Children's home run by Aspris Children’s Services Limited in Hammersmith and Fulham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 1 SC402385

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Registered provider: Aspris Children’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It provides care for up to three children aged between eight and 18 years, who may have complex needs that may include autism spectrum disorder and complex associated difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024. He intends to enrol on the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child lived at the home. The child was spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

No children have moved into or on from the home since the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has been supported by staff to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour during a period of change. This has been complemented by the support of external services that have both helped the child and offered guidance to the staff to ensure that the child receives consistent care and support from adults. Consequently, there have been no significant incidents since the last inspection, which demonstrates progress for the child. However, the child’s behaviour support plans are not kept up to date, and this may result in staff missing key information.

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Findings from the inspection

The health and well-being of the child are prioritised. Staff support the child to be physically active, and as a result, the child has enjoyed engaging in the ‘Couch to 5k’ challenge and parkrun. The child is also making positive food choices, which supports a balanced and nutritional diet. Food is no longer used as a reward or consequence. The child receives support from external health professionals, which is having a positive impact on their physical appearance and well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

Involvement in clubs and hobbies is encouraged, and the child enjoys multiple recreational activities each week. The staff ensure that the child has the right equipment needed for their hobbies. The child was recently involved in a summer show and was proud to show the inspector a recording of their involvement.

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Findings from the inspection

Barriers to education remain. The child continues to receive a reduced timetable at school despite efforts by the registered manager to challenge this. Staff support the child to engage in education at home during school hours. However, this can lack structure.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s views, wishes and feelings are considered. Staff ensure that the child engages in conversation, planned direct-work sessions and house meetings. A child- friendly placement plan helps the child to be involved in setting their own goals. This means that the child has a better understanding of their care plan and the progress they make.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager has registered with Ofsted. He continues to demonstrate a passion to make improvements. He has been working hard, and progress can be seen. However, not all requirements from the previous inspection have been met and these are repeated. No new requirements have been made.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager invests in staff. There has been a vast improvement in the organisation’s mandatory training being completed, and the registered manager has sourced additional training to aid the development of staff. He ensures that staff Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 3 receive regular supervision and that their annual appraisals are complete. Staff do not have personal development plans. However, the registered manager is in the process of completing these.

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Findings from the inspection

The monitoring of the operation of the home has improved. The registered manager has developed better systems to ensure that he has good oversight of the home and all aspects of care provided. However, some documents are not up to date and some were missing, and it is not clear if staff have read all the information that they need to.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager has not sent the updated statement of purpose to Ofsted within the required period. This reduces the external oversight of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been some improvement to the physical conditions of the inside and outside areas of the home to give it a more homely feel. However, further work is required to reduce the institutional feel and to improve conditions. For example, the stair carpet is worn. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/02/2022 Interim Not judged 16/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/01/2020 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 5

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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 barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)) 1 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that–

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 1 November 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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 staff— 1 November 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 7 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 18 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 8 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of this regulation, “the appropriate person” is the registered person, an officer of HMCI, an officer of the local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (1) (3) (4)(a)) 1 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 1 November 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children and is homely and domestic. The home must comply with relevant health and safety legislations, with alarms and food hygiene etc. However, in doing so, the home should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 9

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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: 2 Barton Close, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicester LE19 1SJ

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Inspector

Stacie Sharpe, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC402385 10 and inspects 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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