity checks have been completed. 10 June 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the specific responsibilities of the home towards supporting the health and well-being of each child are agreed with the placing authority and recorded accurately in the child’s placement plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.7)

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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: 1278959 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 32 Byron Hill Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 0HY

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Inspector

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1278959 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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