Children's Home run by Jasper Education and Support Services Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 1 Registered provider: Jasper Education and Support Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a small, private organisation. The home provides care and therapeutic services for up to six children who have experienced trauma. Two children currently live at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in November 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2023 Full Good 10/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/11/2021 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, three children have moved out and two children have moved in to the home. Both children were spoken with as part of the inspection. Children receive high-quality care and stability at this home. This leads to children making exceptional progress from their starting points.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children develop their interests and identity while living here. They are wholeheartedly supported by staff to hold high aspirations for their future. Staff support children to build a sense of permanence. Staff demonstrate to children, through reassuring words and actions, that they are cared about.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff prioritise and carefully plan activities and experiences that increase children’s physical, educational and emotional well-being. For example, children tend to horses and other animals at a local stable, go swimming, enjoy short caravan breaks, visit the cinema and go to music events and theme parks. Enjoyable times spent with staff are thoughtfully recorded and added to scrap books for children, which they take with them when they leave. These help children to build positive memories about this period of their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children with complex needs have been able to make sustained improvements to their lives. One child with neurodiversity has lived at the home for nearly two years. They have made considerable progress in social communication, and have built the confidence to be involved in their wider community. Their interests in gardening are praised and promoted. They have been able to successfully grow vegetables and develop their own plot.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child had been struggling in a group educational setting. They have been able to thrive with personalised tuition at the home. A tutor commented that the home is exceptional in the way they creatively support the child’s learning. This support includes arranging supplementary educational experiences that are based on the child’s interests. For example, they do bike building, plan orienteering experiences, and provide organised wildlife and gardening projects in the local community. This holistic approach to education has improved the child’s attendance and skill base, and given them opportunities to experience success.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Relationship-based practice is embedded into the way that the staff support children. Staff understand the impact that trusted relationships can have on children’s lives, and they take time to show children that they love and care about them. The quality of relationships that children experience with staff, the therapist and managers significantly enhances children’s sense of belonging and well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is inviting, vibrantly decorated and comfortable. Children have personalised their bedrooms with photos, posters and things that are important to them. Both Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 4 children said that they like their bedrooms and the wider home, and could not think of any way they could be made better. The home can be divided into three separate living areas to comfortably support children who need individual support. Each area has a colourful, technology-assisted sensory room, bedroom and full living and kitchen facilities. The design is well planned and does not feel institutionalised.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Public holidays and religious and cultural events are celebrated with children’s enjoyment in mind. Each time the home is transformed through extensive decoration, the emphasis is on children’s participation, learning and enjoyment. For example, they transformed the garden area into an Olympics arena, where children and staff competed in fun and competitive sports events, including a bouncy castle shuttle run and an egg-and-spoon race. These events demonstrate to children that the staff care about their day-to-day experiences, and foster children’s sense of belonging.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are creative in the way they consult children about their views. A monthly magazine is produced, which focuses on children’s interests, experiences and memories. Photos and topics of advice that are relevant to children’s vulnerabilities are included, alongside the recognition of progress. One child regularly contributes to the magazine with work that they are proud of and want to share.

p.4

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

Children feel safe and experience high-quality relationships with staff, who care about them. Because of these relationships, children quickly share their worries, hopes and fears with staff. Highly robust planning, coupled with relevant staff training, ensures that all staff have an in-depth understanding of each child’s vulnerabilities.

p.4

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

Children are routinely involved in, and contribute to, their plans. When children have been missing from home, or there are concerns about their exploitation, staff talk to children and revise their plans. Staff use creative strategies to help them discuss with children why they are worried about them. They use relevant media, workshops and online courses to develop children’s understanding of grooming, exploitation and consent.

p.4

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

The home is supported by a therapist who spends a considerable amount of time with children and staff. Children comment that they very much like spending time with the therapist and that she ‘gets them’. Staff comment that the therapist helps them to think about their own experiences of being cared for, and how to consider this when thinking about improving their own practice. The therapist supports staff to understand how children’s behaviour can reflect their early experiences of trauma, and this insight is included in their plans. Children receive care from responsive and emotionally attuned caregivers as a result.

p.4

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

When incidents of significant damage occur, staff meet children’s frustrations with empathy and understanding. Staff make use of clear guidance on how to support children with coping with stress. These strategies have meant that children have not experienced physical intervention, or the police being called to manage behaviour. This Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 5 prevents unnecessary criminalisation, and places the focus on restoring relationships and offering opportunities for children to learn and make amends.

p.4

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

One child has become significantly safer since living at this home. The frequency and severity of their self-harm incidents have decreased. The child attributes their increased emotional well-being to conversations with staff and living at the home.

p.5

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

Staff and agency staff recruitment procedures are thorough. When concerns are raised about staff practice, robust and curious investigations take place. This ensures that children are supported by suitable and competent staff.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and wider management team have high expectations of staff and are ambitious for children’s futures. A strong, experienced management team ensures that the home is managed highly efficiently and effectively through comprehensive monitoring and scrutiny of records and practice. Managers have created an environment of high support and high challenge.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision that enhances their practice. Managers use a mapping tool to help develop staff’s understanding of how their own values and feelings can impact on their practice. This tool helps managers to track the development of staff’s insight and the impact this has on the quality of the care they provide over time.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel valued. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive from managers. Waking night and day staff are encouraged to share their views on children’s progress and planning during staff meetings. These meetings are well attended. This helps to ensure that children receive consistent and predictable care no matter what time of day it is.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are acutely aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Managers have developed ways to encourage and incentivise staff retention. Well-being days are regular and improve staff morale. Activity days are planned with all staff and children. This supports a positive environment where shared fun and enjoyment are prioritised.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Multi-agency working is strong and helps to ensure that children receive coordinated care. Managers are persistent in their pursuit of getting feedback about the service they provide, and are quick to challenge when children do not receive a good service from others. External professionals are overwhelmingly positive about the impact that staff are able to have on children’s progress and outcomes. Managers use this feedback to drive improvement.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is highly trained. The training package provided to staff is comprehensive and adaptable to children’s presenting needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 6 Some incidents have not been notified to Ofsted without delay. Although effective safeguarding actions were taken, and other relevant organisations were notified, this does not support the regulator to have thorough oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 7

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that serious events that take place over a weekend or public holiday are notified to all of the appropriate people without delay. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

p.7

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: 2546196 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Jasper Education and Support Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Jasper Education and Support Service Limited, 303 Goring Road, Goring-by-sea, Worthing BN12 4NX

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Catherine Russell

p.8

Inspectors

Natalie Day, Social Care Inspector Carrie Twinn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2546196 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9