Children's home run by Aspris Care Central Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC476570 1 SC476570 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private company and provides care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2023.

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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: SC476570 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2022 Full Outstanding 16/06/2021 Full Good 25/02/2020 Full Outstanding 16/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC476570 3

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outstanding

Five children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Children make significant progress because of their time in the home. This is widely reported by social workers, education professionals, parents and children themselves. A parent described the home as a ‘home away from home’ and spoke positively about the experiences and care that their child has received in their time living at the home.

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outstanding

Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home and three children have moved in. Children experience planned moves out of the home. One child was supported to move on to post-16 accommodation, which was in line with their wishes. The child said:

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outstanding

‘I’d be happy to live at [name of home] another few years if I was allowed. It was really sad to leave, but I can come and visit, which is really nice. I haven’t lived anywhere as nice as [name of home], it’s a brilliant place.’

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outstanding

Another child was helped to move to another of the organisation’s homes. This enabled the child to have more age-appropriate social freedom due to the progress that they had made at this needs-specific home. Staff went above and beyond all expectations to help one child move on at 18 when wider care planning was not sufficient.

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outstanding

Staff remain in contact with children when they leave the home. Staff visit and speak to children regularly for as long they need, to help them settle into new places. One child, who left the home in June 2023, has been to visit the home as recently as February 2024. Children have long-standing relationships with staff and develop a sense of belonging because of the caring support they receive from them.

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outstanding

The manager and staff are ambitious for the life experiences that they wish to provide to children. Children enjoy new and enriching life experiences. They are encouraged to volunteer in the local community, participate in charity fundraising events and give back to their local community through local appeals. Children develop a sense of responsibility from participating in these social opportunities.

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outstanding

Staff support children to regularly engage with activities in accordance with their likes and interests. Children have been to theme parks, the beach, assault courses and on holidays with peers. Staff make sure that activities suit individual children. A child has been camping and fishing individually as an alternative to the larger peer holiday. Staff are adaptable to best meet children’s wishes. All the children participate in different hobbies or clubs and their interests are nurtured and developed with the support of staff. One child is creating a music studio in his bedroom and takes part in tutoring each week to pursue his interest in music. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476570 4 Children’s experiences are meticulously documented in memorabilia boxes, photo albums and annotated picture books. Children have excellent and enriching opportunities, which are carefully captured by staff. This helps children to feel highly

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outstanding

Three children attend education settings that meet their needs and have good attendance. Two children now have education settings identified. One child has experienced delays in their education. This child, with the support provided by the manager, has accessed an advocate who has helped them to make a complaint about their education experiences. The manager works with other professionals and champions children’s access to education. The manager has repurposed a room to support education at home while education plans continue to be made for this child. Staff continue to provide resources and activities to children to support their educational needs. Despite some delays, all children are making good progress.

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outstanding

Staff support children to explore their feelings and behaviours in safe ways. Since the last inspection, staff have not used any restrictive holds to help children manage their behaviour. Staff are highly skilled at working with children to provide them with emotional support and reassurance at times of distress.

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outstanding

Staff regularly review children’s vulnerabilities to ensure that necessary safeguards are in place. Children’s care plans and risk assessments are individualised to each child. These change over time to reflect the positive progress that children are making. The manager has purposefully amended documents to make them more child led. Children are helped to understand these plans to enable them to make more positive choices.

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outstanding

Children benefit from weekly support from a therapist who visits the home. The therapist helps children to explore their feelings and behaviour to help them think about ways to keep themselves safe in the future. Over time, children’s risks are reducing.

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outstanding

Staff carry out focused work with children to help them to think about kind actions and behaviour with their peers. Children can access a curated calm box containing items to help them feel calmer. Staff help children to live well together despite their differences.

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outstanding

Staff rarely use consequences for behaviour, other than in response to situations that need immediate safeguards. Children are spoken to about any behavioural consequences and helped to understand why these used. Staff consistently and frequently praise and reward children for their achievements and positive behaviour. Children feel valued and their self-esteem grows because of the positive praise that they receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476570 5 Children who live at this home experience increased vulnerabilities online and in the community. Staff understand online risks and carry out relevant checks and implement safeguards to help keep children safe. On a few occasions, despite safeguards in place, a child has been able to access the internet without appropriate staff supervision. On these occasions, staff were quick to respond to the risks. There has been management oversight and learning from these events. This has increased

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left their post and is now the responsible individual for the home. The deputy manager at the time became the manager and has since registered with Ofsted. This change has given the children and staff consistency despite a change in leadership. Together, leaders are passionate about improving children’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads the home with commitment and enthusiasm. She ensures that children have excellent life experiences when they come to live at the home. The manager is confident in her knowledge of the quality of care provided to children. She regularly consults with children, families and professionals to inform her understanding of the care provided and she unreservedly advocates on behalf of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has strong relationships with social workers, education professionals and families. The quality of communication between agencies helps to provide attuned responses to children’s changing needs. Feedback about the home is resoundingly positive. An education professional said, ‘The staff are fantastic. They work really well with [name of child] individually, with us and with us all as a package.’ Another professional said, ‘This home, in terms of an environment for children, is probably the best that I have worked in. These staff know the children really well, they make it a positive environment.’ A social worker said that their child receives ‘excellent, thoughtful and child-focused care’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff create plans for children that are bespoke to their changing needs. Children’s needs are well understood and well documented by staff across all records. Staff are confident in their approaches with children and understand their complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive a detailed induction and a have a clear training plan for their first six months in employment. Staff have specific training to help them understand the individual needs and vulnerabilities of children who live at this home. Staff receive effective ongoing training and use team meetings to share theories and research to improve their practice. The manager uses a variety of resources, quizzes and articles to inform staff learning during team meetings and supervision sessions, and staff actively contribute to these discussions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular and effective supervision. The sessions focus on a variety of topics and are used to explore children’s progress, staff training and development Inspection report for children’s home: SC476570 6 and to consider any safeguarding issues. Practice issues are discussed swiftly with staff. The manager fully understands the staff team’s strengths and development needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager prioritises staff’s well-being and provides specific well-being boxes for them as well as gestures of thanks and rewards at team meetings throughout the year. As a result, morale is high and staff turnover is low.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has met the recommendation raised at the previous inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476570 7

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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: SC476570 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care 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

Rebecca Hannell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC476570 9 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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