Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Service

Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 1 Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a well-established provider who operates children’s homes across the country. It is registered as a home for up to six children with complex needs, which may include learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders and other complex associated needs. The home is currently closely linked to a local special school and, as such, operates a 38-week per year provision. The provider advised that the home will be open at weekends if needed and closed in line with academic holidays. At the time of the inspection, six children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since the home’s registration on 10 November 2024. This is the home’s first full inspection since registration.

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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: Not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the home’s first inspection since it was registered as a children’s home. Before this, the home was the residential component of a residential special school. Children are happy staying here and see it as their home away from home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents praised the staff team for the level of care and support it provides for their children, as well as the progress their children are making. They said that due to the quality of care provided, they have trust and confidence in the staff to do the best for their children. Parents specifically praised the manager and deputy. These positive views were echoed by the social workers who provided feedback.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress from their starting points. They are developing their communication and independence skills, and building their confidence, including the ability to interact with others in a social situation. Staff are proud of the children’s achievements and celebrate them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Excellent relationships exist between staff and children. The basis of these relationships is the consistency of the staff members and the knowledge they have of the children they care for. The staff are nurturing and have a strong drive to achieve the best outcome for each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have provided the children with a comfortable, well-furnished and welcoming home. The home is personalised to the children who live there, giving them a sense of ownership. Children have access to a spacious garden, which now has a trampoline and recently purchased pool, which the children enjoy. Staff are very aware of the sensory needs of the children and have incorporated these into the environment and activities provided.

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

Children are safe at the home. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities, especially the additional vulnerabilities of children with complex needs. Safeguarding events are managed appropriately and supported by clear records. Leaders and managers review safeguarding events so as to identify any patterns or trends. Lessons learned from these reviews are discussed and shared with the staff team to improve practice.

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

Behaviour is well managed. Incidents, when they happen, are of a lower level, and staff support children effectively during and after these events. They also support children to develop strategies to help them communicate how they are feeling.

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

Risk is appropriately managed, and staff are not risk-averse. They look at situations and activities, and they adapt things to ensure the children can take part in them safely. Staff Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 3 also work with children to develop their understanding of risk. Children are at different stages of this work.

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

The initial risk assessments carried out for new children moving into the home currently do not include a clear assessment of the potential impact the current group of children may have on a new child or an assessment of the staff’s skills to meet the new child’s needs. In addition, where a need has been identified for a child to have a monitor in their room for health reasons, the risk assessment in relation to this does not consistently provide the rationale or guidance for its use.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is the home’s first inspection since registration as a children’s home on 10 November 2023.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager with the support of an experienced deputy. They work well together, have high standards and are aspirational for the children and staff. They have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the home. This is due to effective monitoring and review of the care provided. They have a clear vision for the future of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work with other professionals and parents. However, they have not robustly escalated the lack of action by one placing authority in finding the next placement for a child who is leaving at the end of the summer term. This was addressed during the inspection. Leaders and managers note that the lack of an identified placement has caused the child and their family anxiety. For another child, clear plans have been made, which has led to overnight stays and visits being completed to help the child settle into their new home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing levels are good, with children receiving one-to-one support from staff. Staff are very positive about working at the home. They demonstrate their love for the children and their pride in each child’s achievements. Staff feel well supported by leaders and managers, stating that they find them approachable and easy to talk to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective and supportive. Records of these sessions provide clear evidence of leaders and managers addressing practice issues when needed. The quality of the records of supervision sessions is varied. Some are very detailed, while others are not.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality training that is linked to the children’s needs and staff’s developmental needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records vary in quality. Some provide clear information and guidance for staff, while parts of some children’s plans do not.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Ofsted has been notified of all but one notifiable event, which related to a cause for concern at one child’s school. This notification was made during the inspection. Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 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, 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; and

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(a)(b)(c)) 30 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s plans consistently provide clear guidance for staff on how to meet each child’s needs. 30 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

There is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 30 September 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that risk assessments regarding the use of monitors provide a consistent, clear rationale for their use. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)  The registered person should ensure that they assess effectively the potential impact the current group of children may have on a new child and assess the staff team’s ability and skill to meet that child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that records of staff supervision sessions are of consistently good quality, reflecting the discussions held and agreed actions to be taken. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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: 2746568 6

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Garstang

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2746568 7 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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