Children's home run by Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

Inspection report children's home: 2613488 1 Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately-run home provides care for up to two children with learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager left in May 2023. An acting manager was appointed in September 2023 and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2613488 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/08/2022 Full Good 09/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: 2613488 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This service previously provided short breaks and support for up to three children. In November 2023 the service changed to a children’s home. At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A comprehensive introduction plan ensured that the children were supported with a smooth move to the home. Staff spent a considerable amount of time getting to know the children. Consequently, the children have settled in well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality support and individualised care. Staff are experienced and dedicated. They forge positive relationships with the children. Interactions between staff and children are compassionate and reassuring. This nurturing approach is modelled consistently by the manager and the staff. This helps children to develop the sense of security and stability that they need to thrive and make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have complex health-care needs. Staff understand the children’s needs and work closely with other professionals to ensure that these needs are being met. Children are supported with regular appointments. There have been improvements in children’s dental health and diets. Professionals are pleased with the overall improvements in children’s health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s relationships with their families are supported. Regular time with families ensures that the children maintain positive relationships with the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s attendance at school is good. Effective communication between the staff and school staff ensures that there is partnership working and a consistent approach to meet children’s needs. Children benefit from this well-coordinated approach to education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children use alternative communication systems. Pictures, sign language and visual prompts are detailed in their communication plans as their preferred communication methods. However, staff are not consistently using these when working directly with the children. This reduces the opportunity for the children to make choices and express their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and accommodates the children’s specialist equipment. Children’s bedrooms are personalised. Photos of the children and their families are on display, along with the children’s artwork. There are several health and safety signs on the walls and these detract from what is otherwise a homely environment. Inspection report children's home: 2613488 4

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

Staff have good working relationships with other agencies, such as social workers, schools and medical professionals. The effectiveness of these relationships helps to keep the children safe.

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

The staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, and have a good knowledge of whistle-blowing procedures. The staff’s safeguarding knowledge is continually reflected during practice-based meetings and supervision sessions.

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

Children have high levels of supervision. Children’s support plans are clearly written. Risk assessments include appropriate strategies to support staff in managing risks. However, the children’s moving and handling risk assessments do not provide detailed instructions for staff to follow when they physically lift children. This could lead to potential injury to children and staff.

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

The home provides specialist equipment and ceiling hoists for the children. The mobile hoist has not worked for several weeks. Actions taken to resolve this issue, have been unsuccessful. This has meant that on several occasions staff have had to lift children to change their positions.

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

The fire door in the kitchen has not closed properly since October 2023. This does not ensure that all measures are in place to keep children safe from fire hazards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A dedicated and experienced manager manages the home. She is in the process of registering with Ofsted. The staff speak highly of the manager and said that they feel supported personally and professionally. Staff enjoy working at the home. The positive team morale helps to provide children with a positive atmosphere.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established a stable and motivated staff team. They enjoy working at the home. Children benefit from consistent and familiar staff each day. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals provide positive feedback about the children’s care and progress. The manager and staff have good working relationships with the school and other professionals, which provides consistency for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of staff’s strengths and the areas they need support to develop. Staff have regular supervision sessions and annual appraisals. Individual practice issues are addressed, and plans are generated to help staff develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication at the home is good. Team meetings are held regularly. The meetings are child-focused and provide a forum for discussion and decision-making. This helps staff to feel confident in their approach and to be consistent in their responses. Inspection report children's home: 2613488 5 Newly appointed staff receive a thorough induction which includes the home’s mandatory training and shadow shifts with experienced staff. Good induction prepares staff to meet children’s needs and provide continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A wide range of training is provided. However, some of the staff have not acquired the relevant level 3 qualification within the requisite time frame. Therefore, not all staff have the qualifications required for their roles. Inspection report children's home: 2613488 6

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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, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the 'Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards'. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that action is taken to repair the fire door in the kitchen. 29 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that mobile hoists are repaired and that children’s moving and handling assessments provide staff with detailed instructions to manually lift children. 9 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. 9 April 2024 Inspection report children's home: 2613488 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. (Regulation 7 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff consistently use children’s individual communication systems and seek the children’s wishes and feelings.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 9 April 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they provide a nurturing, homely environment. In particular, consider the health and safety signs on display in the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9). Inspection report children's home: 2613488 8

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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 Childrens Homes Regulations, including the quality standards'. Inspection report children's home: 2613488 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 80 Compair Crescent, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 0EH

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Inspector

Rachel Watkinson, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 2613488 10 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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