Children's Home run by Ashwood Children’s Care Homes (Aspen House) Ltd in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2675775 1 Registered provider: Ashwood Children Care Home Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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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: 29 November 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2675775 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2675775 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming, clean and well maintained. There are suitable and comfortable furnishings that provide children with a pleasant home. Children have access to areas for privacy, play and socialisation. Children’s photos, along with their art and creative works, are displayed throughout the home. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and clean with adequate storage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use creative methods to ensure that children are able to participate and contribute to the day-to-day decisions about their lives. Children said that they like living in their home and are listened to by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care is individualised to meet their unique needs. Staff provide nurturing care and support. Managers and staff use mindful language to ensure that they promote a homely experience for children. The manager is working hard to support the children with the recent changes to staff. She has sensitively included the children in the recruitment of new staff, which has been welcomed by the children. This means children are appropriately involved and have their say regarding who is caring for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are encouraged and supported with their education. As a result, all children are attending school and say they enjoy school. Children are also accessing a range of after-school activities. This helps them to develop new skills, confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s physical, emotional and psychological health and well- being are supported. Care is tailored to the specific needs of each child. Children have access to a psychotherapist that works in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported in all areas of their development and are making good progress. A child has been supported to progress from home tuition to full-time schooling. Managers and staff work with children’s care plans to ensure that children are receiving the care they need. The manager and staff provide good help and support to new children moving to the home. This ensures that children receive a sensitive and thoughtful approach from staff to ensure this move is successful. The same consideration is demonstrated by managers and staff when children move on to independent living or home with family. This is undertaken sensitively to give the children every chance of success in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff actively encourage and support children to build and maintain links with their families. Staff travel with children to see their family. One child is well supported to maintain their relationship with family members who live overseas. This is achieved through telephone and video calls. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675775 4

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

The managers and staff have developed good relationships with the children, and they have a good understanding of their risks and vulnerabilities. New staff who have been recently recruited to the home have also developed their knowledge of the safeguarding needs of the children. Staff know what to do should they have any worries or concerns for children’s safety. Consequently, children are safe at this home.

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

Children are supported to recognise and become increasingly able to manage their behaviours and feelings. The manager and staff use this information to update and amend the individual risk and behaviour management plans for children. These plans are accurate and sufficiently detailed to support staff in providing the best care for children, including during times when children are struggling to manage their behaviour.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When this has occurred, the managers and staff have ensured that their response is swift and in line with relevant safeguarding procedures. Children are well supported with the safe use of online platforms. The manager ensures that all staff have regular safeguarding training. This is prioritised with any current or emerging risks to the children.

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

Staff promote children’s behaviour through praise, and unwanted behaviour is managed with de-escalation methods and individual rewards. Therefore, the number of incidents where staff have used physical intervention is low. When this has taken place, children are supported throughout and after the intervention. Children are given the opportunity to express their feelings and also make a complaint. The manager has good oversight of any interventions.

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

The manager ensures that staff act professionally and with high standards of integrity and good conduct. If at any point staff conduct drops below expectation, the manager takes swift and decisive action. The manager liaises effectively with the relevant external agencies if any allegations or complaints are made against staff to ensure that a rigorous investigation takes place and that the children are always safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is ambitious for the children and is acutely aware of the impact of staff changes on children. She is working hard to ensure the careful recruitment of staff who are committed to promote consistent care for children. Children have a good relationship with the manager, who remains visible and available to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear vision for the home and is working to further embed a therapeutic approach to the care that children receive. She has a good understanding of the individual experiences and needs of the children and is proactive in supporting the progress of children’s care plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675775 5 Staff are provided with effective one-to-one supervision and team meetings. The manager uses these meetings to promote clear communication, opportunities for learning and to improve and develop care practice. The manager is supported by an equally committed deputy manager and has regular and supportive supervision with the responsible individual. There is support provided through the home’s senior leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say or report that the manager is very supportive and approachable. A staff member said he has been able to work collaboratively with the manager in developing the process of induction for new staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the home. They understand that the current shortfall in qualified staff is an area for improvement. However, she is proactive in ensuring that new staff are supported and given the training and guidance they need to care and support the children. The manager is proactive with her continual professional development, which is grounded in her aspirations to provide the best care and experience for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works effectively with external professionals. Feedback from professionals is very good. All fed back that the manager and staff are very responsive to the needs of the children and that children are making progress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2675775 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role have the required qualification within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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: 2675775 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ashwood Children Care Home Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: G43a Repton House, Bretby Business Park, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire DE15 0YZ

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Inspector

Angela Duffus-Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2675775 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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