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

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people say that they are safe, happy and well cared for at this home. They put their progress down to the exceptional support they receive from the staff team. One young person said, ‘They are the best you could wish for.’  Young people are fully involved in making decisions about their lives. They regularly comment on aspects of their care. They attend their reviews and have a positive influence on outcomes.  Staff value the importance of education. Young people are at different stages of engaging with further education but are fully supported by staff to continue to find a career path.  Young people’s health is prioritised. Over the years and with good incentive schemes in place, young people now realise the importance of good health. As a result, they attend all appointments and engage well with additional services.  Young people are safe and are supported to take age appropriate risks. When concerns arise, quick and decisive action is taken. Young people say

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The children's home provision is good because:

they are much safer now than when first placed because staff have worked hard in getting them to understand why something is unsafe.  Young people are now at an age where they are being prepared for independence. Their skills are being assessed and they are receiving advice and support where necessary. But, the home does not have any transition plans in place. This does not ensure that everyone is aware of the plan or that they are all working towards the same plan.  The home well managed. An experienced manager with a stable staff team ensures that young people receive continuity of care from people who know them well. Staff receive good training and support to be able to effectively care for young people.  The quality of care within the home is regularly monitored through an independent visitor. However, these reports give overall statements, which lack evaluation and do not say clearly what records have been examined.

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The children's home provision is good because:

This does not ensure that the manager can use the information provided to develop the service. For example, they have not picked up where records have not been signed by the author or required signatures needed.

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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

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

The independent visitor must produce a report about a visit which sets out in particular; the independents person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being. This is specifically in relation to identifying what records have been viewed and giving a evaluation of the quality of them. (Regulation 44 (4) (a) (b)) 31/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (b) (iii) plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child's placing authority. This is specifically in relation to having a clear transition plan in place. 31/01/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that case records are kept up-to-date and are signed and dated by the author. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home can accommodate up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

18/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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good

Young people say this is a good home where they are happy and settled. They say that they are fully involved in all aspects of their care and their views, wishes and feelings are taken into account. Young people often comment within their records and feel they can influence outcomes. One young person said, ‘If I am not happy about something, we discuss it and staff will try their best to sort it.’ Young people did not have any complaints about the service but knew whom to contact if they did have a concern. They also said that they had a range of independent people they could talk to in private including an advocate, the independent visitor and their reviewing officers.

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good

Young people are well supported through advice and incentives to value being in good health. As a result, they now attend all appointments and actively seek advice when necessary. For example, one young person is working closely with a support worker from the smoking cessation clinic, to stop smoking. She has significantly reduced her intake and hopes to stop in the fourth coming weeks. The worker said, ‘It is really good that she wants to do this and she is working hard. Staff encourage her to use the inhaler which is great.’ When young people have struggled with their emotions, the staff have referred them to the appropriate service. On several occasions, they have not met the criteria for input from mental health services. But, staff have pursued support for them through private agencies. One staff said, ‘We can give them the emotional warmth that they need but sometimes they need support from professionals that are trained in psychological

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good

issues. We have good contacts with several services and ensure when young people need to they have someone to talk to.’

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good

Staff have high aspirations for young people and install the value of a good education. This is evident in young people’s attendance and achievement. For example, at the end of the summer term both young people had over 98% attendance at school or college and left school with a range of exam results. One young person now attends college and has just received a Level 1 qualification in Hairdressing and Beauty. She is very proud of this achievement and has displayed her certificate in the lounge. The other young person has struggled of late and although past formal education age had continued to attend mainstream school. The manager is working closely with the head teacher to ensure that her placement is maintained.

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good

Young people are offered a range of activities. One young person goes horse riding on a weekly basis and enjoys going to the cinema, shopping and beauty treatments. Young people say that they are of an age where their free time does not have to be so structured. They often choose to watch television on school night because of the demands of homework or just to relax. They said that they went to a caravan park in the summer holidays and had a great time. At the weekend they like to spend time with their friends. An outstanding area of practice is how the home includes friends in coming to the home, spending time here and paying for them to go on activities together. For example, one young person has a long standing boyfriend. The home has provided him with a travel pass to visit her here and they include him in activities such as going to the cinema. The manager said, ‘He lives a distance away, we have the dark nights and its cold. Therefore, he

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good

can come and see her here and they can spend time together in a warm and cosy environment.’ The young person said, ‘How fantastic is that.’ This means young people are able to maintain friendships safely and that they are involved within the community.

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good

Good preparations are made for semi-independence. Young people are learning to budget money, cook, care for themselves and they have completed curriculum vitae’s for future employment. Key working sessions show the skills they have and where they need to improve. Staff assess and offer advice in these areas. Both young people are nearing the age to move into supported lodgings, independence or into adult services. All these options have been discussed but there is a lack of a co-ordinated plan within the home to show what steps are being taken for them to move in a planned way. One young person is eight months away from her eighteenth birthday. She said, ‘I don’t know what the plan is until my review in February.’ This does not ensure that everyone is clear about the plan or that young people’s anxieties are alleviated.

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good

Both young people said that they were extremely safe at this home. They said staff are very clear with them about keeping themselves safe and they always give good advice and how risks may affect them. One young person said, ‘We may not always like the advice given but we know it is based on fact, experience and is sound.’ Another young person said, ‘I like it when staff ring me to check where I am and if I am ok. It makes me feel cared for and that’s what a good parent would do.’ Consequently, young people learn how to keep themselves safe whilst having the same opportunities as their peers.

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good

Young people said that the best thing about this home is the relationships that they have with staff. They say staff are clear, honest, listen to them, and have their best interests at heart. One young person said, ‘They don’t have to say they care about us. We know that they care because it is in everything they do.’ A long-standing staff team cares for the young people. This means they receive continuity of care from staff who know them well. Staff take pride in their strong relationships that have brought about positive outcomes for young people.

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good

There has only been two reportable incidents of young people being missing since the homes last inspection. The home followed the local authorities missing from home protocol and actively searched and tried contacting the young person to ascertain their whereabouts. Return interviews were completed to ensure that the reasons for going missing could be addressed. In conjunction with this, staff talked to the young person around being safe and safety issues. As a result, she has not been missing for a good period.

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good

Staff work closely with a range of safeguarding professionals to ensure young people are safe. Professionals say that when a concern arises swift action is taken, by ensuring everybody is informed, by putting extra safeguarding measures in place and arranging strategy meetings. For example, when a young person accessed inappropriate material on their mobile, conversations led to a more serious incident and action was taken to ensure her safety. A full investigation by the police is underway. The home has brought her a standard mobile phone that allows her to stay in touch with them and friends but does not have internet access. A strategy meeting has been arranged and additional psychologist support has been requested to ensure that she has someone to talk to whilst the investigation is being completed. All staff are trained in safeguarding procedures which include recognising behaviour and patterns of child sexual exploitation and

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good

accessing the internet safely. They demonstrate a good understanding of this and act quickly on any concerns. This ensures that young people are fully safeguarded.

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good

Effective behaviour management plans means that young people have not been restrained whilst living here and that sanctions are minimal. Staff pride themselves on turning negative behaviour around through good incentive charts, rewarding behaviour and celebrating achievements. Young people have earned extra money, large activities and trips out for meals. Young people get the chance to apologise, make good and reflect on their behaviour through purposeful key working sessions. Therefore, they are able to empathise and learn from their actions.

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good

Young people live in a safe, homely and well maintained home. This is because the manager and staff take their responsibilities seriously and ensure that all health and safety requirements are fully met. Renewals of safety equipment and fire evacuations are completed regularly.

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good

The manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2011. He has a suitable management and leadership qualification. He has extensive experience of working with young people within a care setting. Recently, further support has been introduced to assist the manager with the appointment of a well-qualified and experienced deputy manager.

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good

The home’s Statement of Purpose reflects the service provided by the home. There is a good connection between this, the home’s development plan and the location risk assessment. This means that that they are all live working documents that interact and inform professionals about the service provided and that young people are suitably placed.

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good

Young people benefit from being cared for by a stable staff team that is effectively managed and well supported. All staff have a recognised qualification in child care and their knowledge is enhanced through regular training. They receive regular supervision and have the opportunity to discuss their practice and any developmental opportunities. Staff meetings are regular and give staff the opportunity to discuss any changes in policies, practice, or legislation. Young people attend the staff meeting and say that it is a great opportunity to discuss the week ahead, so everyone knows what is happening.

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good

Young people are central to the care that they receive at this home. This is because they are given and encouraged to discuss and comment on all aspects of their care within their records and within meetings. As a result, young people said that they could influence the care they receive and knew this was important because it was about them.

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good

The manager has forged strong links with partner agencies such as teachers, health professionals, and social workers. This means that effective joint working ensures that young people receive the care that they need.

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good

At the last inspection the home was asked to ensure that Regulation 44 reports fully evaluated the effectiveness of the quality of care and outcomes for children. The company addressed this shortfall by employing an independent service to undertake these visits. However, they remain of poor quality because they lack evaluation and give overall statements rather than saying what record has been viewed; therefore, it is difficult to see if this is a generalised comment or specific to one young person. As a result, they have not identified that some records such as the social worker, manager or other parties have not signed a young person’s care plan or that young people do not have transition plans in place. In addition to this, the manager recognises that they are not useful in giving him independent feedback in how he can improve the recordings, staff practice, or the service.

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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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