Children's Home run by Aspris New Education Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 1 SC443959 Registered provider: Aspris New Education Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by an independent company. The home is registered to provide care for up to eight children with learning disabilities, of whom up to three can be accommodated on a short-break basis. The registered manager was appointed to her post in 2012.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Full Good 18/07/2019 Full Outstanding 09/05/2018 Full Outstanding 08/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 3

p.2

outstanding

At the time of the inspection, six children were living in the home. Two additional children were using the home for short breaks. Since the last inspection, two children have left the home. Children’s transitions out of the home were fully supported by the staff and manager to ensure that there was minimal disruption to children and their routines.

p.3

outstanding

The children living at the home are exceptionally well cared for. The staff team is fully committed to all the children. All staff deliver individualised care that enables children to make exceptional and sustained progress.

p.3

outstanding

Children are supported and encouraged to become more independent and active. Children have also been encouraged to develop their skills in attending to their own personal care needs. This has supported children’s independence skills.

p.3

outstanding

The home environment is very spacious, organised and safe for children. The layout of the home ensures that each child has a wide variety of art and craft materials, games, books and toys for their use.

p.3

outstanding

Observations gave a clear indication that there are caring relationships between the staff and children. For example, staff show affection to children as they arrive home from school, and all the staff celebrated a child’s birthday with balloons and a birthday cake.

p.3

outstanding

Prior to moving in to the home, children did not have access to the communications systems that are now readily available to them. This is supporting children to have a voice and express their views, feelings and wishes.

p.3

outstanding

Children make sustained progress in improving their health, emotional well-being, education, personal care, communication, social interactions and family relationships. Staff make sure that the environment and activities meet each child’s sensory needs.

p.3

outstanding

Family time is promoted, and children enjoy time with their families. This ensures that children maintain a sense of connection with the significant people in their lives.

p.3

outstanding

Education is promoted for all children. Communication between school staff and staff at the home is excellent. This supports children in their educational outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 4

p.3

outstanding

The staff all know the children in their care extremely well. The children each have a detailed risk assessment, which is regularly updated to reflect any changes for the child. The risk assessments include realistic strategies and are effective in supporting staff to keep children safe.

p.4

outstanding

All staff have a thorough, research-based understanding of child development, learning difficulties and autism. The knowledge acquired by staff through the research-based approach enables managers and staff to make effective decisions about how to support children. The supportive approach and celebration of positive behaviour have meant that children’s emotional needs are well met.

p.4

outstanding

Children benefit from a physically safe, cosy, homely and comfortable living environment. The accommodation provided for children is well maintained and of a high standard. Children’s bedrooms are nicely decorated and reflect their needs and personalities. The home has a designated games area, with a wide variety of art and craft materials, games, books and toys for children’s use.

p.4

outstanding

Children benefit from highly effective support, help and protection. Staff maintain highly effective partnerships with the safeguarding agencies to promote the safety and well-being of children. A teacher told the inspector, ‘The children are doing remarkably well, the progress they are making is remarkable.’

p.4

outstanding

Children rarely go missing from the home. On the isolated occasions when a child has been absent or gone missing from the home, staff have actively looked for them to ensure their quick and safe return. Staff use individual missing-from-home protocols, and risk assessments are updated following a missing incident. The manager ensures that there is robust oversight of each incident record and that children are spoken to by an independent person.

p.4

outstanding

Staff are trained and skilled in behaviour management and use their skills to support children effectively. Staff use effective de-escalation strategies to prevent incidents and behaviours from escalating. When restraint is used, it is always the very last resort in order to keep children safe. There are clear policies and procedures in place. Following all incidents, records are completed. The manager has a direct overview of all incidents.

p.4

outstanding

The robust and detailed recruitment process ensures that only adults who are safe to work with children are appointed to work in the home. Rigorous induction programmes ensure that staff are equipped to care safely for each child in a manner that protects their rights and dignity.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager demonstrates effective leadership of the home. The manager is extremely knowledgeable and experienced in caring for children with autism and Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 5 severe learning needs. Additionally, the manager is well qualified and has over 20 years’ experience of working with vulnerable children. The manager is an inspirational leader who relentlessly champions the needs of the children in her care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager promotes an excellent team spirit and is nurturing and supportive of staff’s practice and learning. The manager leads staff by example and inspires the staff team to work to the best of their abilities to achieve positive outcomes for children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and deputy manager work closely together to monitor and measure the progress of children monthly. This demonstrates the positive impact that living at the home has had on children, including improving their life chances. However, not all records are signed and dated by the author.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Skilled and motivated staff members provide high-quality care for children. The staff team is long-standing. All staff members possess the appropriate qualification for their practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff team share information appropriately with relevant stakeholders. This ensures that all parties understand the children’s needs. One parent spoke of how her daughter had already overcome a number of fears and the progress that she had made with her speech, traveling in the car, and managing her emotions. Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that case records are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

p.6

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: SC443959 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspris New Education Services Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8