Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in 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 declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are currently four young people living at this home, three of whom are new admissions since the last inspection on 29 April 2016. As recommended at the last inspection, the children’s guide was revised to include details of the house rules and the day-to-day routines of the home, and young people confirmed that they were given a personal copy prior to moving in. This means that they were well informed about the services available to them and the expectations of their behaviours.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All four young people say that they feel safe at this home and like all the staff and their peers. They were still on school holiday and were busy choosing wallpaper for the lounge and dining room. This demonstrates that their views are genuinely ascertained, which makes them feel valued. Also, it demonstrates that they are gaining a sense of pride in their surroundings. One young person said: ‘I smashed my other place up but, apart from kicking doors, I have stopped all that here because I feel calmer.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Other comments include: ‘It’s been a good change for me to come here and I have learned a lot of lessons. The staff don’t shout at me, but I do get banned from going places. They are helpful and really nice staff, all of them, and I reckon it’s the best children’s home I’ve been to’. ‘It’s all right here and I feel safe. I like all the staff who help us a lot and actually, I get on with all the other young people.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, all the young people know that their respective plans are to move on from this home. This means that their investment, for example, in building trusting relationships and in positively engaging in group activities and individual key- worker sessions is limited. One member of staff said: ‘They don’t gel as a group. They are very much four individuals so, for example, they don’t often sit down and eat together which used to be part of our daily routines.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Comments from young people include: ‘The assistant manager is trying her best to push it for me to go back to live closer to home. I like it here but I will be glad to go back to my home town because I’ve got loads of mates there’. ‘I get on with the other young people who are nice and kind. I feel safe and it is better than I thought it would be, but it doesn’t really feel like home’. ‘It’s all right and the staff and young people are okay, but I don’t want to be here. I don’t like living here. I just want to go home’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This last quote is from a young person who presents as sad, angry and confused. She is, understandably, trying to make sense of conflicting messages from family and children’s services. This has led to significant and sustained challenging behaviours and, at times, staff appropriately requiring police assistance, and/or using restraints to keep her safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of restraint is still relatively rare at this home and, when deemed necessary, the least restrictive hold for the shortest duration is used. However, the restraint records do not include all the required information. In particular, they do not consistently demonstrate a follow-up discussion with young people to enable them to reflect on the incident and thereby try to prevent a re-occurrence. This is particularly pertinent as one young person feels that one restraint was unnecessary and that she is treated differently to other young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person’s plans have recently fundamentally changed. He was working towards being fostered by a friend’s family who purposely bought a new house out of the area as a positive new beginning. However, he wants to stay close to his mum. Unfortunately, he has strong negative associates locally, leading to drug misuse, offending and missing episodes. Moreover, he is now actively encouraging other young people to join him, so this is negatively affecting the progress of his peers.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the young people admit to smoking cannabis, and drug paraphernalia has recently been found in the home, resulting in daily room searches. Young people are also not taking fire drills seriously, which means that they may not know what to do in the event of a real fire.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The current young people have friendships outside the home and generally prefer to spend their free time with these friends. That said, they do engage in some positive activities organised by the home and they really enjoyed Christmas Day. Comments include: ‘My favourite activity is trampolining and we go to the cinema, swimming, bowling, meals out and go-karting too’, and: ‘I was here on Christmas Day and it was good. Staff got me a smart phone. We had a full meal with a starter and then played loads of games. Some staff came in even if they weren’t working, which was nice’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Individual interests and talents are actively encouraged and supported, which serves to increase self-esteem and confidence. Comments include: ‘I like active stuff, so every Wednesday night staff take me to go and play football for two hours’ and: ‘The staff are helpful here so if I am cooking they hang around and advise me if I need it.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Educational progress has declined since the last inspection. In fact, prior to the end of the last school term, three young people had been excluded from their respective educational provisions. Also, due to the Christmas holidays, meetings have not yet taken place to agree return dates. In response, from the start of the school term, the home is having an extra member of staff on duty during school hours specifically to promote educational activities actively and to support independent study.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person who was happy and settled at this home for nearly three years has made a good transition to a specialist adult foster placement to meet her specific learning difficulties better. Two other young people have returned to live with family with the assurance of continued support from staff. This is a key strength of this home, with lots of ex-residents staying in contact. They visit frequently and appreciate the ongoing support. As an example, the assistant manager took a 26-year-old out for a meal over Christmas and another young person took staff to see his new home. This demonstrates the excellent relationships established. Some of these young adults have also made excellent progress since discharge, one example being gaining a law degree.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The experienced and competent staff team continues to provide strong advocacy for young people. For one young person, this empowered her to challenge a full care order successfully. Furthermore, she has now returned to live with family, which was her preferred choice. However, for some of the young people currently living at this home, contact arrangements with family and friends have not yet been formally established. This is exacerbated by the fact that their social workers are still on Christmas leave. This is a cause of significant frustration for some young people who staff feel are going missing as a direct consequence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The frequency of missing incidents has reduced in this placement for one young person. He said: ‘I did runners every single day in my last placement and went missing for two weeks. I have been missing four or five times here which is less.’ However, for other young people incidents of going missing have increased. In response, since the last inspection, one young person was discharged to another children’s home with the purpose of trying to keep him safe. This was also to break the increasingly negative behaviours in the local community with another young person living at the home, which culminated in threats of physical revenge from the local community.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person who remained in the home was initially making good progress, but soon became involved in more criminality, frequently goes missing and returns under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Moreover, he is no longer having overnight stays at a relative’s home, because he did not abide by the boundaries in place. His experiences and progress, therefore, have declined since the last inspection. His mental health worker and independent reviewing officer agree that his behaviours are extremely challenging. However, they stress that the staff at this home are doing a very good job in building positive attachments. These mean that he is feeling safe to explore his traumatic past, which will then enable him to start building resilience for the future. Despite sustained escalation by the home and residential senior managers, missing from home interviews are still not consistently being undertaken by young people’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

social workers. As an example, in October 2016 27 interviews were overdue in respect of one young person. Furthermore, other interviews have been undertaken, but not in a timely manner. As an example, one interview was only completed in June in respect of an incident in February. This is not a meaningful process.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has not reviewed its practice in the light of the feedback from the few interviews that have been completed in which the young people have engaged. As an example, one young person said: ‘I just went out. More and better activities might make me stop.’ In short, the policies and procedures are not being strictly adhered to as a means of safeguarding young people who go missing.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people confirm that they choose the weekly menus together, so they like the meals on offer. However, in practice they frequently do not eat the main meals planned and choose alternative convenience and less healthy foods. Furthermore, despite a recommendation being made at the last inspection, individual menu records still do not demonstrate the provision of homemade, varied and nutritious meals at regular intervals. Some days have not been recorded at all while others are not sufficiently detailed. Entries include: ‘Takeaway’, ‘At school’, ‘At mum’s’, ‘Not here’, ‘Out, and, ‘Missing’. This means, for example, that there is no evidence of any hot main meals eaten by two young people in one full week and only one example for the other two.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Direct work with one young person did improve her diet and reduced her smoking intake during her pregnancy. She stopped going to college, but did engage in independent study within the home. However, there is no documentary evidence of any of this good work because she has recently returned to live with family and took her memory book with her.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff say that work has taken place with one young person which has improved his personal hygiene effectively since admission and in turn has had a positive impact on his self-esteem and confidence. However, no documentary evidence could be found. This is one out of a number of examples of good practice that is not being recorded and/or closely monitored, resulting in a lack of attention to detail and, in some instances, regulatory shortfalls. As was also found at the last inspection, administration is a little disorganised, so key information cannot be easily located.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The majority of requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have not been satisfactorily addressed, which in itself suggests a marked lack of robust monitoring. In particular, sanction records still do not detail all the required particulars. Consequently, the home cannot consistently demonstrate proportionate and relevant measures of control.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The rigour of independent monitoring visits and the quality of the reports has improved since the last inspection. However, the findings are still not consistently informed and enriched by the views of parents and relatives of the young people living in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager’s report following a six-monthly review of the quality of care provided in the home is detailed, evaluative and informed by the views of young people and their parents. However, a requirement has been repeated because the report still does not include the views of staff and placing authorities. This means that the views of social workers and independent reviewing officers have not been formally ascertained by this home since June 2015.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A repeated recommendation from the last inspection is to decorate young people’s bedrooms, as this has only been addressed in respect of one young person currently living at the home. That said, one young person is not interested as she does not want to stay, and another said: ‘I’m still thinking how I want my bedroom decorating but the staff do keep asking me.’ However, one young person does not like the decor in his room. He said: ‘Two of my walls are still pink. I would like plain white. I’ve got some weird pink leopard print wallpaper which my mum laughs at.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has persevered with a number of staffing issues over recent months, not least the lengthy suspension and subsequent dismissal of two permanent members of staff. Independent support was provided during this period. It followed a complaint by a young person, and the outcome shows that it was taken seriously. There has also been long-term sickness due to a traumatic experience, but one in which the member of staff literally saved a young person’s life. The young person had a history of significant self-injurious behaviours and has subsequently moved to a more specialist service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ensuring that the home has always been sufficiently staffed throughout this difficult period has curtailed some positive developments. These include evaluating the views of young people and staff to inform their annual appraisals and plans for a project on health promotion.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Also, despite staff having to manage sustained and significant challenging behaviours since the last inspection, they have not all benefited from regular supervision at the frequencies prescribed in the home’s own policies and procedures and/or timely annual appraisals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has successfully recruited new staff and now have a complete staff team. Furthermore, they have held a team-building day and have positive, agreed aims for moving forward, which are strong motivators. Managers and staff, therefore, feel that they are now in a much better position to start to make the necessary improvements.

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people. The young people may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/04/2016 Full Good 09/12/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness 10/07/2015 Full Outstanding

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of a measure of control, discipline or restraint a record is made which includes all the required details and, within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a) and (c)) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff assess and make arrangements to reduce the risk of harm to each child and help each child to understand how to keep safe; and, in particular, must ensure that independent return interviews are undertaken in a timely manner. The home should then take account of the information provided by such interviews when re-assessing risks and putting any new arrangements in place to protect the child. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the health and well-being needs of children are met and in particular demonstrate: the provision of homemade, varied and nutritious meals at regular intervals; the active promotion of good personal hygiene; and must actively and effectively support young people to stop smoking and misusing drugs and alcohol. (Regulation 10 (1)) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the independent monitoring reports consistently detail consultations with parents and relatives of the young people living in the home. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain an effective system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the required documentation in the home and ensure that the manager’s review reports on the quality of care provided in the home include an evaluation of the feedback and opinions of placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2) and (5)) 28/02/2017 The registered person must ensure that all staff receive practice- based supervision by a person with appropriate experience at the frequencies prescribed by their own policies and have their performance appraised at least once a year. (Regulation 33 (4)) 28/02/2017

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Recommendation

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  To meet the quality and purpose of care standard, ensure that young people's bedrooms are decorated to their personal taste. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.19)

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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 that 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 whom 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 children looked after 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

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Information about this inspection

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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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