Children's home in Preston

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged to require improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained it’s effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager’s application to register with Ofsted has progressed and a suitable person interview has now taken place. The outcome of the interview is that a recommendation to register the manager has been forwarded to the regional inspection manager for a decision.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders, managers and staff have not taken sufficient action to address all the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. Although this inspection recognises that improvements have been made in some key areas, overall progress is slow. As a result, this home is not yet delivering consistently good standards of care across all areas.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Education outcomes for young people are mixed. While staff have worked hard to successfully reintegrate one young person into college after a difficult start and having liaised well with college, two other young people are currently not in education, training or employment after struggling to make the transition to college and maintain their placements. Staff have helped them to write their curriculum vitae, look for work or apprenticeships and prepare for interviews. However, to date this has not yielded positive results. It is of concern that some young people who are not in education, training or employment will stay in bed until lunch time. This does not prepare them for working life. Managers and staff have not followed up on all young people’s career options in a timely manner. For example, it has taken seven weeks for staff to discover that a potential Prince’s Trust course is not actually available. Furthermore, consideration has not been given to young people

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

continuing with home tutoring to improve their maths and English qualifications while they try to find training or employment. These shortfalls limit young people’s life chances. Further action is needed to identify helpful steps that will build on young people’s skills, confidence and experience to give them the best chance to succeed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some aspects of care planning are good. Additional staffing was organised and implemented at short notice when a young person came to the home in an emergency for two nights. This helped to manage the impact on the current group of young people and keep everyone safe. A young person who has recently moved into the home has settled well, school attendance is already improving and he is engaging well with staff. He reports that he likes the home and his social worker told the inspector that the move has gone well to date.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection identified some areas for improvement in respect of care planning. For example, impact risk assessments do not clearly outline that managers have fully considered the impact that a young person’s admission may have on the existing group of children. Historically, this has been an issue for the home and improvements made at previous inspections have not been maintained.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people go missing and have periods of time when they are absent without permission. Some occurrences are short lived with young people arriving home later than expected. On other occasions young people are absent or missing from home overnight. The quality of recording of missing and absent episodes is variable. It is not always easy to understand the actions taken by staff in response to young people who are missing or to track the chronology of events. As a result, it is difficult to effectively monitor missing and absent episodes and this does not constitute good safeguarding practice. Furthermore, although the manager requests return to home interviews social workers do not always carry them out. When this happens the manager fails to escalate this as a concern, which does not promote young people’s safety and welfare. The responsible individual reports that some work is on-going strategically within the authority to address this issue but

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A key concern at the last inspection was around staff not implementing consistent routines and boundaries, particularly at night. This led to young people displaying disruptive behaviour. Staff have worked hard to be more consistent in their approach and as a result, the home is now more settled. In June, night time disturbances occurred on 14 occasions, whereas in October and November there were just two incidents in each month. Most young people now benefit from improved sleep patterns and this improves their well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff spend time with young people and the introduction of different activities has helped to improve relationships. For example, young people like to go and play pool and snooker and some have realised new talents. Young people and staff play games such as monopoly and cards. Young people also enjoy the challenge of buying ingredients on a budget and making themselves a meal. Homemade pizzas and potato wedges have been a revelation and this not only gives young people a sense of achievement but helps them to develop their independence skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Improved relationships between staff and young people means that young people have a more positive experience of living in this home. A display on the wall in the dining room reflects this and young people use their own words to describe what it is like for them to live in their home. These words include safe, comfortable, calm and friendship. Because young people now engage positively with staff more of the time, this provides a platform from which further improvements can be made. Young people continue to present challenging behaviours inside and outside of the home. At the time of the last inspection in July staff had called the police to the home on eight occasions in the preceding five month period. Since July this has been necessary on one occasion. This means that staff are now more effective in de-escalating situations and this minimises the need for police involvement at times of crisis.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For some young people who are involved with the youth offending team it has taken time to improve their levels of engagement. Some young people have required the court to impose further control measures to secure compliance. However, they are now recognising the need to engage in order to move forward. A youth offending worker reports positively on the work staff do to support young people in this process and young people are now working through the sanctions imposed by the courts more readily.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff continue to work with young people to help them to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. Varied and more creative consequences help young people to take responsibility for what they do. For example, when young people deliberately cause a mess by throwing food in temper, staff ask that they clean it up rather than young people always paying towards the cost of replacing the food. Young people sometimes carry out tasks to earn money to pay towards the cost of damage caused rather then it simply being deducted from their pocket money. On some occasions managers and staff do not follow through on consequences in a timely way. As a result, the intended impact on young people is lost. Therefore, although some progress has been made in this aspect of behaviour management, consequences continue to be an area for further development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Improved monitoring of young people’s health needs means that most young people now attend routine appointments. When young people refuse, staff persist and make repeat appointments with some success. Work is ongoing with one young person in respect of him going to the dentist and staff are now following up on health issues pertaining to a young person who is new to the home. Better support of young people’s health improves their well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A review of the children’s guide means that it now contains up to date for young people should they need to contact the Children’s Commissioner and Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Better systems are in place to notify Ofsted of serious incidents that occur. Because relevant people are informed, the regulator is able carry out its monitoring function more effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

External monitoring systems have been slow to improve. A new report format was only introduced in October 2016. Prior to this monitoring reports continued to contain inaccuracies and lack evaluation. The report from October’s monitoring visit does contain more relevant information but it still lacks a clear evaluative statement about whether or not the home effectively safeguards young people and promotes their welfare. As a result, a requirement raised at the last inspection is repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection some weaknesses were evident in staff recruitment processes and these have not been addressed. For example, one personnel file did not contain full information when it was first presented to the inspector. Although this was rectified during the inspection it demonstrates that the manager had not sufficiently checked the file. A second file was not available for the inspector to review and this is unsatisfactory. Weak recruitment practice does not protect young people from unsuitable people working with them. A recommendation raised at the last inspection is now raised as a requirement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection recognises some improvements in leadership and management. Staffing has remained largely consistent with some new additions adding positive energy and a wealth of experience. The culture and ethos of the home is much better and is based on building positive relationships with young people by being more consistent, caring and resilient. This change in culture underpins the progress young people have made. However, shortfalls remain. For example, only four staff have completed training in understanding drug and alcohol misuse and training is yet to be organised on Autism and bullying. Therefore, there has not been sufficient opportunity for staff to develop their knowledge and skills in some areas. In addition, although internal monitoring systems exist they are not yet robust enough to identify shortfalls and address these in a timely manner. This limits the capacity of the home to improve and provide consistently good standards of care

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

across all areas. As a result, aspects of leadership and management continue to require improvement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Five requirements and two recommendations are raised following this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority run children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to six young people aged between 11 and 17 years with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/09/2015 Full Requires improvement 03/06/2015 Full Inadequate

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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

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met In meeting the quality standards if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically in relation to escalating concerns to relevant people when social workers fail to carry out return interviews in a timely manner. 06/01/2017

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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)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 06/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

14: The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must ensure that children— (1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that impact assessments are always completed, that they outline why the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs and demonstrate that managers have fully considered the impact new young people will have on the existing group of children. 06/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

32: Fitness of workers Ensure that full and satisfactory information is available to individuals working in the home in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(d)) 06/01/2017 44: Independent person: visits and reports Ensure that the independent person who visits the home produces a report which sets out whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)) 06/01/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff encourage the young person to continue their education or training and support them to develop the skills necessary to succeed in the option they choose. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.16).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all children’s case records (regulation 36) are kept up to date (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 62, para 14.3)

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Recommendations

In particular that missing from home and absent records clearly outline the length of absence and actions taken by staff to ensure the child’s safe return.

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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, 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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