Children's Home run by Considerate Care Limited in Liverpool

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to receive a high quality of care that is making a significant difference to their lives. The staff ensure that they get the personalised support and guidance that meets their needs. They are happy, safer, healthier, managing their feelings more constructively, and have positive plans and aspirations for their future.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people live in a warm and supportive environment. They have strong and trusting relationships with the manager and staff. They know staff care about them, want them to be safe, and what is best for them. They respond positively to the staff’s open and honest approach, which helps them to feel valued. Their wishes and feelings are always taken seriously. The manager and staff show considerable insight into individual young people’s worries and how these affect their behaviour. They provide young people with the level of structure and routine they need to feel safe and secure. Young people have clear and fair boundaries that help them to know what is safe and acceptable, and how they will be looked after by the staff. This is helping the young people to feel less anxious, and manage their feelings and behaviour more safely. They listen to the young person and try to find a solution to the immediate problem and the underlying reason.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

They calmly and assertively challenge unacceptable behaviour; to help young people understand about socially acceptable behaviour while giving them the opportunity to feel calm and work through their worries. The young people feel safe and feel able talk to them about their worries. A young person said: ‘They everything they can to keep me safe.’ The staff take concerns about young people seriously and respond decisively to reduce any risk of harm to them, including those associated with sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, self- harm, drugs and alcohol, and social media. They work collaboratively with social workers and the police to understand risk and protect the young people. They use detailed written risk assessments effectively to develop a clear understanding of risks to individual young people’s safety and to guide them successfully to manage and reduce these risks. The staff help young people to understand risk and

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

promote their own personal safety; including helping them to make good and safe choices about drinking alcohol.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people know that the manager and staff will always fight for what is in their best interests and to get them the best possible support, as every good parent would. The manager has assertively challenged a placing authority, when she was concerned that a young person preparing to leave the home was not getting the support he required. He now has a clear and suitable plan for his future and has been appointed a personal advisor to help him get ready for adult life. He is happy with the plan now he knows what is going to happen. Also, he is less anxious and his frustrations are no longer coming out in aggressive behaviour. He is also is no longer getting into trouble in the local area, he comes in on time, keeps in touch with staff when he is out with his friends, and is starting to rebuild a positive relationship with his sister.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff fully recognise that moving on can be both an exciting and worrying time for young people. They provide them with lots of reassurance and emotional support to help them negotiate this significant change. They also ensure they get the right support and guidance to help them become more independence and prepare for adult life. The staff ensure that young people have plenty of opportunities to develop practical life skills, including shopping, cooking and managing money. Since the last inspection they have successfully helped a young person to move out into her own flat in a planned way with the support she needs.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff clearly recognise and value importance of education and training for young people’s future. They enthusiastically encourage young people to learn and develop their knowledge and skills. A young person is doing exceptionally well at school. She is very motivated to learn, attends every day, works hard, and is on track to do really well. She knows that she wants to work with horses and is starting to apply to colleges. Another young person has struggled since leaving school and has tried a number of different courses and a part-time jobs. The staff continue to persevere with him and training providers to find meaningful opportunities to build his confidence, skills and employability.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has completed a detailed review of the quality of care provided. This has helped her to have an accurate understanding of young people’s progress, the strengths of the home, and the areas for improvement. She is already taking action to improve the quality of the written records, the decoration of the accommodation, and young people’s files are now kept up-to-date and include the recommendations and decisions from their latest review meetings. The monitoring of the home by the independent person; however, continues to lack detailed analysis to show how well young people’s welfare is being promoted and safeguarded. For example, do not evaluate the relevance and quality of staff’s direct work with young people to meet their assessed needs. Also, the reports do not include routine consultation with young people, parents, social workers, and other agencies about the quality of the home. As a result it is not taking into

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

account how others view and experience the support provided in order to develop the home. In addition, the independent person has not been visiting the home at least once a month and did not visit in December 2015. The manager and provider have recognised that the quality of the independent visitor has been poor and have appointed a new independent person, who only carried out her first visit in February 2016. The quality of the home’s written records is improving, but they still do not always provide a comprehensive picture of young people’s lives that contributes to the understanding of their lives. Young people’s progress reports do not consistently provide a full account of their experiences and progress, the support and guidance they receive, the staff’s assessment of their progress and the support required to meet their needs and promote their development. Also, young people are still not encouraged to read and contribute their views to their monthly progress reports

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and care plans. This continues to be a missed opportunity to help young people have their say about how they feel things are going and influence decisions about their care and support.

p.4

Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

19/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.5

Recent inspection history

28/03/2014 Interim Satisfactory progress

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person visits the children’s home at least one each month. (Regulation 44(1)) 31/03/2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person, if they consent, interviews in private the children, their parents, relatives, and people working at the home. Also the independent visitor seeks the views of social workers, independent reviewing officers, and other people supporting the children. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 31/03/2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent person produces a report which sets out the independent person's opinion, as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being. In particular the report provides a thorough and detailed evaluation of the home's effectiveness in these areas. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)&(b)) 31/03/2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(4)(a)) 31/03/2016

p.6

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that the home's records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. In particular children's progress reports provide a full account of children's experiences and progress, the support and guidance they receive, the staff's assessment of their progress and the support required to meet their needs and promote their development. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

p.6

Recommendations

 Ensure children are encouraged by staff to see the home's records as living documents supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis, for example in their monthly reports and care plans. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

p.6

What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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.

p.8

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.8

Information about this inspection

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 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 .

p.8

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,

p.9

Information about this inspection

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

p.9

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

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

p.9