Children's home run by New Horizons 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 are safe and feel safe here. The home works in partnership with placing authorities, police and others to ensure that young people who are missing return home safely. Social workers are complimentary about the lengths that the registered manager and staff go to, to try to locate young people.  Young people are well supported to remain in contact with people who are important to them. They are instrumental in agreeing contact arrangements.  Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff, which enables them to talk about anything that is concerning them. As result, incidents of inappropriate behaviour are reducing. Young people said that they ‘love’ the staff. They have a strong sense of belonging, and jokingly remind visitors not to upset the staff, as they are ‘great’.  Young people thrive in the home, because of the support from the staff. This means that they are developing a greater understanding of their own safety,

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The children's home provision is good because:

such as understanding the dangers of going missing.  Young people’s health improves as a result of living here, because they are encouraged and supported to attend and engage with an extensive range of healthcare professionals. This means that they are increasing in emotional and psychological well-being.  The staff work well with other professionals to ensure that young people receive the best support and guidance. They are strong advocates for young people and are not afraid to challenge others when this is in the best interest of the young person, for example over educational placements.  There are some shortfalls in the monitoring of the home and the detail of some records, such as missing from care risk assessments, healthcare plan plans, impact risk assessments, young people meetings, notifications to Ofsted and the workforce development plan. These are recording issues and do not impact on the care provided to young people.

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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 internal monitoring promotes continuous improvement, in that reports are evaluative and identify any patterns or trends, shortfalls and action taken to address this, in particular impact risk assessments, young people’s meeting minutes and health care plans (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the young people and is a homely environment.

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Recommendations

In particular, repair the lock and window in a young person’s bedroom and the toilet in the en suite (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that where there is a possibility that a young person will run away or go missing from home, their placement plan includes a strategy to minimise the risk.

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Recommendations

In particular, that the missing from care risk assessments are detailed and updated regularly (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.24).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the workforce plan details the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction probation and any core training in particular mandatory qualifications (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person notifies Ofsted if one of the situations in specified in regulation 40(4) (a)–(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of young people.

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Recommendations

In particular, notify Ofsted about young people that going missing from care when they are at risk of child sexual exploitation (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10).

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Information about this children's home

This private children’s home is registered to provide care for up to five young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and/or a learning disability.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

1 February 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

Good

Young people’s views are central to how the home operates. Staff value their opinions and provide regular opportunities for young people to share their views. Although the records of the meetings contain minimal information, the manager ensures that young people are included in making decisions about how the home can be improved. For example, young people choose the decor in their bedrooms. As a result, young people said they are listened to, valued and respected. Young people enjoy very positive relationships with staff. They are confident to sit and ‘chill’ in the office with them, which provides some quiet time for them to talk to staff. Young people were actively involved in the inspection, asking questions about the process and confidently putting forward their views on the care that they receive. One young person said, ‘this is the happiest I have been and I want to stay here.’ Staff are advocating well for her on this.

p.6

Good

Young people laugh and joke with staff, directing the inspector to look at certain things, such as the doodles on the back of a report. Young people okingly described how staff were ‘cruel’ to them and how they are locked in the cellar each night. They confidently kept this banter up for some time, much to the staff’s horror. However, they were quick to backtrack and moderate their remarks. They said that this is why they liked living here, as the ‘staff are great, we can laugh and joke with them. But [we] know they are here for us.’ Staff effectively support young people to have regular interaction with their families. This includes regular visits home and telephone calls and allows young people to maintain their sense of belonging in their families. For some young people, this has seen a significant increase in the amount of time that they spend with their family. They have been integral to the decision making around this. As a

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Good

result, they feel empowered and have a say in the decisions being made about them. Young people continue to make good and steady progress in all aspects of their development. One young person enthusiastically explained how she was attending an awards ceremony at college. She was delighted that the registered manager was going. She happily told everyone about the ceremony the following day, and how she was surprised when the registered individual also attended. This support significantly enhanced her confidence and self-esteem, and also helped her to manage change and unexpected events. The registered manager and staff have high aspirations for young people’s education. They say that if it is not good enough for their own child, it is not good enough for the young people who they look after. They work effectively with others, such as the home’s tutor and virtual heads, to ensure that young people overcome any barriers to accessing the right educational placement and support.

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Good

Staff work effectively with families to support young people’s education. For example, one young person is not a regular attender at school. She often refuses to attend and staff have exhausted all avenues with her. They ask family members to call her, which helps to galvanise her into action. If she still refuses, staff continue to support her. They have strategies in place so that staying home is not a luxury, such as that she has to get up and get ready, and there are boundaries on what she can actually do during the day. Consequently, staying at home is boring. This means that the incidents of refusing to go to school are beginning to diminish. The home’s tutor has a good relationship with the young people and is supporting them effectively in their studies. The home has high aspirations for all its young people. Staff have worked effectively with the virtual head to secure additional support for one young person. As a result, she now has a tutor for maths and

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Good

science so that she can complete her GCSEs. Young people are starting to take more responsibility for their healthcare needs. They confidently engage with a range of professionals, such as psychotherapists, to support their individual healthcare needs. As a result, they are more able to cope with past experiences and to put strategies in place to help them to move forward. They are increasingly aware of their own health needs. For example, one young person is reducing the number of cigarettes that she smokes. She said that she does not feel the pressure to smoke here, as a result of the support of staff. Young people are being well prepared for adulthood. They carry out a range of tasks within the home, dependent on their age and stage of development, for example shopping and budgeting for food, purchasing clothing, doing their laundry and keeping their room tidy. Young people are gaining confidence in preparing

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Good

simple meals and snacks for themselves. They said that they now enjoy cooking and trying new things, and laugh about the skills of some staff who can ‘even burn chips’.

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Good

Young people’s safety and well-being are of paramount importance to staff. Effective multi-agency working helps to keep them safe. There have been some incidents of young people going missing. young person new to the home is experiencing a slight increase in missing from care. The social worker said that this had escalated because of what she was trying to deal with at this time. Young people are usually located quickly and return home safely, because staff take effective action to find them. Staff actively search for young people and use innovative ideas to try to locate young people, for example looking for them on a bicycle. Consequently, they can go into areas where they could not take a car. A social worker said, ‘staff speak openly with the young people about risks. They bring in external agencies to offer support and advice where needed. Good communication works well and has provided efficient outcomes in relation to

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Good

missing reports and child sexual exploitation risk.’ As a result of this collaborative work, staff are helping to keep young people safe.

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Good

Missing from care risk assessments are in place and are known by staff. However, they do not reflect the heightened risk of two young people going missing together. Although this is for short periods of time, there is an increased risk of child sexual exploitation to them. Similarly, staff have not notified Ofsted of these events. These are recording issues and do not impact on the care and support offered.

p.8

Good

Young people are philosophical about episodes of missing, saying that sometimes they just ‘need a break’. They know that staff go looking for them and said that staff give them ‘that look’, the next day. When pressed, they said that this is ‘the disappointed one’, because they had put themselves at risk. Young people show an increasing awareness of how to keep themselves safe, but have not yet managed to cease this behaviour altogether.

p.8

Good

Staff spend time with young people helping them to understand how to avoid risky situations, whether these are in the community, at the home or online. A good example of this includes discussions and use of DVDs about online safety and sexuality, gender and exploitation. This has helped one young person to understand the potential risks to them. Young people respond well to clear consistent boundaries. As a result, the use of physical interventions is minimal. Sanctions are occasionally imposed, and young people are fully consulted on what this should entail. Young people may not always be initially receptive to this but, following a time of reflection, are able to discuss this further with staff. Sanctions are generally well recorded but, on some occasions, it is unclear if a young person has been asked to comment yet has chosen not to. A social worker said that young people know and understand the

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Good

house rules and have told them that they are fair. For example, if they return home late they do not receive their incentive money. This shows an increased maturity and responsibility in their young person. The home is warm and welcoming. It is furnished to a good standard, and each young personality can be seen in their personal space. There are some maintenance issues. The lock on a bedroom door is faulty and the window does not open, restricting the ventilation in the room. One toilet is not working properly. As a result, it has been out of action for some time. Young people are protected as the recruitment of staff is robust. Visitors and work person are vetted and appropriately supervised.

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Good

The home is led and managed by a highly committed and dedicated registered manager. She has high, but reasonable, aspirations for all young people in the home. She holds a management qualification and is an experienced manager. She is support by a core staff team of staff, all of whom hold a level 3 qualification. Relief staff are employed by the company to cover any shortfalls when core staff are unavailable. A number of relief staff do not have the required qualification, but the workforce development plan does not reflect how and when this will be achieved.

p.9

Good

There are sufficient staff on duty to meet the young people’s needs. Staff are well supported, and have regular opportunities to meet with the registered manager through supervisions and team meetings. Regular training opportunities and use of Internet resources, such as information on child sexual exploitation, mean that staff are able to enhance and update their knowledge and skills. Staff said that their training has been ‘informative, especially around autism and Asperger’s.’ This has helped them to think about how they act and what they say to young people.

p.9

Good

Staff are knowledgeable about each young person in their care. They talk proudly about each young person’s achievements, their increased confidence, self-esteem and contact with family to help them to move back home, and better ability to keep themselves safe than when they first arrived. They understand that young people will go thorough difficult periods and plan effectively to support them though this. As a result, young people said, ‘I like living here and I know that the staff are here for me.’

p.9

Good

Records and documentation are generally well maintained and contain detailed information about the young person’s time at the home. The introduction of life skills workbooks to enable young people to achieve independence skills is working well, as young people can see their progress. Also, the memory books of the young person’s time at the home provide them with valuable memories, and the ability to reflect upon what they have achieved. However, healthcare plans are not recorded to the same high standard. This is because they do not outline all of the young person’s health needs and how they are being addressed, for example self-harm. Also, the home’s impact risk assessments do not show the decision-making process in accepting a new young person into the home. Neither of these shortfalls affects the care provided to young people. This is because staff have a good understanding of each young person’s individual needs.

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Good

Monitoring of the home is sound. The independent person visits monthly and provides the home with information on what they do well and areas for improvement. Internal monitoring has not been as effective in recent months. Reports by the manager are not as evaluative. This is because shortfalls in recording, such as young people’s meetings and risk assessment, are not identified. Similarly, they do not show what the home does well, such as improving young people’s educational achievements, health and involvement with other professionals to bring about change for young people.

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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’. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 ‘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 0300 123 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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