Children's home run by Blackpool Borough Council in Blackpool

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:

 Staff respect individuality and diversity, and as a result young people’s personalities and identities flourish.  Staff help young people to manage complex contact arrangements safely, enabling them to keep in touch with those who are important to them.  Young people benefit from good quality support from staff who genuinely care about their welfare.  Key worker relationships are particularly strong, and young people learn about trust and reciprocity.  Young people participate in different activities with staff. This helps young people to invest in the home and relationships. Furthermore, they build confidence and have fun.  Individual incentive plans motivate young people to make more positive choices about their behaviour.  Young people begin to accept why staff challenge their behaviour when necessary. Consequently, young people become less confrontational, and develop skills, enabling them to discuss their wants and needs more

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The children’s home provision is good because:

effectively.  Young people access independent visitors. They have a voice, and when they express concerns these are listened to and acted upon.  Staff support good school attendance, and most young people engage in education.  Robust responses to missing episodes minimise risk, and keep young people safe.  Staff identify, understand and effectively manage risks relating to child sexual exploitation. Effective working relationships with partner agencies protect young people.  Interim management arrangements to cover the absence of the registered manager are effective.  Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the home’s progress since the last inspection. They know its strengths and areas for development, and show commitment to developing practice and improving the quality and standard of care. To continue to improve, the home needs to:  Ensure that managers and staff understand the educational progress of all

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The children’s home provision is good because:

young people, and liaise with partner agencies to improve the content of personal education plans, together with the support provided to promote learning.  Provide routines and structures at the home that will help young people above compulsory school age to prepare for, and re-engage with, education, training or employment.  Always find out from social workers the content of return home interviews, and use this knowledge to inform risk assessments.  Improve recruitment practice so that all references are appropriately sourced and verified.  Ensure that all staff receive regular supervision, and keep records of these meetings.  Strengthen leadership to resolve team issues and make sure that people work together.  Organise drug awareness training to equip staff with the knowledge and skills to support young people fully where drug misuse is a concern. Provide training to one member of staff who is yet to complete their level 3 diploma

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The children’s home provision is good because:

within the timescale set out in the regulations.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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

8: The education standard In order to meet the education requirement the registered person must ensure: (2)(a) that staff: (vi) maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement (vii) raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority. Specifically, that personal education plans are appropriately reviewed, contain accurate information about progress and how identified needs will be met. (ix) help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. 31 May 2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must: (2)(b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child, specifically that all staff attain the level 3 diploma within the timescales set out in regulation 32, and that staff receive training on drug awareness and on meeting the educational needs of young people. 31 May 2016

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff know and take account of information from return home interviews to inform risk assessments and safeguarding arrangements (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that good employment practice is maintained, and that the recruitment, supervision, and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that good practice is maintained by keeping a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision and that both the person giving the supervision, and the staff member have a copy of the record (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4).

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Information about this children’s home

The home can accommodate up to six young people. It is owned and operated by a local authority and provides medium- to long-term care placements for young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

2 February 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

10 March 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Staff take their responsibilities seriously. They care, show commitment and work hard to gain young people’s trust and respect. Key worker relationships are particularly strong. One independent reviewing officer said: ‘The key worker for my young person placed is interested in improving the outcomes for her. She takes an interest in all aspects of her life. She cares about her. For example, during a recent difficult period she came in on her day off just so she could speak to me and get guidance on what should be happening.’

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Good

Staff respect individuality and diversity, and, as a result, young people’s personalities and identities flourish. One young person said: ‘I like how they give me respect, and I am supported being me.’

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Good

Organised activities provide opportunities for young people to have new experiences, to try different things and to have fun. Examples include tubing at the Chill Factor, Alton Towers, trips to Manchester, the cinema and bowling. Such opportunities enable young people to develop relationships with staff who are investing time in them. A young person said: ‘We went to Manchester, it was dead fun.’ During children’s meetings, young people share their ideas for future trips and holidays, and staff listen.

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Good

Most young people make progress against their starting points. Examples include being more confident, managing sibling contact, re-engaging with education, being able to negotiate their wants and needs, being less aggressive and coming in on time more often. An independent visitor comments about one young person: ‘[The] changes I ’ ve seen with X since he’s been [here], it’s been nothing but a positive experience for him. Now more confident, friends his own age, more responsible and thoughtful. Staff are bringing out the great qualities in him. ’

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Good

One young person is struggling to maintain progress made in the earlier months of his placement. Staff continue their efforts to engage him, and show appropriate levels of concern. His needs are under review to ensure that he receives the right support to help him make progress once again.

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Good

Following a recommendation made at the last inspection, staff work together with young people to help them to look after their bedrooms. As a result, they now receive the appropriate support to maintain their personal spaces to a reasonably good standard. This makes young people feel valued and cared for. A young person described his bedroom as one of the best things about his home. In some cases, young people begin to take on more responsibility for keeping their room tidy, reflecting improvements in their own well-being. A programme of redecoration is under way, and young people have chosen their own wallpaper and furnishings, thereby contributing to the running of the home.

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Good

Young people access independent visitors, and confidently express their views. When they raise concerns, these are listened to and acted upon. For example, young people said that staff were too focused on sanctions, and key workers on behaviour management. In response, managers introduced new incentive plans, and key sessions provide advice, support and guidance on a range of issues, not just on behaviours that cause concern.

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Good

Staff build constructive relationships with extended family members and friends, to promote contact for young people that is both positive and safe. Consequently, young people keep in touch with those who are important to them. Individual work with young people is helping them to understand what constitutes a safe relationship, so that they understand risks, and can make informed choices about who they spend time with.

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Good

Education outcomes are mixed. There is mostly good school attendance, which shows that young people are engaged in education. Systems in place enable staff to monitor this, and they work closely with teachers to address any dips in attendance or behaviour.

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Good

Not all managers and staff understand enough about young people’s academic progress. As a result, some regression and gaps in learning are not identified and are not acted upon swiftly. Furthermore, the poor content of some personal educational plans goes unchallenged, resulting in confusion about whether or not young people receive the right support. Given that this was raised as a recommendation at the last inspection, this is now raised as a requirement, to ensure that all young people are fully supported to reach their full potential.

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Good

One young person is above compulsory school age. He currently has a place on a Prince’s Trust course but does not attend regularly. Staff provide encouragement, but routines and structures in place do not support attendance. For example, he is allowed to stay out any four nights of the week with family or his girlfriend. Consequently, he is not getting into good routines and developing skills to prepare him for working life.

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Good

Staff meet young people’s health needs well overall. Positive links with the children looked after nurse means that they seek advice and support to promote young people’s well-being. Staff chase immunisation histories and address any outstanding needs. Young people manage their own medication when it is assessed as being safe to do so. They mainly attend routine appointments. When young people refuse, staff persist in their efforts to help them to overcome such difficulties. As a result, one young person has now agreed to return to the dentist for treatment. Staff are appealing against a decision by the dentist to de-register him following two failed appointments in recent months. This demonstrates that staff advocate for young people to ensure that they maintain access to primary health services when they need it.

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Good

Staff support young people to develop skills in line with their age and development. This includes helping out in the home, using public transport, doing their laundry, and being able to prepare meals. Plans in place aim to progress this work, to focus on budgeting and on the realities of living independently. Consequently, young people receive support to prepare for their next steps.

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Good

Young people are safe, they know how to complain, and they can identify a trusted adult who they can talk to, inside or outside of the home, should they have concerns.

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Good

Staff identify, understand and manage risks well. Improved record keeping means that risk assessments contain more detail, and risk management strategies are clear, as are levels of risk. This means that staff know what actions to take to keep young people safe from harm.

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Good

Staff engage well with the police to safeguard young people who go missing. The missing from home co-ordinator describes staff as ‘proactive’, and an independent reviewing officer said: ‘When the young person I am involved with recently went missing [staff] did all they could to find her, not sitting back and leaving it to the police. They continued to pursue information and sightings as they arose.’ As a result, staff take prompt action to ensure young people’s safe return.

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Good

Return interviews take place, and staff actively chase social workers who do not complete these within 72 hours. This means that they work hard to ensure that young people have the opportunity to talk to someone independent of the home about why they go missing, and what happens during their absence. Information from these interviews is not consistently shared with staff, so is not used to inform risk assessments. A recommendation is raised to improve this area of practice.

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Good

One young person is vulnerable to child sexual exploitation. She receives specialist support, and staff adhere to a clear safeguarding plan to minimise and manage risk. Boundaries in place enable her to enjoy time safely away from the home with friends and family. Monitoring online activity protects this young person. Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of social media, and their vigilance promotes young people’s safety and well-being. Staff understand that one young person’s misuse of cannabis impacts on his health and well-being. Although he is currently refusing to access specialist support available, staff take action to disrupt his activities, giving him access to limited sums of money, and confiscating any drugs paraphernalia they find. Staff would benefit from formal training to enhance their understanding of drug misuse in order to fully support young people where this is a concern.

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Good

Individual support plans minimise the risk of situations escalating. Behaviour management focuses on rewarding positive choices, thereby reducing the need for sanctions. Young people respond to incentive schemes, and this helps them to modify some of their challenging behaviour. For example, one young person is less aggressive when expressing himself, and he now negotiates his wants and needs without being as confrontational. Individual work with young people helps them to identify their feelings. For example, one young person is learning to recognise when he is angry, and is more likely to break something. His key worker is teaching him strategies to manage this. There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection, and this reflects the positive work being undertaken.

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Good

Shortfalls in the recruitment and selection of staff undermine robust safeguarding practice. The inspector found that the appropriate number of employer references are not always sourced, and are not routinely verified. A recommendation is raised to secure improvements in this area, so that processes are suitably rigorous to prevent unsuitable adults from working with young people.

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Good

Young people benefit from a warm, homely and physically safe environment. Good health and safety arrangements promote their safety and well-being.

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Requires improvement

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager who has been registered with Ofsted since 2010. He is currently absent from work.

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Requires improvement

Effective interim management arrangements result in the home being well run during this period. The interim manager takes advice, and seeks support from senior managers who are described as approachable and available. He fully understands the needs of the service. He appreciates where things work well, and knows what needs to improve. Developmental priorities take into account the needs of young people.

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Requires improvement

Improved staffing arrangements mean that there are now sufficient staff to meet the needs and personal preferences of young people. Managers have drawn on resources within the authority to address night time staffing shortages following a requirement raised at the last inspection. Consequently, regular waking night staff provide more consistency for young people.

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Requires improvement

External monitoring visits take place each month. A written report is provided on the conduct of the home, making recommendations where necessary. Any actions raised are promptly addressed by the manager, to promote the smooth running of the home. Internal monitoring systems result in the effective oversight of case records. Furthermore, managers identify patterns and trends from incidents that occur, enabling them to take action to promote young people’s welfare.

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Requires improvement

Some aspects of staff training are good. For example, up-to-date safeguarding, first aid, child sexual exploitation, behaviour management, internet safety and radicalisation training keep staff abreast of current developments in research and practice. Staff recognise how training helps them in their role, and the positive impact that this can have on young people. For example, a member of staff reports: ‘It has helped me empower and support the children to find different ways to deal with their emotional difficulties and channel their negativity or aggression in a more acceptable way.’

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Requires improvement

All full-time staff in post on 1 April 2014 have completed the qualification required within the two-year timescale set out in the regulations. One casual member of staff is outside this timescale, the assessor has left, and no clear plan is in place to ensure that she is able to resume the course and complete it. The absence of drug awareness training, and a course to help staff understand the educational needs of young people, are shortfalls in the workforce plan. A requirement is raised to ensure that staff and managers are equipped with the relevant skills and knowledge, to support young people fully in all aspects of their care and development.

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Requires improvement

Regular supervision is not afforded to all staff, and when supervision does take place, records of these meetings are not kept consistently. When issues are raised about practice, the lack of documentation fails to show evidence that such matters have been addressed. Some staff report that the team members do not always work together, and that some can be dismissive of different approaches and initiatives. Furthermore, some staff say that they are not always confident to raise such issues with managers. To date, this has not compromised the safety of young people, but has raised some tensions within the team. Unresolved team issues have the potential to undermine the quality of care provided, and young people’s progress, if they are not suitably addressed.

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Requires improvement

Two requirements and three recommendations are raised following this inspection to secure improvement.

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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, work- based 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

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

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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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