Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited 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:

 Young people feel safe and happy at this home and comfortable enough to enjoy taking part in age-appropriate activities.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 All the young people have a strong trusting relationship with at least one member of staff with whom they feel comfortable opening up to about their traumatic past.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are empowered to positively contribute to their daily lives and to make informed decisions about their futures.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Families and stakeholders are consistently very positive about the quality of care provided at this home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff are strong and effective advocates for young people.  A key strength of this home is securing excellent school attendance for all the young people, some of whom were not in education prior to admission.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This staff team have a proven ability to re-establish and maintain constructive family contact arrangements for all the young people, and ensuring it remains a positive experience for all involved.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff clearly place the well-being of all the young people at the centre of their practice, irrespective of the challenges they present.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people respond well to the clear and consistent boundaries in place and incentives are effectively used to promote good behaviour and effort.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This staff team effectively de-escalate some extremely challenging behaviours without the use of restraint and/or resorting to police intervention.

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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

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of a restraint, a record is made that includes all the required particulars specified in the Regulations. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)) 31/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-based supervision by a person with appropriate experience at the frequencies specified in the home’s own policy. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 31/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain case records for each child that includes all the information and documents listed in Schedule 3. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) 31/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ascertain and consider the opinions of young people and placing authorities during each review of the quality of care provided. (Regulation 45(5) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify Ofsted and each other relevant person without delay if of any serious event and those specifically detailed in the Regulations. (Regulation 40 (4)) 31/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  To meet the health and well-being standard, the registered person must ensure that each young person's health and well-being needs are met including the provision of healthy nutritional meals at regular intervals. (The Guide, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

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Recommendations

 To meet the protection of children standard, there must be a system in place to ensure that a timely independent return interview takes place when a young person returns to the home after being missing from care. The home should then take account of this information when re-assessing risks and putting strategies in place to try to prevent a re-occurrence. (The Guide, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 To meet the care planning standard, the registered manager must demonstrate that the home only accepts a placement once they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the young person's assessed needs and after a full assessment of the impact on the existing group of young people. (The Guide, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Recommendations

 To meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must review and revise the current lone working policy and risk assessment to ensure it accurately reflects current practice in supporting staff to safeguard young people and themselves. (The Guide, page 44, paragraph 9.19)

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Information about this children's home

This is a private children’s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people at any given time who are experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/12/2015 Full Good 26/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/07/2014 Full Good

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Good

Young people are happy and relaxed in this children’s home and benefit from some strong trusting relationships with the staff. Young people are actively involved in welcoming new admissions to the home. This helps them to settle quickly. One young person has recently successfully moved into a flat of his own. This was after: gradually developing the practical, behavioural and emotional skills needed over two and half years at this home; successfully completing a college course; and, maintaining part-time paid employment as a lifeguard. Moreover, he remains secure in the knowledge of continued emotional and practical support from the staff at this home, where he was very sad to leave. He has enjoyed holidays abroad with staff over two consecutive summers and with a close friend and his family this year. He also plays in two local rugby teams and goes to the gym daily, so he now has a strong affiliation to the local community and a good network of

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Good

The staff team have a proven ability to re-stablish and maintain constructive family contact arrangements for all the young people, and ensuring it remains a positive experience for all involved. This strengthens their sense of identity. One young person is returning to his home town for the weekend for the first time and is understandably both excited and apprehensive. Another young person said, ‘It’s alright here and I feel safe. I get on with the other young people and the staff and I see my mum and siblings every weekend.’ A social worker is particularly pleased that, ‘My young person is supported to visit friends from his hometown and his siblings.’

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Good

Young people are empowered to positively contribute to their daily lives and to make informed decisions about their futures. As an example, there is an efficient and effective system established whereby issues raised by young people in their meetings are discussed and decisions made at the next staff meeting.

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Good

Young people know how to complain and have exercised that right. They are listened to, their concerns fully investigated and outcomes reached in a timely manner. This demonstrates to them that their views and opinions are genuinely valued which increases their confidence and self -esteem.

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Good

This home offers nutritious homemade meals, which one young person takes full advantage of. Consequently, he is now a healthy weight. However, one young person, recently admitted to the home, has a particularly poor diet. He regularly refuses meals and is going for long periods on cigarettes, sugary drinks and coffee. Another young person does not have a varied diet. One young person was commended in his review for having stopped smoking in this placement. To his credit, another young person has ceased taking illegal substances, which has a demonstrable positive effect on his behaviour and emotional well-being.

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Good

The staff are strong and effective advocates for young people. This has ensured, for example, that they receive the specialist services they require to best meet their specific and more complex needs. This includes access to the company’s own qualified therapists to support young people’s emotional and mental health needs. One young person said, ‘The staff have sorted it for me to start a course. If I pass it I will get in the army which is what I’ve always wanted to do since I was a child.’

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Good

A key strength of this home is the proven ability to secure excellent school attendance for all the young people. This includes young people who were previously not in education for a significant period of time prior to admission. All are making good academic progress from their starting points. The majority attend the company’s school. Staff transport them and stay with them throughout the school day. This effectively ensures a consistent approach in supporting the unique learning, emotional and behavioural needs of each young person.

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Good

One young person has been awarded with ‘student of the week’ numerous times in recognition of his ‘all round performance’ and has been nominated for head boy. Another young person said, ‘I go to school every day. I didn’t before I came here.’ Teachers confirm effective partnership working. Comments include, ‘Risks are managed well’, ‘There are firm boundaries and expectations at this home which are clearly communicated to the young people’ and, ‘Any incidents that could impact on behaviours at school are shared.’ A social worker said, ‘This staff team supported my young person to integrate into a local school and access a college course.’

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Good

Young people are actively encouraged to join local clubs, including football, boxing and rugby teams. This serves to: promote regular physical exercise; builds positive friendships; strengthens their sense of belonging and develops their social skills. One social worker said, ‘The staff have encouraged my young person to access local services to extend his social network and so he now has a peer group in the local community.’

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Good

Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported which further strengthens confidences and competencies. Examples include, rap music, flying lessons and bird watching. Two young people have recently thoroughly enjoyed a holiday together with staff where they were commended for being: ‘Really well behaved all week.’

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Good

Staff ensure young people have opportunities to develop the skills and confidence they need to successfully manage their lives as adults. Realistically, for the current group, priority is being given to help them feel secure, build positive, trusting relationships and keep them safe. Consequently, there has been significant successful work undertaken to help them learn strategies to protect themselves when out in the community or online. The staff also concentrate on building self- esteem and confidence to empower young people to make wiser choices in their relationships, with some positive effect.

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Good

Families and stakeholders are consistently very positive about the quality of care provided at this home and particularly highlight the, ‘Good communication and weekly updates’ afforded them. Examples of particularly good practice and outcomes highlighted include, ‘The staff encourage my son to take part in activities and he is attending school daily which he was not doing before’, ‘The staff evidence excellent working relationships with my young person. They have developed a sound understanding of his needs and advocate well on his behalf’, ‘My grandson is happy and settled here and has a very good relationship with the staff. He does lots of activities and is always going to the gym. I can ring up and chat to the staff anytime and they are always polite and helpful’, ‘The staff have been vigilant in supporting my young person to develop his independence skills’ and, ‘The young person I placed has excelled with his education, social skills,

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Requires improvement

All the young people feel safe and relatively settled at this home. They get on well with their peers and confirm that there is no bullying.

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Requires improvement

For the majority of the young people, this is in sharp contrast to their experiences prior to admission. They were embroiled in gangs, and one young person constantly carried knives, which he said he needed for his own protection. Now they are simply enjoying being able to be themselves and taking part in age appropriate activities. One young person, for example, loves, ‘pamper nights.’

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Requires improvement

All the young people have now developed a strong, trusting relationship with at least one member of staff with whom they feel comfortable opening up to about their traumatic past. This means they can safely vent their intense feelings without needing to resort to physical aggression or criminal damage. One social worker said, ‘My young person has been supported by staff following the receipt of a later in life letter which has been divided into sections due to the potential impact. He has been able to share his feelings and thoughts with staff.’ A parent said, ‘My child is safe at this home and has made significant changes here with the support and encouragement from the staff. They listen to him and are understanding.’ Staff clearly place the well-being of all the young people at the centre of their practice, irrespective of the challenges they present. The young people respond well to the clear and consistent boundaries in place and incentives are effectively

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Requires improvement

used to promote good behaviour and effort. For example, the referral form for one young person described his challenging behaviours as, ‘Extreme in the last eight weeks including daily damage to the property, which was negatively impacting on other young people.’ In sharp contrast, there have been no incidents at this home.

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Requires improvement

Comments from young people include, ‘I was treated to a driving experience in a Ferrari for being so good’, ‘I used to take drugs and was always in fights. I haven’t taken any drugs here so I can now think more about staying on the right track. It’s really helping me control my anger being here’ and, ‘I have not been here that long but I like it and the staff are good. I was getting in trouble where I was before, but I haven’t here.’

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Requires improvement

The relatively few sanctions imposed are fair and proportionate to the particular misdemeanour. Also, timely and relevant key worker sessions take place following any incident to enable young people to reflect on their behaviours.

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Requires improvement

This staff team effectively de-escalate some extremely challenging behaviours without the use of restraint and/or resorting to police intervention. On the occasions a physical intervention is required, the young people and staff both get separate opportunities to reflect on the incident and explore if lessons can be learned to avoid a re-occurrence. However, restraint records are not satisfactorily maintained. The recently revised format does not specifically detail the actual measure used to demonstrate that it is a safe and recognised hold. Also, staff are not consistently recording: all the methods used to try to avoid a restraint, thereby showing it is always only used as a last resort; or, if any injuries were sustained and any medical treatment administered.

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Requires improvement

All the staff are trained in safeguarding and child sexual exploitation to ensure they remain vigilant. Partnership agencies confirm good collaborative working to protect young people. This home have established good working relationships with the local police and the missing from home co-ordinator and share any local intelligence, so they can safeguard and protect all young people.

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Requires improvement

A youth offending worker said that weekly reports from the home are particularly helpful in informing her direct work. She said, ‘This young person had a history of extensive emotional trauma resulting in multiple care placements. He is very happy and settled at this home and has made significant progress in regards to his maturity and emotional well-being. Consequently, his risk assessment has reduced.’ Another young person previously entrenched in the criminal justice system has not committed any offences in this placement.

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Requires improvement

One young person said, ‘I used to run away for long periods of time. I haven’t run once from here.’ Another young person would frequently not return to his previous placements following family contact. He returns every time to this home. Despite a history of going missing for all the young people currently living at the home, there has only been one incident for a shorter period of time and three absences within the same week in May. Moreover this only involved one young person. This is significant progress and demonstrates how safe and settled they feel at this home. However, an independent return interview has not taken place to ascertain his views. This is an important safeguarding process to re-assess risks and consider strategies to prevent a re-occurrence.

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Requires improvement

The missing incidents were explored and found to be due to contact with another young person during free-time. Notice was served on this young person as staff felt they could no longer keep him safe from the lure of known drug users. That said, in this placement he: improved his ability to manage his emotions; did not engage in any criminal activity; and, there was a marked reduction in missings from his individual starting point.

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Requires improvement

Impact risk assessments are not always completed prior to each admission. These documents are an essential part of care planning as a means of demonstrating a robust matching process to try to avoid disruptions.

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Requires improvement

Staff have the confidence to enable young people to take age appropriate risks as part of their development into adulthood. Two young people are pleased to now be trusted to travel independently and have money to spend.

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Requires improvement

All the required internal and independent health and safety checks are undertaken at the required frequencies and an on-going programme of re-decoration and refurbishment is in place. This ensures a safe and well-maintained building.

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Requires improvement

Robust recruitment and selection processes are well-established to ensure a safe workforce.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager of this home is suitably qualified and experienced. She is child focussed, leads by example, and is not afraid to challenge partner agencies to ensure young people receive the specialist services they require in a timely manner.

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Requires improvement

A recent turnover of staff has resulted in the majority of the team being unqualified, most with no previous relevant experience, and a limited number who can drive. There remains one vacancy. Any gaps in shifts are covered by staff at another of the company’s children’s home close by, who know the young people well. This ensures continuity of care. The registered manager said, ‘It has been a difficult couple of months due to changes in staff, but I have now recruited to all the positions. Although it is a fairly new team, I have got the makings of a good team who all want to be here. Four are still on probation and once completed they will automatically start the diploma.’

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Requires improvement

Staff are very satisfied with the clear direction and on-going support from their managers and feel actively involved in service development. This is a strong motivator. Comments include, ‘All our views are considered when reviewing the service provided’, ‘We can speak to management at any time with any concerns and they are addressed’, ‘This team work well together which promotes a healthy environment for the young people’, and, ‘I’m happy here. It’s a good supportive team and the manager is excellent. My induction training was really useful and I had lots of shadowing opportunities with experienced staff which gave me confidence.’

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Requires improvement

Staff also confirm good quality supervision. However, the formal individual sessions do not consistently take place at the frequency prescribed in this company’s own policy. Moreover, this has been highlighted as a shortfall in external monitoring reports. This reduces the opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and to share and improve their skills in caring for the young people.

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Requires improvement

The statement of purpose is regularly reviewed and revised as necessary to ensure it always accurately reflects the current aims, policies, practices and staffing of the home.

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Requires improvement

This company have recently changed providers to undertake their monthly independent monitoring visits. The registered manager has to date found the process to be more robust resulting in accurate and in-depth reports.

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Requires improvement

The manager’s last six monthly report on the quality of care provided in the home is informative and evaluative. It is informed by the views of the staff, parents and other stakeholders. However, it does not include the opinions of young people and placing authorities.

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Requires improvement

Two requirements were made at the last interim inspection in March 2016. In response, the home has been redecorated throughout. However in relation to the second shortfall, the home have not notified Ofsted, or the local authority’s designated officer, of a recent complaint by an ex- member of staff about the management of young people’s behaviours and staff support. This is currently being investigated, but has already highlighted that the lone working policy and risk assessment needs revising as some of the content is inaccurate. The quality of recordings are good. However, some key documentation is not on young people’s files including a pathway plan, personal educational plans, review minutes and details of previous illnesses and immunisations. This means staff may not have all the essential information about each young person’s assessed needs and targets to inform their internal placement plans and support their continued

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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

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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