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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2592242 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 home is registered to provide care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home.

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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: 11 October 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: 2592242 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2592242 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care experiences are positive. They have lived in the home for over two years and have developed trusting relationships with staff. Many positive interactions between children and staff were observed during this inspection. Children’s confidence has grown in sharing their views with different adults involved with their lives to affect change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence. Children make hot drinks and cook meals independently, and they are encouraged with other household tasks. When focused support is needed to help them with specific tasks, this is identified and implemented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The progress that children make is mixed. One child is making continued progress. They engage in positive activities, are achieving at school and are looking forward to moving on to college. They spend quality time with their family, who spoke positively about their child’s care and the progress that they have made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is not making sustained progress. Their school attendance is sporadic, and they do not always participate in positive activities. They have been fully involved with decision-making that has informed the decision to end their care arrangements. Despite current difficulties, the child described the care that they receive as positive, as did their social worker.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive care that is sensitive to their needs. Staff understand children’s needs well. They invest time in listening to them and supporting them. External specialist support is implemented for children, but strategies used by staff are not always effective in helping children to achieve desired outcomes.

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

Staff take appropriate action in response to one child going missing from the home. The missing-from-home protocol provides clear guidance to staff about what actions they should take when the child is missing, including at night. The requirement made at the assurance inspection relating to this protocol is met.

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

One child spoke to the inspector about what adults are worried about when they are in the community. This indicates that staff spend time talking to them about specific risk factors. Safeguarding measures have increased to help protect the child. However, strategies to reduce the child’s mobile phone use and ensure that they are safe online are not robust and negatively impact on the child’s engagement in positive activities and routines and their emotional well-being.

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

The manager has forged strong links with partner agencies to help protect one child when they are in the community. Following incidents, information is gathered and Inspection report for children’s home: 2592242 4 shared with professionals appropriately to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This has informed actions taken by external agencies to disrupt unsafe activities in the community.

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

Staff respond appropriately when incidents occur, and their interventions to help the child are recorded clearly. However, interventions are often in response to presenting risk factors and do not always address underlying issues. For instance, staff’s responses to one child self-harming are sensitive and appropriate, but opportunities to help the child develop alternative strategies and manage their feelings when they feel overwhelmed have been missed.

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

Children’s risk assessments do not clearly identify current risks. Separate protocols are created to provide guidance to staff to address significant risks of harm, and staff are clear about the actions that they should take in these circumstances. The registered manager discussed learning from incidents to improve the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers recognise the strengths of the home and the areas in which it needs to develop. The registered manager seems confident and committed in their role to continually improve children’s experiences and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home environment is well maintained, and rooms have been designed with children in mind. The registered manager has considered the impact of office areas on children and created a more homely environment. They intend to use the large outside area when new children move into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children experience continuity of care from an established and stable staff team. There have been no changes in staffing arrangements, and many staff members have worked in the home since it opened. They feel supported and enjoy working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is informed about care provided to children, but there is an over-reliance on discussions with staff members and observations in the home to review quality of care. The systems for recording do not promote effectively planned care in the home, and at times, support for children is not clearly defined and has not progressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and support. When practice issues arise, these are addressed promptly. Staff are completing qualifications that are required for the role, and they receive a range of training. However, training does not always equip staff with the depth of knowledge and skills that are needed to address the more- complex needs of each child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2592242 5

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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, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff acquire in-depth knowledge and skills to be able to respond to children’s more-complex needs and the underlying issues that negatively impact on their safety and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered manager must review and implement alternative care approaches if children are not making progress within designated timescales. 13 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that care planning clearly defines children’s needs and the support to be provided from staff. This should be planned and delivered effectively. 13 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2592242 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: 2592242 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, 43 Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2592242 8 regulates and inspects 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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