Children's Home, Residential special school run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC401685 1 SC401685

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Aspris Children’s Services Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care for up to 23 children with learning disabilities. There are currently nine children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Children who live in the home all attend the school that is operated by the same organisation, which is not on the same site. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a permanent registered manager at the home, who is experienced and qualified.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place due to concerns raised by health professionals in relation to the care of children at this home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has informed Ofsted that they intend to close this children’s home on 10 July 2024. This is due to prolonged recruitment challenges and environment concerns. Managers at the home also recognise that the children are no longer well suited to live together. Some children who are living closely alongside one another, have opposing and competing needs.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment needs constant refurbishment and repair due to the age of the property and the damage caused by behaviours of the children. While the home is clean and tidy, and there have been some areas of refurbishment, there continues to be areas that are worn, tired, and in need of updating. One child is unable to access his kitchen as it is locked. There are no assessed risks around this. Therefore, this is an unnecessary restriction. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC401685 2 There has been a significant change in staffing at the home. This has impacted on the consistency of children’s care. This has also affected the ability of children to build and sustain trusted relationships with staff. The home is sufficiently staffed because staff work overtime, and there are regular bank and agency staff. Action has been taken to address poor performance for some staff. Supervision meetings

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This monitoring visit

for staff and training continue to take place. Temporary and casual staff are provided with suitable induction and support.

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This monitoring visit

Poor planning has led to a delay in securing healthcare and treatment for children, on occasions. As a result, it has taken longer to access medical attention and resolve health concerns.

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This monitoring visit

There are a high number of occasions when staff physically intervene to manage children’s behaviour. Overall, these are necessary and are only carried out by staff who are trained in the home’s approach. Children do not always have the opportunity to discuss this experience and, when they do, their feedback is not explored further. For example, there was a lack of curiosity when a child said that they were sad.

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This monitoring visit

Children enjoy a range of activities at the home. They benefit from the outdoor space. For example, they use their bikes and scooters and the trampoline.

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This monitoring visit

There is a commitment by managers to continue to provide quality care and keep children safe for the remainder of their time living at the home. Managers and staff are working in partnership with families and professionals to support children’s plans for moving on from the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has met some of the previous requirements and recommendations. One requirement has been restated, and a new requirement and two recommendations have been made. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC401685 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/09/2023 Full Good 22/11/2022 Full Good 22/02/2022 Full Outstanding 04/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC401685 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the home is a welcoming and homely environment. This also relates to ongoing monitoring to ensure that the home is kept clean and well maintained. 10 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to— 10 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC401685 5 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children receive healthcare without delay.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children can access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any child who has been restrained has the opportunity to express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the restraint into account. In some cases, children may need longer to work through their feelings. Staff should be curious and respond to children’s feelings accordingly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC401685 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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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, Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Inspectors

Alison Snell, Social Care Inspector Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC401685 7 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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