Children's Home run by Aspris Care Central Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children’s home: SC379357 1 SC379357 Registered provider: Castle Homes Care 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 privately run home provides care for up to four children who may have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC379357 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2024 Full Good 17/11/2022 Full Good 15/11/2021 Full Good 19/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC379357 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children were living at the home at the time of inspection. Two children were spoken to. Children are settled and comfortable at the home. Staff know the children well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved to the home, and two children have moved out. During the inspection, two children were preparing to move that week. One child moved in an unplanned way. The decision was made in the best interests of the other children living at the home. Other children are moving to more independent living in line with their care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence skills. All children have an independence target. Staff support children to develop their skills and prepare to live more independently. Children receive allowances to help them learn to manage their own budgets. For one child who struggles with independence tasks, staff support them with these skills in a way that suits them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s education. Two children are not in education currently, as they will shortly be moving from the home. Staff attempt to encourage them to complete independence tasks when they are out of education. The staff rewards are used to praise children for education attendance and acknowledge their successes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s likes and interests. Children are offered a range of activities. The children often choose to spend time in the community with their friends. The staff support children to maintain their friendships by transporting them to see their friends. Staff understand where children choose to spend their time. Each child has a clear plan about their free time arrangements, which they understand, and staff follow.

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

Staff understand the processes to follow when children go missing from the home. Staff search the local area to try and locate children, and they make attempts to contact them. Staff are aware of children’s friends and contact them if they do not know a child’s whereabouts. Missing-from-home incidents have reduced. Staff look at reasons why children say they go missing. For one child they shared the reasons cited by the child and changes to the free-time arrangements were made. Since then, there have been no further missing incidents for this child.

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

Behavioural incidents are infrequent. Staff use de-escalation skills during incidents. They rarely ever use restraints. This shows that staff understand how to support children during incidents and prevent escalation. Inspection report for children’s home: SC379357 4 Staff speak to children about their risks. Following incidents, staff hold reflective discussions with children. When children need additional support, appropriate referrals are made. One child has chosen not to engage in an external support service, so staff request resources from the support service and deliver this to the child during key- worker sessions.

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

Staff understand children’s risks. Children’s behaviour support plans and risk assessments are detailed and provide strategies for staff to use to support children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and qualified for the role. The manager knows the children well. She understands the progress that children make and is aspirational for them. The manager is aware of the areas for development. External professionals and family members are positive about the care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable staff team in place. Staff feel supported by the manager. Retention is good and children are cared for by a consistent team of adults who they know.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates for the children. For one child, the school decided that the child could not attend the school prom. The manager advocated for the child, and as a result of the manager’s actions, the school reversed their decision. The child attended the prom, which was a positive experience for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions and team meetings take place regularly. These meetings give staff a chance to discuss the children they support. Appraisals take place with staff. However, there is no feedback from professionals, colleagues or children as part of staff appraisals. This limits the staff’s ability to fully reflect on their practice and identify areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff undertake relevant training for their roles. However, two staff members have not finished their level 3 qualification within the required timescales without clear reasons for the delay. Inspection report for children’s home: SC379357 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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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

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Requirement Due date

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 after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 28 March 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, when reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s Inspection report for children’s home: SC379357 6 care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: SC379357 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Batchelor

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Inspector

Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC379357 8 regulates 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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