Children's Home run by Progress Care and Education Limited in Lancashire

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Processes are not in place to ensure serious events are reported to the appropriate bodies.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Policies and procedures in relation to protecting young people are not up-to-date.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Feedback and views from young people about the quality of the care are not routinely sought.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The home environment is tired and furniture and play equipment have not been promptly replaced to ensure high standards of accommodation.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Progress and achievement of young people is not well documented.

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The children's home strengths:

 A recently Registered Manager is in position and has a great deal of experience in working with young people with disabilities.

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The children's home strengths:

 A core staff team is in place and provides consistency and predictability to forge trusting relationships with young people.

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The children's home strengths:

 An in-depth development plan sets the future direction of the home and improvements are being made.

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The children's home strengths:

 Young people are well protected and are safe. There are no incidents of them missing from home, or involvement in risky behaviours. Risk assessments are also in place and support practice.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

7. In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(ii) help children express their views, wishes and feelings (iv) regularly consult children and seek their feedback about the quality of the home’s care. 02/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

13. In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. 02/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

6. In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c)(i) the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child, with particular reference to replacing furniture and outdoor play equipment. 02/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

34. Policies for the protection of children:

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Requirement Due date

(1)(a)(b) ensure that the policies and procedures for the protection of children are updated. 02/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

(4)(a) ensure that serious events are notified to the relevant bodies without delay. 02/11/2015

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children with learning disabilities. All the children attend the company school.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

05/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

03/02/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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requires improvement

Young people living here have disabilities, complex needs and challenging behaviours. The staff team work well together to provide a supportive and caring environment, which provides routines and boundaries for them to settle. There has been some change in staffing, in particular to the management structure of the home, but the core staff team remains stable and they understand young people’s needs very well.

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requires improvement

Young people attend the company school regularly and participate in a range of activities such as; walks, trips to the zoo, seaside, horse riding, soft play centres, sensory centres and swimming. The manager is looking at expanding these activities to broaden their experiences and opportunities, for example, attending the local youth club and disco.

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requires improvement

Young people are healthy and access services appropriate to their needs, including the child and adolescent mental health service. There is also a company nurse involved with their care. All staff receive training specific to young people's needs including first aid, administration of medication, epilepsy and autism. This enhances the staff knowledge in caring individually for them.

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requires improvement

An administration of medication error occurred at the home. This was picked up on the same day and addressed accordingly, but it was not notified to the relevant bodies including HMCI to ensure a robust response within the protective network of professionals.

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requires improvement

Communication methods such as, social stories and pictorial exchange, alongside staff understanding of young people’s verbal gestures helps to gain their people’s likes and dislikes. However, they are not consulted with regularly to gain feedback on their care and care plans to ensure they fully participate in decisions that affect them. The Registered Manager is aware of this and has plans to enhance ways of gaining their views, through symbols and pictures and development of the key worker relationships. A communication method such as ‘sign along’ is also being introduced to improve communication and enable young people to express their preferences, wishes and feelings more.

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requires improvement

Staff have good relationships with young people and their families and fully understand the importance of contact between them. They facilitate arrangements regularly, providing transport and funding. They also welcome families into the home. This ensures that relationships continue and that young people’s identity remains intact.

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requires improvement

Young people have their own bedrooms that are personal to them. Some have been redecorated and reflect the interests of the young people. Others are awaiting refurbishment. There is space for young people to have private time alone and a garden. The home also has its own vehicles to facilitate their needs. Maintenance work is on-going within the home and improvements in the living environment are apparent, but further work is needed to replace the damaged sofas, bedroom carpet and outdoor play equipment. This detracts from the otherwise homely environment .

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good

Staff receive safeguarding training, which includes child protection for disabled young people. They have a good understanding of their duties in promoting safety and welfare, but staff policies and procedures are not up-to-date to ensure a robust response to any allegation of abuse. Young people have risk assessments that are reviewed to manage and identity risks to them. Close supervision of young people ensures that their personal safety is maintained and that they do not take part in risky behaviours. These practices ensure that they are effectively safeguarded and protected from harm.

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good

Staff have regular training in behaviour management, which focuses on de- escalation and re-direction techniques to assist them in working through their frustration. For the majority of young people this is successful and physical interventions are low. However, for one young person this is not the case and they are high. Review and learning has taken place to improve this and in recent weeks this has begun to take effect and they are reducing. Again, staff report that physical interventions are used as a last resort to protect young people and staff from harm.

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good

The Registered Manager has also reviewed staff practice in relation to sanctions and concluded that these are not always beneficial to young people due to their levels of understanding. This is a positive improvement and demonstrates commitment in improving care practice further.

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good

The selection, recruitment and vetting of staff helps to ensure that only suitable adults work with young people in this home. Checks and references are taken up before work commences and all staff are subject to a probation period to assess their fitness, skills and ability. Young people live in an environment where health and safety issues are well managed. The Registered Manager confirms that staff carry out routine health and safety checks around the home. Safety and insurance certificates are up-to-date and regular fire drills take place to ensure young people and the staff are aware of an emergency evacuation route in the event of a fire.

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requires improvement

The management structure of the home has been inconsistent since the last inspection with two Registered Managers leaving. However a new and recently Registered Manager has been in post since May 2015. She has a wealth of experience in working with young people with disabilities and holds a relevant qualification in management.

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requires improvement

She has a detailed development plan in place and has begun addressing the areas for improvement, such as reviewing risk assessments, undertaking quality reviews and improving the decoration of the home. This demonstrates that she has a strong understanding of the shortfalls, where improvements need to be made and how these are going to be achieved.

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requires improvement

There is still some way to go but this is work in progress. Policies and procedures for the protection of children need updating and a system for notifying relevant bodies of serious events is not in place. Moreover, serious events have not been notified in line with regulation to share information in the protective network of professionals. The Registered Manager took action to remedy this at the time of inspection. Although, there are a number of regulatory breaches these have not negatively impacted upon the welfare of young people to-date.

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requires improvement

The statement of purpose generally reflects the aims and ethos of the home. However, a bedroom carpet, furniture and play equipment have not been replaced to ensure only the highest standards of accommodation for young people living here. Again, young people's bedrooms are also awaiting redecoration.

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requires improvement

Staff confirm that they are very well supported speak highly of the Registered Manager. Regular supervision, team meetings, appraisals and training opportunities all contribute to their competence in providing quality care to young people. New supervision processes are currently being implemented to ensure it is of a high standard and provides quality time for reflection and development. Staff work well with partner agencies and families to promote young people’s needs and safety. A stakeholder commented: ‘Staff are welcoming, no issues at all.’ Moreover, staff participate fully in care planning and contribute to reviews and transitional planning very well. Visits with young people to their new home’s and sharing of information, all form part of transition to help young people move on to adult living successfully.

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requires improvement

Records are in place and reflect the daily lives of young people, but progress and achievements are not fully documented to demonstrate the positive impact that living in this home has had on the lives of each young person.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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