Children's Home run by Lytham Care Limited in Knowsley

Unique reference number SC454035 Inspector Michelle Bacon Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager Pamela Constance Date of last inspection 14/02/2014 2 of 10 Inspection date 10/07/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

Young people live in a home that provides them with good quality care. From their starting point of placement most young people are making progress in achieving their goals. Young people live in a nurturing, supportive environment where their individual needs are taken into account. Young people say they like living in the home and rated the home ‘8 out of 10.’

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Overall effectiveness

Staff are fully committed to promoting young people’s welfare and safety. Young people say they are safe and are encouraged to keep safe when out in the local community. Young people's social workers and other professionals are very positive about the manager and staff's commitment to young people and support they provide. One professional commented ‘I can't speak highly enough of them.‛ Since the last inspection, one young person has successfully moved on; their social worker wrote to the manager and staff saying: ‘thank you for your patience and persistence over the last year...the impact your care and understanding will benefit them later in life... X(name of the young person) progressed immensely since initial placement with yourselves and you should be proud of your achievement. Your child centred practice shines through.′

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Overall effectiveness

Young people’s health outcomes are potentially compromised because, despite good advice and support by staff, they continue to engage in risk-taking behaviours such 3 of 10 as frequent smoking and do not always eat a healthy balanced diet. The frequency of young people going missing and engaging in risky behaviour is reducing since moving to the home. Key safeguarding professionals confirm that the home promotes the welfare and safety of all young people.

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Overall effectiveness

The management and leadership arrangements are strong. The manager is fully committed to improvement and securing positive outcomes for all young people. Overall the home shows a capacity for continued improvement, but there are areas for further development. These relate to young people's records, health and education. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately-owned children home that provides care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 27/09/2013 Full adequate

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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 that children's physical, emotional, sexual and social development nee are met. This is specifically in relation to; ensuring that these areas are includ in the young people's health plan; staff demonstrate how these needs are bei met (NMS 6.1)  ensure the care and support provided to young people minimises the risk that they will go missing, in particular that individual risk assessments clearly ident the risks and interventions used to reduce potential risks(NMS 5.1)  ensure young people are supported to attend school, college or alternative provision regularly(NMS 8.3)  ensure children understand, within their level of understanding, the purpose a content of their plan and the reasoning behind any decisions about their care.(NMS 25.1) 5 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people develop appropriate attachments to both the staff and their peers. Regular key work sessions enable them to develop an awareness of themselves and an understanding of their background. Consequently, young people feel more stable, secure and build emotional resilience.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Most young people enjoy good physical health because they have access to a range of health services, including the looked after children's nurse. However, occasionally they refuse to attend some of their appointments. Furthermore, some young people compromise their health because they do not always choose to eat healthy and nutritious meals; individual health care plans do not record how this is to be addressed to ensure young people maintain a healthy lifestyle. Young people receive good information and guidance relating to smoking, drug misuse and sexual health. Although some young people continue to smoke, one young person told the inspector they have recently quit. Young people improve their physical fitness by going jogging and playing football.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Some young people make excellent progress in their education while for others progress is limited. One young person has taken a number of national qualifications this summer and has secured a place at college. However, for others, their attendance is problematic and as a result impacts on their ability to learn and improve their future life chances.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

All young people are encouraged to maintain contact with their families in accordance with their care plans. Staff clearly understand the importance of contact for the young people and if required support contact arrangements. Furthermore, young people are encouraged to bring their friends back to the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people are being supported to develop their life skills and learn about independent living. They are provided with a range of opportunities, such as, travelling independently, budgeting, shopping and food preparation. This prepares them for the transition to adulthood.

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Quality of care good

Young people enjoy positive and constructive relationships with staff and each other. Young people feel that their views, wishes and feelings are actively sought and that they have some influence over the running of the home. This includes activities, menu planning and the décor of communal areas. A strength of the home also is the support young people receive to engage with independent advocacy services. For 6 of 10 example, one young person was empowered to challenge their placing authority's decision to move them and subsequently remained in placement. This ensures young people feel listened to and that their views are taken seriously. Furthermore, young people's own questions have been used during the interviews for new staff. This ensures young people feel listened to and that their views are taken seriously.

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Quality of care good

Young people's education is actively promoted and supported by staff. The manager and staff are proactive in liaising with education providers to address challenges and barriers to educational progress and achievement. Alternative schemes and vocational training are secured for those young people where mainstream school is not an option. This provides young people with the opportunity to learn new skills.

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Quality of care good

Staff spoken to demonstrate that they are highly motivated in supporting young people to achieve their identified goals. They work closely with social workers, specialist workers and the police to ensure that individual needs are addressed. Young people's care plans are regularly reviewed to monitor progress and they are encouraged to thrive in an environment where they are valued and respected as individuals. However, not all young people have signed their plans to demonstrate they understand agree with its content.

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Quality of care good

Staff act as positive role models and through regular key work sessions help young people to think about past choices they have made. This enables young people to develop a sense of responsibility for their behaviour. The manager is currently undertaking training in restorative justice and there are plans for the whole staff team to complete this training in the near future. This will enable staff in empowering young people to take ownership of their behaviour and improve self-discipline.

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Quality of care good

Young people's health is promoted. The home has good links with the looked after children's nurse and other specialist services such as the local substance misuse team. This means that young people have access to additional health services should they need them. Furthermore, some of the young people with the support of staff are growing their own vegetables. Young people are supported and encouraged to engage in a variety of activities, such as the cinema and ice-skating. They also have individual interests such as, skating boarding and BMX bikes. Additionally, with support from staff the young people have created a music room which has a drum kit, electric guitar and key board that they can play. This enables young people to develop a range of skills, and improve their confidence and self-esteem.

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Quality of care good

Young people live in a comfortable home that is decorated and furnished to a good standard. Photographs of the young people and collages of their trips and activities are displayed around the home. Young people have helped to decorate the home which gives them a sense of ownership. There is an education room that has a good range of books and resources for young people to use. Young people spoken to are very positive about the home. 7 of 10

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people confirm that they feel safe and that they have staff they can talk to if they are worried. This means they were been able to take swift action to alert when a young person informed them that they were being bullied outside of the home. This means young people know that their concerns are taken seriously and are acted upon.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Good systems are in place to safeguard and protect young people. Staff receive training to ensure they have a full understanding of safeguarding policies, procedures and actions they should take, to protect young people. Discussions with professionals from external safeguarding agencies confirm the excellent links that exist between themselves and the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are very aware of young people's risks and vulnerabilities. Staff recently attended a play that explored the issues of child sexual exploitation which has helped raise their awareness of the risks for young people. Prior to their placement at the home, some young people were frequently missing and engaging in risk taking behaviours. The number of 'missing from home' episodes has significantly reduced for these young people; as young people settle, they increase the time they spend in the home. Where there are concerns about individual young people multi-agency meetings are held to ensure a coordinated approach to promote the welfare and safety of those at risk. Furthermore, the manager attends regular meetings with the police and other local providers to share intelligence about the risks for young people in their area. This further safeguards young people's welfare and safety.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Behaviour management plans are in place and provide the staff with strategies for managing young people's behaviour. However, the home does not have individual risk assessments in place for those young people at risk of going missing and sexual exploitation. Nevertheless, young people are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted because staff monitor their whereabouts when they are spending free time in the community. This is because staff remain in contact with young people via their mobile phones and provide lifts to and from activities.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Records show that staff rarely use restraint. Clear routines, boundaries, incentives and rewards promote positive behaviour and relationships. Staff appropriately challenge inappropriate behaviour, such as young people smoking in their bedrooms. Young people understand the house rules and that consequences will be put in place. The manager and staff talk to young people about their behaviour so that they are aware of the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others. Records of consequences and restraint show that young people are consistently provided with the opportunity to comment and sign the disciplinary records. Consequently, there has been a reduction in the number of negative consequences imposed since the last inspection.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Safe recruitment practices within the home means that staff are vetted to ensure 8 of 10 they are suitable to work with young people. In addition the home provides a physically safe and secure environment where regular health and safety checks are completed. Young people take part in frequent fire drills in order that they know how to evacuate the home safely in the event of an emergency.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has been in post since February 2013, and provides strong leadership to a committed and competent staff team. Her suitable management qualifications and wealth of experience provide young people with high quality care. She is actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the home, and has high expectations that the home will achieve the best possible outcomes for all young people. The manager is very well respected by her staff team and professionals who work with the home.

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Leadership and management good

There have been no complaints about the home since the last inspection. The Statement of Purpose clearly defines the aims and objectives of the home and the type of care and support young people can expect to receive. A copy of the young people's guide is given to young people coming to the home. This provides young people with good information about the home.

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Leadership and management good

There is a clear staffing structure with clear lines of accountability in the home. Staffing rotas confirm that there are sufficient staff on duty at all times. All staff receive good support and supervision. There is a comprehensive induction programme for new staff and on-going staff development through regular training. This ensures all staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of young people.

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Leadership and management good

The manager has taken action to address the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. All staff have now completed medication and food hygiene training. The person carrying out the Regulation 33 visit seeks the views of young people, their parents, social workers and members of staff on the quality of care in the home. Action has been taken to ensure young people regularly take part in fire drills. In addition there are improvements in the minutes of young people's meetings; these now reflect young people's views and opinions on the day-to-day running of the home. The wall at the backdoor that was treated for damp has been plastered and cladded; this has improved the overall appearance of this area.

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Leadership and management good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home which enables them to secure improvement. Consequently, the quality of young people's care is promoted effectively.

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Leadership and management good

Monitoring of the home is generally good. Regular overview of records and planning for young people means that the development needs of the home are clearly identified. There is a development plan in place with clearly defined targets and 9 of 10 objectives. This ensures the manager and staff remain committed to driving forward improvements in the quality of care for young people. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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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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