Children's Home run by Aspris New Education Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 1 SC443959 Registered provider: Aspris New Education Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

An independent company owns the home. The home is registered to provide care for up to eight children with learning disabilities, of whom up to three can be cared for on a short-break basis.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was appointed to her post in 2012.

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2023 Full Outstanding 08/03/2022 Full Good 18/07/2019 Full Outstanding 09/05/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children currently living in the home have all lived there for over 18 months. For some children, this stability has come after several different placements. As a result, children have developed a sense of belonging. This helps them to feel settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a welcoming and spacious home. The environment is a relaxed place where children can thrive. The home is designed to meet children’s needs, with access to sensory and outdoor areas. Where there are restrictions on doors due to the complexities of children’s needs, these are reviewed regularly, with a staff team approach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy continuity of care from a stable and consistent staff team. They benefit from good routines and enjoy a wide range of opportunities. Children are learning skills that will support their independence, such as shopping and washing their clothes, while others are learning to eat and dress themselves independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is effective communication between school staff and staff working in the home. Children have good attendance in education, where they are engaging well. Staff support children travelling between school and home and they work with children in both places. This helps to provide consistent care for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand each child’s preferred method of communication and support them to use it to express their wishes and feelings. This helps children make choices about their day-to-day care. Staff provide the children with pictorial aids and emotion mats to help them communicate difficult feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s health needs. Some children have complex health conditions such as epilepsy. Staff ensure they work collaboratively with various health professionals to review plans regularly and support changes to medication treatment programmes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff ensure that children’s positive experiences are captured in videos and photos. Achievements by children are celebrated. This helps children have positive memories of their time living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to explore their faith, culture and identity. Staff are currently supporting one child during Ramadan, and he has attended a mosque for prayer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value children’s relationships with their families. They see the importance of them spending time with people who are important to them. Staff make every effort for this time to be enjoyable. One parent said, ‘I can enjoy spending time with him as his mum when he comes back home, and he is happy when he returns there [the home].’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 4

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

Staff work hard to build trusting relationships with children. They understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Detailed risk management plans provide staff with the necessary strategies to minimise potential risks.

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

The manager takes prompt and effective action to address any safeguarding incidents. When incidents have occurred, the manager completes reflective work with staff to prevent incidents from occurring again.

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

Restraint practices in the home are safe. Staff show children support and care through their responses when children are upset or angry. One parent said, ‘We have seen a reduction in his behaviour due to the consistent approach from staff.’ Following incidents, staff speak to children using communication aids.

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

Leaders and managers ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed. Staff are monitored and appropriate checks are made to ensure that unsuitable people are not recruited. This ensures that children are cared for by staff who have been appropriately checked to work safely with children.

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

Storage of medication is safe and effective medication procedures are in place to ensure that children have appropriate medication when needed. This helps maintain their health and emotional well-being. There have been incidents when children have swallowed inedible objects. Staff follow strategies in children’s risk management plans to keep children safe.

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

The manager ensures that fire drills in the home are safe. Each child has a personal emergency evacuation plan that provides staff with details on the support they require in the event of a fire. All staff are trained in fire safety and the children take part in regular fire drills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and knowledgeable. A deputy supports her. They have worked in the home for several years. Together, they demonstrate strong leadership, and they lead by example. Staff say they are dedicated and professional. The management team is organised and knowledgeable about the children’s complex needs. They are ambitious for children and strive to achieve the best outcomes for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff have completed a wide variety of training that is bespoke to the children’s complex needs. However, not all staff have completed the required qualification in line with regulation. This means that some staff do not have a qualification in working with children and young people. Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 5 Staff say they feel supported and that their professional development is encouraged. There are good induction processes in place for inexperienced staff. There is a large staff team and managers ensure there are adequate staff in the home. However, the registered manager’s hours are not included on staff rosters, in line with regulation. A requirement is made to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. The manager also carries out regular observations of staff practice. This helps the manager to understand staff skills and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular meetings. The management team makes effective use of research and holds workshops with staff to enhance their learning and upskill them. When significant incidents have taken place, the staff team has taken part in reflective discussions to identify lessons learned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. One professional said, ‘Staff regularly participate in multi-agency meetings and share information.’ Another said, ‘[Name of child] has increased his independence and his ability to access the community. Incidents have been well managed by staff.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents were complimentary about the staff. One parent said, ‘Staff really do care. Communication is a strength of the team and I have nothing but praise for them.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 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, The 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

The protection of children standard is that children 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (Regulation 12 (1)(a) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff follow the required supervision levels for all children and all their plans, to keep children safe. 26 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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 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 26 April 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 7 after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (2)(b)(4) (a)(b) (5)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff completing their relevant qualification in childcare within the required timescale.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to the registered manager recording her hours on staff rosters. 26 April 2024

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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: SC443959 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aspris New Education 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

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Cathy Trengove, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC443959 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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