Children's Home run by Progressive Futures Care Limited in Sefton

Unique reference number SC061924 Inspector Chris Scully Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Progressive Futures Care Limited Registered person address Unit 13 Victoria House, North Mersey Business Centre Woodward Road LIVERPOOL L33 7UY Responsible individual Zoe Maria Wilkinson Registered manager Justin Edward Pagan / Zoe Maria Wilkinson Date of last inspection 18/03/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 05/08/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection There has been no enforcement action since the last inspection.

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

Young people's needs are well met through personalised care planning. This means that young people are able to make good progress across most aspects of their welfare and development. However, some records about young people's care do not reflect what is actually happening in practice. Social workers are pleased with the progress young people are making and state that they are increasing in confidence and emotional resilience.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people’s views are highly valued and respected. This is because they are encouraged to have a say in the decisions that are being made about them and the running of the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are safeguarded, because staff have a sound understanding of the homes policies. This means they are able to take swift action to support young people. Young people say they are happy and settled here. They enjoy strong, respectful and trusting relationships with staff.

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Overall effectiveness

The home is well managed. The Statement of Purpose and young people’s guide provide clear information about the type of care and support young people can expect to receive. Most records and documentation are generally well maintained 3 of 11 though there are some shortfalls. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people between the ages of 12 years to 18 years, with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 28/11/2013 Full good 05/02/2013 Interim good progress 20/09/2012 Full good

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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 there are clear arrangements in place for staff to deputise in the Registered Manager absences with particular regards to the appointment of a deputy (NMS 17.4)  ensure there are systems in place to monitor the adequacy and quality of reco keeping in particular the use of some language used in records, placement pla medication records, rewards, book hospital and GP appointments and all reco are signed and dated (NMS 22.1)  ensure all new staff hold a level 3 children and young people workforce diplo which must include the mandatory social care units or be working towards thi within 6 months of the confirmation of employment (NMS 18.5)  ensure young people's health is promoted in accordance with their placement plan in particular, health care plans are sufficiently detailed with regards their 5 of 11 sexual health (NMS 6.5) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are building positive relationships with other young people and staff. They take pride in their achievements, becoming more confident and emotionally resilient. This is because there are opportunities to develop an understanding of their background. A social worker said they are very pleased with the progress young people are making especially as they are settled and making friends.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people enjoy good health and improved health outcomes. They enjoy a healthy diet and have regular opportunities to engage in physical exercise. They understand about the importance of healthy lifestyles and some key health risks. As a result they make positive health choices that improve their own health. Young people benefit from access to a range of agencies and services to meet their assessed needs. They are supported and encouraged to attend health appointments and all medical checks are up to date, allthough on occasion records of checks and visits to the doctors or other health care professionals are not always sufficiently detailed.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people have a positive view of their education. Their educational achievements are generally good, taking into account both their attainment and progress from their starting point at the time of placement. Young people attend school and staff maintain close links with the schools to ensure that they are kept fully up to date with any developments. This provides consistency to the young people, aids in their preparation for adulthood and increases their life chances. Young people who are not currently in education state they are looking forward to starting their new school in the upcoming term.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are able to remain in contact with those people who are important to them. Young people understand that some contact arrangements need to be closely monitored to ensure their safety and well-being. Young people enjoy the opportunities to spend time with their friends and talk enthusiastically with them about the recent holidays they have been on. Young people are pleased that friends are warmly welcomed in the home and that they can spend time here with them. Consequently, young people enjoy the same opportunities as their peers.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people's individual needs are assessed and addressed in a way that promotes young people’s dignity and privacy; differences are acknowledged and respected. Staff provide support to young people, consequently young people have their needs acknowledged and they feel included and valued.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are developing their social and life skills appropriate to their age, abilities and level of understanding. Young people are successfully taking on more responsibilities and have every opportunity to build confidence in their skills. Young people receive incentives and praise, as they develop their skills and demonstrate 7 of 11 their competence. They routinely plan, shop and cook meals, and enjoy baking with staff.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people routinely take part in a full range of enjoyable activities, including going to the gym, horse riding, trips to theme parks and going out for meals. Activities in the community have helped young people feel more confident and comfortable around other people and develop a clearer understanding of how to act appropriately.

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Quality of care good

Young people enjoy very positive and constructive relationships with staff. They live in a very supportive home that promotes their welfare and enables them to achieve better outcomes. Staff have aspirations for young people to do well. Young people say they can talk to staff about anything and know that they will help them resolve any issues that may be concerning them.

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Quality of care good

Staff develop constructive relationships with young people. They spend time with young people. They make every effort to find out what is important to individual young people, understanding their needs, culture, circumstances, talents and interests. Staff work with young people in an understanding and compassionate way.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s views and wishes significantly influence the running of the home and the decisions affecting their lives. They feel that the staff always listen to them, take their complaints seriously and help sort things out. Staff help young people understand when it may not be possible to act upon their wishes. Young people also know how to contact their social workers, independent visitors and Ofsted if they have concerns.

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Quality of care good

Young people know their placement plans and are involved in writing them. The plans are generally detailed, set out their individual needs, and the support to promote and safeguard their welfare. Staff have a detailed knowledge of the young people they work with ensuring they receive very good individual support and guidance. Staff’s day-to-day practice recognises young people as individuals with different needs, backgrounds, interests and views, thus ensuring they receive an individualised service which meets their specific needs.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s emotional health needs are well supported. They have access to mental health services where appropriate to promote their emotional well-being. Young people are much more confident, are able to talk about their feelings and reflect upon past experiences. Consequently, they are more able to deal with things that are happening around them. The systems for the administration and storage of medication are robust and health care plans provide insight into their individual needs. However, these do not make clear as to how young people's sexual health is being supported. 8 of 11 Social workers are complimentary about the home; they say they are pleased with the progress young people are making. This is because young people’s needs and changes are reviewed regularly to make sure their needs continue to be met. Staff work closely with young people and others involved in their lives. As a result young

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Quality of care good

people are involved in their reviews, attend meetings and have their views listened to. Social workers say they receive detailed information on a regular basis about the young people; this means they know what is happening in the young people's lives.

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Quality of care good

Staff actively promote young people’s education and are successful in developing young people’s opportunities to learn and achieve. Staff ensure that the daily routine supports young people’s participation in education and school attendance. The manager and staff work diligently to challenge any barriers to young people’s full participation in education. A social worker acknowledged that the home worked tirelessly to help a young person re-engage with their education and have been instrumental in securing an educational placement for them. A teachers wrote 'X has matured greatly over the past 12 months, X is much more settled in their approach to school'. '

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Quality of care good

Young people live in a warm, welcoming, homely environment that meets their needs. Young people's bedrooms are personalised to reflect their interests and individual tastes. The home is decorated and maintained to a good standard.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people live in a safe environment where they are effectively protected from harm and have a strong sense of safety and well-being. Young people say they feel safe living in the home and there are no issues of bullying. Young people say they get on well the other young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected as staff have a sound understanding of the home's safeguarding procedures. They give young people's safety the highest priority and are trained in relation to safeguarding. Consequently, staff are clear on the action to take should they have any concerns regarding a young person's safety or well-being.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people do not generally go missing from care. Clear procedures are in place should this occur to ensure their safe return. Staff work well with placing authorities and police missing from care coordinators to locate young people and devise additional strategies, such as agreeing overnight stays with friends to help keep them safe.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

A young person acknowledged that a recent incident of being missing was not going to be repeated and that staff had helped them to understand the dangers they had placed themselves under during this time. Social worker’s say staff have worked well with young people on this issue and as a result they feel confident that this was a 9 of 11 'blip' for the young person.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people have clear, consistent boundaries. As a result, they know what staff expect of them and what is unacceptable. Young people say staff 'talk to me' and help them to work through difficult situations. Staff are developing an understanding of the times and factors that contribute to young people becoming upset. The manager and staff reflect on young people’s behaviour and create positive strategies to support individual young people to deal with their anxieties and frustrations more constructively. Social workers say there has been a complete turnaround in some young people's behaviour because of the consistency in staffs approach and by providing young people with the same messages about what are acceptable levels of behaviour.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Positive behaviour is encouraged with the use of effective rewards systems, although on occasion the recording of rewards is not sufficiently detailed as to why this has been given or the impact on the young people. This is a missed opportunity for further enhancing young people's confidence in their own abilities.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

No new staff have been appointed since the last inspection. The recruitment and selection of people working at the home is thorough and protects young people from having contact with unsuitable people. Young people are also protected by the arrangements for vetting and supervising visitors.

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Leadership and management good

The home is currently being led by two Registered Managers. One Registered Manager has been in post since 2010 and has experienced an extended leave of absence since the last inspection. As a result the responsible individual registered as the manger in April 2014 in order to provide additional stability and support to the home in their absence. The Registered Manager is currently under a phased return so this arrangement will continue during this period. Both Registered Managers have the qualifications, skills and experience to manage the setting.

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Leadership and management good

Staff are supportive of the Registered Managers and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Staff new to the organisation are usually placed on courses to gain an appropriate level 3 qualification if they do not already hold one. However, on one occasion this has not taken place. This is an oversight by the home and action is now being taken to address this. The systems for deputising in the manager’s absence are usually sound. However there is currently no deputy in post which leads to managers from other homes in the organisation providing support. Plans are underway to recruit to this post in the near future.

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Leadership and management good

The home has a good track record for improving outcomes for young people. The recent introduction of new monitoring systems by the manager and an independent person for the company provide greater insight into the operation of the home. They 10 of 11 are becoming more evaluative and identify some area for improvement, such as training on recording with care. Appropriate systems are in place for ensuring placing authorities and Ofsted are notified of any significant events.

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Leadership and management good

Records and documentation are usually well maintained and provide insight into young people's time in the home. Nevertheless, some records are not sufficiently detailed, signed or dated and contain some subjective language to describe young people's behaviour. This impacts upon how helpful these records are to young people now or when they look back on their time here.

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Leadership and management good

The Statement of Purpose and young person's guide are shared with young people, their families and placing authorities. The Statement of Purpose is well written, informative and provides the reader with information on the care and support provided. This is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure the information remains current.

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Leadership and management good

Staff benefit from regular staff meetings and supervision, which means their training needs, are regularly reviewed and addressed. There is a rolling programme of training provided, including refresher training in mandatory areas such as child protection, management of behaviour and first aid. 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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