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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 1 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 is a privately owned children’s home. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care and accommodation for up to four children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and who may also have other complexities, such as low-level mental health and learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 14 March 2019.

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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 outstanding

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/08/2021 Full Outstanding 12/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/04/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 3

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outstanding

Children understand how important they are to staff and managers, and flourish in this knowledge. No children have left the home, or moved in, since the last full inspection.

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outstanding

Staff share positive relationships with children and encourage them to attend school daily. They support children to understand the benefits of a good education and celebrate their successes with them. When children are not in school, the registered manager finds suitable vocational opportunities such as motor mechanics and music production. From there, children are sensitively encouraged to engage with tuition at a pace suited to their needs. This approach allows children to build their confidence and self-esteem. They learn the benefits of education and develop their social skills. One child recently passed an entry level exam and interviewed for an apprenticeship role. This is significant progress from their starting point.

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outstanding

Staff play a central role in advocating for children and are responsible for attending children’s regular reviews and meetings. This means that relevant professionals receive first-hand information from well-informed staff who know children well. Staff work effectively with a range of agencies to develop unified plans and strategies for children. On one occasion, a key worker helped devise a researched-informed review of one child’s behaviour support plan within their school setting. As a result, the child is happier in school and their behaviour has hugely improved.

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outstanding

Staff have rigorously supported one child with their health needs. As a result, the child has stopped taking their regular medication and has been discharged from the associated clinical services. This has had a tremendous impact on the child’s ability to gain independence, friendships and self-esteem.

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outstanding

Staff encourage children to actively take part in their care arrangements. Children share their thoughts and feelings on the care that they receive. Key workers use this information to update children’s relevant plans. Furthermore, key workers regularly use monitoring to review the use of language recorded in plans. This approach ensures that children’s documents are unique and targeted.

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outstanding

The registered manager is passionate and driven to ensuring that children are central to staff practice, decisions about their lives, the home and the community that they live in. To support this, the registered manager and key workers help children to understand important information by devising child-friendly versions of key documents. These include the home’s location risk assessment, children’s behaviour support plans, and information about any diagnoses or heath conditions. This approach means children receive age-appropriate information. Subsequently, children are supported to share their views and opinions and are confident to do so. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 4

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outstanding

Through exceptional support and consistent care, children have developed trusting relationships with staff who care about them. These relationships help to keep children safe, because they can communicate their worries and fears to staff who respond appropriately and with their best interests at heart.

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outstanding

Support from staff helps children to understand their backgrounds, trauma and behaviours. Consequently, children develop a greater understanding of themselves, and this helps them to learn and develop new strategies. Children are very clear that living in this home is helping them to have greater insight of themselves.

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outstanding

Children all have comprehensive risk assessments which identify their risks and vulnerabilities. The strategies used by staff to support children in managing these risks are clear, and key workers review these plans regularly and robustly after every incident. Risks are triangulated throughout children’s plans, and children are actively encouraged to talk about their behaviours. As a result, risks significantly reduce. This improves children’s long-term life chances and opportunities.

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outstanding

Children’s independence increases when appropriate and when their vulnerabilities can be managed safely. Time spent without staff is reviewed in line with children’s ability to cope with self-management skills and responsibilities, such as good time- keeping. This process is monitored closely, and decisions taken involve social workers, staff and children. This ensures cohesive planning and a strong sense of collaboration to further improve children’s outcomes.

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outstanding

Staff develop excellent missing from care protocols that contain all the important information a member of staff would need to know to respond to such an incident. Staff follow these procedures meticulously and actively work with local and out-of- county police in helping children return to the home safely. The registered manager works tirelessly with linked professionals in reviewing the effectiveness of multi- agency plans and, where needed, appropriately challenges placing authorities. As a result, over a period of time, one child’s missing episodes have significantly reduced.

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outstanding

Key workers create individualised behaviour support plans for children, amending strategies when necessary to meet the evolving needs of the child. Staff encourage children to reflect on their behaviours and, where appropriate, children are involved in thinking about any consequences and taking responsibility for their behaviour. Staff use praise, incentive charts and diversion techniques to promote positive behaviour in the home. As a result, there have been no physical interventions since the last full inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager demonstrates a strong sense of ambition and has high expectations of staff and children. As a result, staff and children feel valued and Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 5 there is a strong shared ethos of love and respect. Children speak highly of the registered manager and benefit immensely from her care and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Each child’s progress and outcomes are carefully and closely monitored by the assistant and registered manager. This means that strategies and targets are adapted and changed responsively. The registered manager’s oversight of children’s plans is extensive and gives an additional layer of scrutiny. This means that records and plans for children are comprehensive, helping to ensure that staff follow clear and up-to-date information. As a result, staff offer children consistent, high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager creates a culture of positivity and togetherness. When there are staff shortages, other staff always cover these. Staff say that they do this by choice and feel no pressure from managers to work additional hours. As a result of their commitment, children are supported by a familiar and experienced staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The skilled managers offer brilliant support and provide regular and reflective supervision to staff. Consequently, staff are able to reflect on their experiences, performance and professional development. Staff say that they feel supported, appreciated and part of the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager uses every opportunity to develop and empower her staff. Staff roles and responsibilities are well understood and enhance individual staff’s strengths and interests. When staff attend training, they are motivated to disseminate any learning to the rest of the team. This way of working means that staff are constantly upskilled and have the latest practice-based knowledge. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 6

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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: 1249715 7

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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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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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