Children's home run by Ash House Care LTD

Inspection report for children’s home: 2656689 1 Registered provider: Ash House Care LTD

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children with learning disabilities and complex needs. The home is privately owned, and a suitably experienced and qualified registered manager is in post.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home and the inspector spoke to both children.

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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: 22 January 2025

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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: 2656689 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2025 Full Good 31/10/2023 Full Good 20/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2656689 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a home that is clean, spacious, well furnished, and decorated. Their toys are accessible and certificates celebrating their achievements are on display. Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised, reflecting their individual interests and important relationships. These factors contribute to a homely and welcoming environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care. Staff benefit from clear and detailed plans that are regularly updated to reflect children’s needs. As a result, children are making significant progress from their individual starting points. They are becoming increasingly independent, better able to manage their feelings and engage in their personal care. For example, one child who had not previously had their hair cut for years, now regularly enjoys going to the barber’s shop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood. Staff and the manager work well with partner agencies to ensure that children’s physical and mental health needs are met. Where there have previously been barriers to children accessing support, staff have helped children to overcome them. Because of this, children have been able to attend appointments and receive immunisations, when previously they have not. One child is now able to receive medication as prescribed, and another has made significant progress in achieving a healthy weight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported with their education. When children’s educational needs are not being met, the manager is proactive in raising this, and in seeking alternative provisions that meet children’s individual needs. Because of this, children’s presentation and engagement in school have improved. One educational professional said that the child they work with, ‘has come on leaps and bounds since he moved to [name of the home].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s family relationships are treated as a priority. Staff are skilled at building working relationships with children’s family members and feedback from family members was exclusively positive. One family member said, ‘The support extends to the family as well. It feels like we are all supported together. They are helping us to be a family even though we live apart.’ While another said, ‘I am so grateful for everything they have done, they have not only helped my child, but they have helped me to understand what I need to do….I constantly say how grateful I am and how far [name of child] has come because of them.’

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children in their care, and the risks to them. As a result, safeguarding incidents are rare. Since the last inspection, children have not gone Inspection report for children’s home: 2656689 4 missing, made any complaints or made any allegations against staff in the home. When children have made allegations against external professionals, staff have acted promptly to ensure that the child is safe. They have involved the relevant professionals, undertaking investigations promptly, and informed children of outcomes. This helps children to feel safe.

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

Children benefit from clear and consistent boundaries. Staff do not use consequences. Instead, children’s progress is supported using rewards, incentives and positive relationships.

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

The use of physical intervention has been high. However, staff only hold children when it is necessary to keep them or others safe and only as a last resort. Leaders and managers have ensured that their monitoring and oversight of the use of restraint is robust. They monitor patterns and trends, using that information to help staff better understand children’s behaviours. As a result, the use of restraint has significantly reduced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are ambitious for the children in their care and advocate for them as a good parent would. They use a range of tools to oversee all aspects of children’s care and use this to improve children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are skilled at building effective working relationships with children’s families. This helps children to settle and feel safe. One family member said of the manager, ‘Lisa is absolutely amazing, I cannot say anything less than that, the home is managed excellently, everyone is lovely, the team are carefully selected, it is not just a job. I can see dedication from every team member, and it feels like a family…I think Lisa is doing an amazing job.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that staff are well supported through regular team meetings and supervisions. Staff feel well supported and enjoy working in the home. One member of staff said, ‘I love it, I don’t feel like I am ever coming to work.’ While another said, ‘Managers are very accepting of ideas, they make you feel very supported.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders have at times moved staff from this home to work in another home. Because of this, and to cover vacancies and staff to children's ratios, children have experienced changes in staffing because of the use of agency staff. Managers have mitigated this by ensuring that staff well known to children take a lead on key matters and will now only employ agency staff familiar to the children. This has effectively minimised the impact on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff always complete the training they require to fulfil their roles. One member of staff has not completed their food safety, first aid, fire safety training or safe administration of medication. Another had not completed training on how to respond if children go missing. The impact of this for children is Inspection report for children’s home: 2656689 5 mitigated by the fact that children are each currently supported by two members of staff, one of whom is appropriately trained. Inspection report for children’s home: 2656689 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, 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 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are up to date with their mandatory training 30 April 2026

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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: 2656689 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Oakendale, Sandy Lane, Bishops Wood, Stafford ST19 9AF

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Inspector

John Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2656689 8 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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Inspector

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