Children's Home run by New Foundations Care Homes Limited in St Helens

Unique reference number SC406636 Inspector Maria McGranaghan Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Building Bridges Care Homes Ltd Registered person address Mill Farm Bull Bridge Lane LIVERPOOL L10 6LZ

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Responsible individual Peter James Barron Registered manager James Edward Hind Date of last inspection 12/03/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 19/05/2014

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Previous inspection inadequate progress Enforcement action since last inspection A compliance notice was served on the home in April 2014 as a result of concerns raised at interim inspection. The home failed to comply with Regulation 11 in respect of safeguarding and welfare of children accommodated there with particular regard to the prompt completion of risk assessments for new placements.

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Overall effectiveness adequate

Outcomes for children and young people adequate Quality of care adequate Keeping children and young people safe adequate Leadership and management adequate

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Overall effectiveness

From their initial starting point young people make adequate progress in the home. Improvements are seen in some areas of behaviour management, emotional resilience and positive social engagement.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people’s safety is managed in accordance with placement planning arrangements. Therefore, agreed strategies are implemented quickly should there be a risk of harm. Likewise, young people are active in reviewing their individual safeguarding arrangements and this ensures they fully understand the impact of risk taking behaviours.

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Overall effectiveness

Individual care plans are in place and consider the specific needs of young people. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated in partnership with young people and this 3 of 11 enables them to review the progress they make or indeed areas they need to develop.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are looked after by staff that receive adequate supervision and training in order to meet the sometimes complex and demanding needs of those resident. Staff say, ‘The training has really improved and it helps us to do the best for our young people.’

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Overall effectiveness

The home is adequately managed with the focus of re-engaging young people in positive, age appropriate routines and activities. Monitoring systems are in place and provide the home with a suitable level of scrutiny.

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Overall effectiveness

Despite these strengths there are areas for development. Although it is clear that young people receive regular keywork sessions in order to address pertinent issues in their lives, records fail to fully capture the level of work undertaken with them. Likewise, young people with a plan of independence are not in receipt of a pathway plan. Consequently, young people are unclear of their individual moving on arrangements.

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Overall effectiveness

Suitable educational arrangements are not in place for all young people and attendance levels for others are inconsistent. Furthermore, young people are not routinely supported by an up-to-date personal education plan in order to identify the best way to support young people in their educational setting.

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Overall effectiveness

Since the last inspection there has been a significant reduction in young people being reported as missing from the home. However, where there is a risk of young people becoming missing pertinent information such as, names and addresses of friends and acquaintances must be recorded in order track young people in the event where there is concern for their welfare.

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Overall effectiveness

It is clear that complaints made by young people are investigated quickly. However, where young people record their dissatisfaction at the outcome of their complaint, the manager must ensure the correct procedures are followed. Likewise, where external and internal monitoring highlight areas for improvement, the manager should ensure matters are addressed promptly. As a result two requirements and seven recommendations are made at this inspection. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation and offers accommodation for up to five young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2014 Interim inadequate progress 19/04/2013 Full good 23/01/2013 Interim good progress 26/11/2012 Full adequate

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the educational achievement of young people is promoted, in particular by ensuring that young people have access to and make use of educational facilities appropriate to their age, aptitude, needs, interests and potential (Regulation 18 (1) (b)) 12/06/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person conducts the home so as to make proper provision for the care of young people accommodated with particular regard to the implementation of pathway plans (Regulation 11 (1)(b)) 12/06/2014 5 of 11

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure young people are supported to attend school, college or alternative provision regularly (NMS 8.3)  ensure young people have access to independent advice, specifically if young people are unhappy with the outcome of a complaint they make (NMS 1.5)  ensure the home works collaboratively with young people’s social workers in implementing individual pathway plans (NMS 12.2)  ensure information about the work undertaken with young people is clearly recorded in a way which will be helpful to them now or in the future (NMS 22  ensure staff have names and addresses of friends and acquaintances in order actively search for young people who are missing (NMS 5.5)  ensure the manager takes action to address any issues of concern as identifie the homes monitoring (NMS 21.9)  ensure young person’s care plan will, through their personal education plan identify arrangements for their education and related support so they have

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Recommendations

access to the full range of educational services (2.117 Statutory Guidance Vol 5) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

On the whole young people make adequate progress in the home. Regular keywork sessions take place and go some way to helping young people to understand their lives and to address behaviours that negatively impact on their progress in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people’s health needs are suitably assessed in the home. Health care plans are in place and work together with keyworker and consultation sessions to address a range of health matters. Therefore, young people are given valuable information to assist them in making informed decisions and choices. As a result, the misuse of harmful substances has significantly decreased in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people’s views and opinions are consistently sought in the home. Young people say, ‘We have meetings and we also meet with our keyworker, We make plans and discuss rules and changes. Its good.’ Likewise, staff say, ‘We want everybody to feel like they have a voice and that they are important. This is something that we are getting better at.’

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people benefit from residential care plans that set out individual targets and how they are to be achieved. Likewise, keywork sessions highlight the work undertaken with young people to assists them to understand their lives. Young people say “Staff are good here, I get on with them all, they listen to me.’ However, some records lack sufficient detail in order to fully capture how issues are addressed or the level of young people’s engagement. This is crucial to young people should they wish to read their files now or in the future.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people benefit from planned and supported contact with their family. Staff maintain close links with families and involve them where appropriate in the overall planning of the young people’s care. Consequently, young people and their families are provided with an appropriate level of support which helps to strengthen their relationships.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Staff encourage young people to develop independence skills in preparation for adult life. Young people are encouraged to assist staff in cooking the evening meal, helping around the home and looking after their own laundry. However, some young people are not in receipt of a pathway plan. Consequently, formal moving on arrangements are not in place and this results in young people being uncertain about their future.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Some young people do not have their educational needs suitably assessed at the point of referral to the home and this leads to extended periods of time without a suitable educational placement. For example, young people placed outside of their local authority have significant delays to their education because funding is not always available. As a result, young people placed outside of their authority do not 7 of 11 benefit from a consistent approach to their education. Comparatively, young people who are placed in suitable education settings make some progress and are on target to undertake GCSE examinations. A young person said, 'It feels good to know that I will have some qualifications.' However, young people's attendance remains inconsistent and this serves to compromise the educational outcomes for young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Planned activities take place on a regular basis. Young people regularly play football with staff or go fishing locally. Young people say, ‘We can save our activity money to do a really big activity like, go to a concert or theme park. Staff can be fun to be around and like to get us doing things.’

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Quality of care adequate

On the whole, young people are settled in the home. Relationships with staff are formed and demonstrate a trusting partnership with young people. A staff member said, ‘We want the young people to do well. We want them to understand that we are here to help them. They test us and then begin to realise that we are there for them.’

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Quality of care adequate

Young people’s views and opinions are consistently sought in the home. Young people say, ‘We have meetings and we also meet with our keyworker. We make plans and discuss rules and changes. It’s good.’ Likewise, staff say, ‘We want everybody to feel like they have a voice and that they are important. This is something that we are getting better at.’

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Quality of care adequate

Placement plans suitably highlight young people’s individual needs and include a range of external services that work together with the home in order to support young people’s on-going development. Staff say ‘We try to engage young people with services that can help them make positive changes, we are clear what help and support young people may need and understand how important it is they get the right help, I think all the staff work really hard to help young people.’

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Quality of care adequate

Young people’s individual identity is celebrated in the home. Individual development plans are completed by young people and serve to highlight who they are, where they are from and what makes them a unique special person. Young people undertake specific work to address their heritage including a family tree and the history of their surname. Likewise, young people are encouraged to decorate their bedroom in a way that reflects their own personality. As a result, young people have gained ownership of their home.

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Quality of care adequate

Most young people living in the home have a history of limited or non-engagement with educational services. Currently only 50% of residents have appropriate educational settings although attendance is inconsistent with young people regularly refusing to attend school. Likewise, some young people are not in receipt of a 8 of 11 suitable educational provision. Although the home have been active in challenging the lack of educational resource, there remains a significant delay in the issues being resolved. As a result, interim in-house tutoring is now provided for young people, although this is infrequently accessed by them. Consequently, the educational arrangements for young people living in the home are deficient.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people know how to complain. Information is provided in the young person’s guide and organisational complaints documents. Procedures for managing complaints are in place to ensure they are handled fairly and investigated by the manager or external nominated person. Records of complaints being made by young people provide a narrative of how they have been managed. However, some records do not summarise the action taken where a young person has recorded they are not satisfied with the outcome of the complaints investigation. As a result, records lack clarity and have the potential to be misinterpreted.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people live in a well maintained spacious home that blends well into the local community. Young people are encouraged to make their house into their home and play a significant role in the decision making process around décor and furnishings.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff undertake safeguarding training in order that they are able to respond to suspicions or allegations of abuse. Appropriate policies are in place to ensure the correct procedures are undertaken without delay should a concern arise. Likewise, individual risk assessments are developed in partnership with the placing authorities and highlight specific risk factors for young people including some strategies for reducing risk. Young people say, ‘I know they have to make sure we are safe but sometimes they are a bit over the top. They have helped me though, I used to get into all sorts of trouble but I have not been in any trouble for nearly a year, so I guess it has helped me.’ Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated by young people, staff and social workers and this helps young people to understand where their behaviours have improved or indeed declined.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people are encouraged to demonstrate socially acceptable behaviour. Behaviour management plans are in place to identify strategies to manage and reduce unacceptable behaviour, including the use of sanctions and keywork sessions. Consequently, there is a reduction in inappropriate and challenging behaviours in the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff focus on de-escalation and re-direction techniques in order to defuse situations between young people. This has proven successful as there are no episodes of physical intervention taking place in the home. Similarly, staff are aware of the impact of bullying and are now more vigilant in monitoring episodes of bullying in the home. Likewise, staff have undertaken training in the area of bullying and have used this productively in young people’s meetings and keywork sessions. Young people 9 of 11 say, ‘We have had people who bully here and it isn’t nice. I feel that I can talk to staff if I feel threatened by anyone and I think they would help me.’

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people live in a home where their safety and well-being is adequately protected. Individual missing from home plans are in place and highlight the agreed procedures and strategies to be implemented should a young person be missing. Likewise, external agencies work with staff and young people to emphasise the risks of being missing and to look at strategies to reduce risk taking behaviour. However, practical matters such as seeking the names and addresses of friends and acquaintances in order to assist in seeking out a young person who is missing are not always acted upon. As a result, current strategies are not wholly effective due to a lack of essential information gathering.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The home employs a robust recruitment procedure that ensures young people are looked after by staff that are appropriately checked in order to work in the home. Visitors are appropriately vetted and this helps to make sure that young people are protected while in their home.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff promote young people’s on-going protection by undertaking regular fire drills and service tests making sure that all faults are efficiently addressed. Clear evidence highlights consistent monitoring of all systems within the home..

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff are vigilant when managing visitors to the home and take appropriate steps to verify visitors identity in order to protect the young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home received an inadequate progress judgement at the interim inspection which took place in March 2014. A number of requirements were made to address shorts falls identified in the areas of, safeguarding, placement planning, education and behaviour management.

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Leadership and management adequate

As a consequence of the inspection a compliance notice was served in respect of safeguarding and welfare of children accommodated there with particular regard to the prompt completion of risk assessments for new placements.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager has made some progress in addressing these matters. Specifically, risk assessments are developed and take into account historical information for new placements in order to inform the response to a concern. Furthermore, placement plans are now in place and serve to inform how young people’s social, emotional and behavioural needs are to be addressed in the home. However, not all matters identified at the previous inspection have been suitably addressed. Although the manager has made attempts to secure permanent and appropriate educational placements for young people placed outside of their authority, this is met with persistent delays. Consequently, some young people remain without an educational 10 of 11 placement.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people live in a home that is adequately managed. The home meets the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support the home provides. A social worker said, ‘This home tries really hard with young people. They update me all the time. I am happy with the service they provide.’

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people live in a home that is well maintained and provides spacious living accommodation. The home is situated within a close knit community with easy access to transport links and local amenities. Staff and young people have significantly developed relationships with neighbours and local counsellors who meet regularly with the home’s manager. A counsellor said, ‘Things are going really well. The young people are more settled and have become part of our community.’

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Leadership and management adequate

The external monitoring systems provide the home with a good approach to the overall monitoring of care. Detailed information highlights areas for development and the manager’s action plan highlights the action to be taken to address matters. However, progress to address matters is drawn-out with some matters such as delays in educational placements, incomplete pathway and personal education plans not addressed efficiently or effectively. Consequently, monitoring outcomes are not used productively in order to enhance the service provision in the home.

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Leadership and management adequate

Staff receive suitable support from the manager. Supervision takes place regularly and serves to identify training needs and personal development targets. Staff receive suitable training and this ensures that young people are looked after by informed staff. Likewise, the numbers of staff on duty are sufficient to meet the needs of the young people living in the home.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager is aware of the procedure for notifying Ofsted of incidents under Regulation 30, Schedule five and has been consistent in the reporting of all incidents occurring in the home. This practice ensures that information is shared with the regulatory agency in order that the actions and outcomes for young people can be suitable assessed.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people’s records are securely stored to ensure their privacy and confidentiality is suitably maintained. The home shows the capacity to improve. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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