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 home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties, where associated moderate learning difficulties and low-risk mental health concerns may be contributors.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is on the same site as a school and one other children’s home, which are all part of the same organisation. The inspector only inspected the social care provision of this home on this site. The other children’s home on the same site was not part of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2018.

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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

21/03/2023 Full Outstanding 18/08/2021 Full Outstanding 12/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/04/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 3

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outstanding

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. The staff at this home are known as ‘adults’.

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outstanding

The adults working at this home say, ‘This is a small home with a big welcome.’ This is indicative of the accepting and welcoming culture in the home. The adults enable the children to develop safe, stable and secure relationships. Most of the children have lived at the home for five to six years. As a result of the very stable and nurturing environment, children have the opportunity to feel secure and to develop confidence to thrive.

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outstanding

One child said that, since being at the home, they have ‘100% changed’. Their mother agreed and said that the child’s behaviour since living at the home is ‘unrecognisable’. Another child, who recently returned home to live with their family, said, ‘I would be in a dark place, even prison, if it wasn’t for the care, respect and acceptance’ of the adults during their time living at the home.

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outstanding

As a result of the long-standing and trusting relationships between the adults and the children, the children acquire new and appropriate ways to manage difficult feelings and emotions. For example, they have learned to take some time out to be alone or they take the manager’s dog for a walk in the woods.

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outstanding

Adults encourage and support the children’s aspirations and educational achievements. They work creatively to encourage the children to regain their confidence in education. The registered manager acts as a strong advocate for the children, ensuring that others play their part in making sure that the right level of support and help is in place. Consequently, the children make significant academic progress from their starting points.

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outstanding

The adults enable the children to develop essential life skills. Children learn practical skills, such as travelling independently, cooking, saving money and budgeting. Adults helped one child who wants to travel abroad in the future to learn how to book a flight. Adults recognise the importance of helping to prepare the children for their adult life and work towards their own personal goals.

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outstanding

The planning around beginnings and endings of the child’s time at the home is exemplary. The registered manager and the adults take great care to ensure that a child’s first welcome to the home is a positive experience and is planned with them and in consultation with children already living at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 4

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outstanding

Adult practice relating to the protection of children is highly effective. Detailed records are kept of all actions taken in response to safeguarding matters. Swift and thorough action taken by the adults and managers reduces the potential for the children to come to harm. The manager was proactive in making suitable alternative plans with senior leaders and the child’s home local authority when they were no longer able to keep one child safe.

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outstanding

Adults are clear about what to do and who to tell if they have a concern about a child. There is a strong safeguarding focus throughout the culture of the home. This is reflected particularly well in team meetings, where the adults are regularly encouraged and tested to further develop their knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs and the presenting risks. This is also a time when adults discuss and develop their knowledge of wider safeguarding matters.

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outstanding

Children do not go missing from home often. When they do go missing, they experience a well-coordinated and urgent response from the adults. The children’s voices shine out in their individualised care plans and risk assessments, which are of very high quality. Consequently, the adults have an excellent understanding of the children’s strengths and vulnerabilities.

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outstanding

The ethos of the adult team is one of encouraging positive behaviour, kindness and respect between the children, each other and the adults. Children enjoy caring for the home’s pets. Consequently, they develop empathy, responsibility and tolerance because they see the adults modelling these behaviours.

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outstanding

Children feel listened to and are supported to share any worries as soon as they arise. The adults draw on their relationships and knowledge of the children to help them when they are upset or distressed. This approach is effective as there have not been any incidents in the home that have led to adults having to physically intervene with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed effectively by a qualified and inspirational registered manager who leads by example, showing authentic warmth and care for the children. The registered manager’s enthusiasm inspires the adults. Consequently, they share her passion for achieving the best outcomes for children, to change and improve their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Each child’s progress is carefully and closely monitored by the leadership team. This means that interventions and strategies can be quickly adapted and changed if needed. Consequently, the children feel that they matter and that their future is important. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 5 The manager works well with the wider professional network. Feedback from external professionals was extremely positive about the communication between them and the adults. This has helped to create a protective network of support for children, ensuring a more informed and coordinated response to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Thorough external and internal monitoring has successfully created a culture that promotes and drives continuous improvement. The home improvement plan sets out clear outcomes for sustained improvement, reflecting ongoing innovation and creative ideas to provide the children with a very high quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The adults say that they feel well supported and receive regular formal and informal supervision. However, some supervision records are not of a consistent standard. This means that senior managers cannot be fully confident that all the adults are receiving the same level of regular feedback and guidance that they require for their roles. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249715 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that systems are in place so that all adults, including the manager, receive a regular and consistent level of quality supervision of their practice, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. A record of supervision should be kept for all adults. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: Aspris, The Forge, 43 Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Batchelor

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Inspectors

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Chris Warren, 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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