Children's Home run by Essandore Limited in St Helens

Unique reference number SC066218 Inspector Elaine Clare Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Essandore Limited Registered person address Suite A, Ground Floor Aintree Way, Aintree Racecourse Retail & Bus Pk LIVERPOOL L9 5AQ Responsible individual Robert Chirk Wing Leung Registered manager Richard Gary North Date of last inspection 31/07/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 03/03/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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This inspection

Feedback from social workers remains positive in respect to the quality of care provided and the consequent progress young people are making. Examples include, 'He is very settled in this placement and without the high level of support provided he would not be able to manage his anxieties. He has a good relationship with the staff and is being supported to develop his independent skills. He is on two to one staffing due to the complexity of his needs which enables him to have a varied social calendar which meets his needs' and, 'The quality of care is always brilliant, particularly as he has such complex needs. He continues to make progress and benefits a lot from the consistent approach at the home.' A parent said, I think the staff are brilliant.'

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This inspection

Young people are happy and settled at this home. They love their personalised bedrooms, enjoy the good range of activities on offer and like the meals provided. They are all continuing to make good progress, especially given their individual starting points. Examples include: using verbal language; signing; learning to cook; being confident in the swimming pool; brushing teeth; and using the bathroom when prompted.

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This inspection

Staff are strong and successful advocates for the young people. Consequently, one young person is having increased constructive time their family members. The staff prepare young people particularly well for health appointments as this can raise anxieties. One young person is noticeably gaining confidence to try new activities in the local community.

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This inspection

The one requirement made at the last full inspection have been satisfactorily addressed. Consequently more robust procedures are now in place and more effective systems to ensure that medication is administered and transported around the home safely. The medical room has been developed to enable the function of 3 of 5 the room, handling medication, to be its primary purpose. New individual medical cabinets have been installed to ensure that the medication is kept separate.

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This inspection

Four recommendations were also made at the last inspection. In response, individual consents and assessments are in place, in regard to the use of listening devices at night in children's bedrooms, have now been agreed by the responsible placing authorities and parents. The home now has a clear record of the recruitment checks that are carried out on each of the agency staff they use. The Registered Manager has not had a need to notify Ofsted of any incidence but has put steps in place to ensure, should this occur again in the future, staff are clear of the procedure to follow.

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This inspection

As recommended the Registered Manager has developed creative documentation for recording events and incidents that happen in the home with young people. This has led further to a development of targeted plans which are evaluative and challenging to the individual child. These are evaluated on a monthly basis and as a result significant progress for young people is being made.

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This inspection

Recent improvements to the home include the redecoration and refurbishment of the main lounge and dining area to an adequate standard. Young people's bedrooms have also been redecorated and furnished to reflect individual needs and preferences.

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This inspection

Currently the Regulation 33 visits are undertaken by the director of the company and therefore are not independent from the home. A requirement has been made to address this. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers accommodation for young people who have learning disabilities and who may also have physical disabilities. The home is owned by a private company.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2014 Full good 10/02/2014 Interim good progress 20/06/2013 Full good 22/01/2013 Interim good progress

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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) appoint an independent person to visit and report on the children's home in accordance with this regulation; with particular reference to a person being disqualified from the role who has, or had, a connect with the registered person and a connection to the children's home (Regulation 33 (1)(2)(g)(i)(ii)) 01/04/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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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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