Children's home run by Care Afloat Ltd in West Lancashire

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 improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and staff continue to work effectively together to embed systems and to provide good, reliable care to the young person accommodated in this service. Following the last inspection there has been one planned discharge and one planned admission.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has made positive progress in addressing the requirement and recommendation set at the last inspection. In particular, she has improved the statement of purpose document and forwarded the updated version to Ofsted. This ensures factual information is available about the services provided and includes the relevant information about staff responsible for providing these services. Improved recording systems have been implemented in relation to staff supervision and appraisal. Records now show all staff receiving regular supervision and appraisal. This allows staff to reflect on their practice and identify their future training needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people enjoy positive experiences and have good relationships with staff, reporting that they are happy and settled. Staff continue to create new ways of enabling young people to overcome their difficulties of the past and support them to make plans for the future. Particular attention is focussed on on-board safety of the narrow boat and the surrounding waterways. There is a strong emphasis on involving young people in the daily operation of the narrowboat and ensuring they are competent to understand the dangers when operating and passing through locks.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff provide consistency and continuity of care for the young person; they care, engage well and this results in a calm, friendly and fun atmosphere on-board. Young people quickly build confidence in the team caring for them and are comfortable to talk openly about any matters they may have concerns about. Key worker records detail these conversations that happen on a daily basis. This open dialogue increases the safety of young people living at the home because it enables staff to provide individually tailored packages of support for young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service continues to meet the needs of young people who live at the home. The well-planned referral procedures ensure that placing authorities, young people and their families have up-to-date, detailed information about what the service can provide. Expectations in relation to young people’s behaviour; educational attendance; community based activities; engagement and therapeutic support are also clearly stated. A young person, who was accommodated at the home in November 2016 is very happy with the support she was provided with to help herto settle in at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The service has a good track record in helping young people and as a result young people’s initial period of assessment is often extended. This is because young people respond positively to the on-board services and support from their staff. The service enables a young person to reflect and move on from their previous traumatic lives. The organisation has its own registered school, where young people are supported to engage and achieve in small class sizes. Young people who have experienced disruption often engage in planned arrangements to meet their educational needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people move on, their transition is well planned and co-ordinated. The organisation has registered homes within the community where young people can move to after a period of stability. For some young people, a return to the family home is well co-ordinated in line with agreed plans. These arrangements enable young people to make a successful transition. In some cases ongoing support has helped young people in their early stages of independence. This approach means that young people feel valued and cared for even after they have left.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people’s relationships with their family and friends effectively. Young people benefit from structured and agreed contact arrangements. Plans are regularly monitored and, when issues have arisen, staff have advocated to ensure that contact plans are amended in a timely way to meet the needs of the young people. This enables young people to maintain positive relationships with their families and friends. Transportation is not an issue and the service has access to fleet vehicles. This ensures arrangements for family and friend visits are maintained even for those young people who live a considerable distance from the locations the narrowboat travels to.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person says that she feels safe and they are confident that staff will respond appropriately to any concerns that they may have. There have been no incidents of restraint, absences or missing from care incidents or any significant events for some considerable time. This service provides young people with an opportunity to remove themselves from previous risk taking behaviours and supports them to make significant changes and progress in their lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person feels listened to and is confident to express her views with staff and at her review of care meetings. Where young people are not able to do this, the registered manager or staff advocate on their behalf. They are not afraid to challenge professionals in order to ensure young people receive the services and support which they are entitled to from their placing authorities. The registered manager and independent person have effective monitoring systems to review the quality of care and ensure young people are safeguarded. These monitoring reports include a detailed analysis about the impact of care on the young person accommodated. Monitoring of systems and administration records also extends to the organisations head office, as space is limited on-board, and paperwork is regularly moved and secured for confidentiality purposes.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

No requirements or recommendations are made at the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

 The service is registered to accommodate one young person with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.  The service is privately owned.  The service provides young people with single occupancy accommodation on a 71- foot narrowboat which travels around the canal network.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/05/2016 Full Good 24/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/06/2015 Full Good 13/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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.

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

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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 .

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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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