Children's Home run by After Care (NW) 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 make noticeable progress due to good routines, effective support and placement stability.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 They benefit from having trusting relationships with staff and feel valued and cared for. This helps them to trust staff and accept their guidance and support.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Their health needs are effectively addressed. They are linked in with relevant services including, the company therapist. This ensures that they receive the emotional support that they need.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff provide effective support to help them prepare for independence. This increases their chances of achieving in adulthood and moving on successfully.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff tackle risk well and are teaching young people how to manage difficult emotions more effectively. This is enhancing young people’s safety.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people benefit from effective partnership working between the home, social workers, police, health services and colleges. This ensures that everyone is working together to meet their needs and keep them safe.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 They are well supported to have contact with family and friends, when appropriate to do so. This is helping them to maintain positive relationships with people who are important to them.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Areas for improvement include, helping young people to understand risk; developing staff training and annual appraisal; notification of serious safeguarding incidents to relevant professionals and Ofsted; improving staff recording, and the monitoring of the home’s records; and ensuring the maintenance matters are addressed in a young person’s bedroom.

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure that staff –

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a)(ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe. 24/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must —

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Requirement Due date

(2) (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. Specifically in relation to substance misuse and online safety. (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically in relation to the auditing of the home’s records to ensure they are accurate, up-to-date and reflect young people’s full range of needs and risks. 24/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4) (c)) 24/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

Notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4) (a) (b)) 24/12/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:-

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Recommendations

Ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Particularly in relation to the recording of complaints made against staff; and, clarifying where information in relation to young people’s diagnosis has come from. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

Ensure to provide an environment that is welcoming, demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them. This is in relation to ensuring that their bedroom furnishings and flooring is well maintained and replaced when necessary. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Information about this children's home

This privately managed home provides care and accommodation for 2 young people 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

27/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

12/02/2014 Interim Satisfactory Progress

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good

Young people make noticeable progress from their starting points. This is down to staff’s consistent support and encouragement. Young people feel settled, valued and at home, this is reflected in a young person’s comments, ‘staff are great and always support me. It is the best home I have lived in and it feels like my home.’

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good

Young people’s attendance and engagement at college is good; they have clear ambitions for their future. One young person explained that she is enjoying her college course in construction and would also like to find a part-time job. Their positive engagement with their training is providing them with greater opportunity to realise their ambitions and goals.

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good

Young people’s physical and emotional health needs are effectively promoted. They enjoy good physical health and routinely attend check-ups with the dentist, opticians and looked after children’s nurse. Their emotional health is promoted through the in-house therapy service. Young people who have been reluctant to engage with therapeutic services now attend weekly counselling sessions. Consequently, they are learning effective coping strategies to deal with difficult past experiences that affect their emotions and behaviour, which in turn, increases their resilience, self-esteem and safety. Staff have developed effective working relationships with specialist sexual health services. Young people therefore benefit from expert guidance and support in matters regarding their sexual health.

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good

Staff understand young people’s needs and vulnerabilities well. They support young people to develop the practical skills needed for independent living. Such as, shopping, budgeting and finding suitable accommodation. When delays in progressing care plans arise, staff work effectively with placing authorities to ensure that the move is a positive experience. For example, a young person due to move into independence, struggled to find suitable accommodation in her chosen area. It was agreed to extend her placement to give her more time to secure affordable, suitable and safe accommodation in her chosen area, where she can continue with her training. Appropriate timescales are in place to ensure this plan does not drift. The challenges in securing suitable accommodation have been largely down to how different local authority housing departments prioritise care leavers needs, particularly care leavers from out of their area.

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good

A range of activities and free time out with friends is helping young people to enjoy and achieve. For example, young people have experienced horse riding for the first time. Furthermore, they have their own pets, such as hamsters and guinea pigs. Caring for their pets is teaching young people how to take on responsibilities, this will benefit them when they move to independence.

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good

Staff support young people to maintain family contact and friendships In some instances contact with family members has significantly improved and young people have been supported to get back in touch with parents after some time. Family and friends are encouraged to visit young people in the home and are invited to attend special celebrations, such as birthday meals. This ensures that young people maintain positive relationships with people who play a significant role in their lives.

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good

On the whole, the home is maintained to a good standard. All communal areas of the home, including the garden, are well maintained and resourced. However, a carpet and a sofa in a young person’s bedroom was badly stained and ripped. This detracts from the welcoming, homely feel that staff have worked hard to achieve.

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good

The home records provide a comprehensive picture of young people’s needs and progress. On occasion, however, staff have not recorded information in a non- stigmatising or objective way. Furthermore, some young people’s needs, such as, mental health diagnosis, have not been clearly documented. It does not state when or who made the diagnosis. This is not helpful to young people who may wish to read their records in the future.

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good

Staff understand the importance of safeguarding and encourage young people to take appropriate risks as part of normal growing up, such as, going out and socialising with friends. When young people are out in the community staff maintain regular contact and if young people do not respond to their telephone calls, they go out and actively try to find them. Although young people find this ‘annoying’, they understand why staff do this and feel protected and cared for.

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good

Young people are being helped and protected by a committed team who prioritise their welfare and safety. Most staff demonstrated a good understanding of risk taking behaviour, such as missing from home and child sexual exploitation (CSE). Missing from home procedures are followed well and incidents of missing are reducing. A key strength of the service is partnership working with safeguarding professionals including social workers, the police and CSE services. This multi- agency approach is ensuring that all safeguarding professionals are alerted to concerns, and are managing risk together. For example, the police issuing harbouring notices to prevent young people staying with unsafe people.

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good

In the main, risk assessments are detailed and provide a clear picture of young people’s risks and how they should be managed. However, some risk assessments had not been updated to reflect significant changes, neither had they been signed by all staff to show they had read and understand them. This did not impact directly on young people’s safety as staff demonstrate in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of individual’s risks and their interventions are consistent and effective. This is clearly a recording matter and highlights shortcomings in the manager’s monitoring of records.

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good

Inconsistencies in staff’s knowledge and understanding of substance misuse and E- safety is affecting how they assess and address such matters. For example, direct work records frequently state that young people refuse support from external services, such as drug workers. Furthermore, some staff said they lacked knowledge and confidence to undertake this work themselves. Consequently, young people are not consistently being taught about the risks of substance misuse and how to stay safe on-line.

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good

Positive behaviour is encouraged through clear and consistent boundaries, praise and incentives. Physical intervention is extremely rare, which is down to young people being effectively supported to manage their emotions in a safer way. This is achieved through regular key work sessions with staff and weekly therapeutic support from the in-house therapist.

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good

Staff have a good understanding of their own and other professionals’ safeguarding responsibilities and know who to turn to for further guidance and support. The professionals consulted during this inspection consistently praised staff’s safeguarding practice. A police officer said, ‘I have good relationships with this home. Staff share their concerns and handle matters well. They don’t have many missing from home, the young people are generally well behaved.’

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good

Allegations and complaints made against staff are swiftly actioned by the Registered Manager and responsible individual. Internal investigations are fair and young people feel listened to and respected. On occasion, there have been delays in informing the placing social worker, local authority designated officer and Ofsted of allegations and safeguarding concerns. This prevents prompt external investigation and evaluation of child protection matters.

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good

The home is effectively led by a motivated and committed Registered Manager who has high expectations and aspirations for young people. She has been registered with Ofsted since July 2014 and is currently undertaking the relevant management qualification. She leads by example and is actively involved in all of the home’s operations, including covering shifts. This enables her to monitor everyday practice in the home as she works alongside colleagues and young people. Young people and staff speak highly of their manager.

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good

Staffing levels are sufficient and agency staff are only used if absolutely necessary. Staff feel supported by the manager and receive regular supervision. One staff member commented that supervision was ‘useful, the manager commends us and tells us what we are doing well.’ The manager is confident in her role and addresses concerning staff practice swiftly, escalating to disciplinary procedures if necessary. Regular team meetings focus on young people’s needs and any emerging concerns or issues. Additionally, staff meetings focus on positive outcomes and achievements for all young people. Young people benefit from a well-supported and guided team and this shows in the care that they receive. Staff’s support and professional development can be further enhanced through ensuring that their performance and training needs are appraised at least annually. The service has established strong working relationships with a range of agencies

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good

and professionals who are involved in young people’s care. Staff work closely with schools/colleges, social workers, health professionals and leading child protection agencies. Feedback from all stakeholders is positive, praising staff’s commitment, young people’s progress and effective communication with the manager and her team. The manager ensures staff are involved in the monitoring and development of the service. Their views are sought during monthly service monitoring visits, team meetings and individual supervision sessions. Consequently, the team feel valued, respected and supported. The manager demonstrates her ability and commitment to continued improvement and development. She has a clear understanding of the service strengths and areas for development, including, developing her monitoring of the service and having clear plans for staff development and training. An updated statement of purpose and young people’s guide clearly defines the service aims and objectives.

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good

Monthly independent monitoring visits are helping leaders to continually appraise the quality of care and young people’s safety. However, significant delays in sending these reports to Ofsted has prevented the regulator from carrying out its statutory role of regularly evaluating the care and protection provided.

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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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