Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people receive exceptional care and support from a dedicated, stable and highly competent staff team.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff build extremely positive reciprocal relationships with young people, based on mutual respect and trust.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people benefit significantly from the level of care they receive. Most make marked progress in different aspects of their development, which is relative to their starting points.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff adapt their approach to meet the individual needs of young people who only reside in this home on a short-term basis. This is a particular strength of the home.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Managers and staff contribute to the assessment of young people’s needs and coordinate services with vigour. This ensures that young people receive the right support and preparation to return home, or to move on to an alternative long-term provision, that is best suited to them.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Highly collaborative working with a range of partner agencies safeguards young people. They are skilled at constructively challenging professionals and families where necessary. This holds people to account, promotes young people’s welfare, and supports their progress.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff are strong advocates for young people. As a result, the voice of the child is heard and listened to. Staff empower young people, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to their future plans.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Managers and staff identify and manage risk well. A robust response to safeguarding matters protects young people from harm.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Clear boundaries, good routines and clear communication mean that young people know what is expected of them. This helps young people to feel safe and well cared for.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff manage some very challenging behaviour that young people demonstrate effectively. Managers ensure that additional support is available to minimise risk and protect young people and staff at difficult times.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 The highly effective registered manager provides exceptional leadership. She promotes an ethos and culture that is aspirational, energetic, resilient, safe and nurturing for young people.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Staff feel very well supported. They receive regular supervision and attend relevant training events to refresh their existing knowledge and skills, and develop new ones. This enables them to continue to meet the individual needs of young people.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

To continue to improve, the home needs to:

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Ensure that when debriefing young people after a restraint this is done by someone who is independent of the incident.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that any child who has been restrained is given the opportunity to be debriefed by a responsible adult who has not been involved in the incident. (‘Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations – volume 5: children’s homes’, page 33, paragraph 2.104)

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people who may be experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. This home offers care and accommodation to young people on a short- term basis, for a period of assessment.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/06/2015 Full Outstanding 18/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/11/2014 Full Good

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Outstanding

Young people receive excellent standards of care. Managers and staff excel at developing positive relationships with young people based on mutual respect. Through open and honest communication, good routines, and high levels of support, young people build trust and learn about reciprocity. Most importantly they feel safe, happy and genuinely cared for. Young people describe staff as ‘great’, ‘easy to talk to’, and ‘mint!’ One young person said: ‘[The home] is the best I have ever been in. I am happy and chilled here. I like all the staff. They all care. They are straight talking and so I know where I stand. I like that.’

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Outstanding

Young people have a positive experience of living in this home. One young person described living here as, ‘amazing, fun and exciting’. A positive experience and good support contribute to young people making progress in different areas of their development. Notable improvements include young people’s appearance, self- esteem, health and well-being, sense of identity and behaviour. A social worker for one young person commented, ‘[Staff] have nurtured my young person and helped him to develop his sense of identity, which I felt had been lost.’ A parent said, ‘[The home] has been brilliant for X, it has been the best and I can’t thank [the staff] enough. Staff support has made the difference, exceptional.’ Furthermore, a leaving care worker said: ‘It is a pleasure to see the change in X, I cannot believe the change in her.’

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Outstanding

A range of activities provide young people with fun times. Young people also access regular after-school activities such as dance and football, which reflect their individual interests and talents. This helps them to develop confidence and ambition. For example, one young person is auditioning for a school play and wants to join a theatre group, which staff are looking into. Staff also support young people to maintain appropriate peer relationships, and to be safe when spending time out in the community with their friends.

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Outstanding

Well-managed introductions to the home help young people to settle in quickly. One young person informed the inspector that the welcome book she received was helpful, telling her all about pocket money and bedtimes. She said: ‘Nothing was missing, it had all the information I needed to know.’ Opportunities to visit the home in advance of moving in, wherever possible, enable young people to meet staff, other young people, and to see the house. Staff do their best to make young people feel welcome and help them to personalise their rooms. One young person was particularly pleased with the wrestling posters on his bedroom wall, and the duvet cover of his favourite football team that staff had purchased for him. When young people arrive in an emergency and are reluctant to be at the home, staff approach this with sensitivity and warmth. For example, they installed a TV in one young person’s bedroom and prepared food for her that she could have in her

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Outstanding

room. As a result, she was provided with the space that she needed at first. This demonstrates that staff manage transitions well, and that they are responsive to the needs of individual young people.

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Outstanding

Regular consultation with young people means that they contribute to the day-to- day running of the home, and to important decisions about their future plans. One young person said, ‘Staff listen to me about what I want, I know they are looking for a foster placement for me in X, which is where I want to be.’ Staff empower young people and make sure their voice is heard. For example, the manager organised a meeting for one young person so that she could talk to her guardian ad litem. This enabled her to express how unhappy she was about the way her views and wishes had been represented. This intervention led to a positive outcome for her. As a result of staff support, young people understand that they can speak out and make a difference, when they go about things in the right way, and access help. This is an important skill that will serve them well throughout their lives.

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Outstanding

Managers and staff excel in engaging birth families. They work inclusively with them and this benefits young people. As a result, young people’s relationships with the people who are important to them improve. Furthermore, positive working relationships with birth families help to support young people’s return home, where this is appropriate, and in line with their care plan.

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Outstanding

Staff promote the importance of education and support young people well. They organise transport so that young people can attend school more easily, and provide tailored support to ensure that they get to school on time. Furthermore, staff galvanise professionals to ensure that young people’s educational needs are properly assessed. They liaise appropriately with teachers and the virtual school to coordinate the right support, and to help young people to reach their full potential. As a result, young people make educational progress relative to their starting points. For example, their attendance and engagement improve significantly.

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Outstanding

Managers and staff play an active role in supporting young people’s good health. Young people attend routine and follow-up appointments. Young people access specialist support, where necessary, to support their emotional well-being. Home- cooked food and regular exercise also help young people to lead a healthier lifestyle. Judgement grade

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Outstanding

Safeguarding is the highest priority for staff and managers. Robust arrangements protect young people from harm. Staff demonstrate that they know what to do in response to concerns, and they are clear about their role and responsibility in keeping young people safe.

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Outstanding

Young people told the inspector that they feel safe and are safe living in this home. The complaints procedure is clear. An open and supportive environment helps young people to confidently raise concerns in the knowledge that they will be listened to. One young person said: ‘I would talk to staff [about any worries] and they would sort things out.’

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Outstanding

Parents and professionals express high levels of satisfaction about the staff’s ability to keep young people safe from harm. They report that staff respond promptly to any issues that arise and communicate well with them. A social worker described the manager’s response when a risky situation occurred. She said that she called the home and found that, ‘the measures I would have been suggesting to mitigate risk had already been considered by the manager and implemented’. One parent described the home as, ‘brilliant, couldn’t top it’ and rated the home as 100% when it came to safeguarding.

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Outstanding

Staff carry out meaningful and creative work with young people, individually and in groups. Staff readily talk to young people about relevant issues and young people engage really well. As a result, they understand more about issues such as domestic violence, drug and alcohol misuse, e-safety, extremism, grooming, and child sexual exploitation. Staff give key messages to young people about the need to tell someone if they are worried or scared, and ask for help. Young people become more aware of the risks involved and what they can do to keep themselves safe. This builds resilience and equips young people to deal with risky or difficult situations that they may encounter.

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Outstanding

Through these highly effective interventions staff replicate conversations that would ordinarily take place in families, in response to events that happen in wider society. Staff also talk to young people about what constitute British values, diversity, and inclusion. As a result, young people gain a broader understanding of a range of issues, and this nurtures tolerance and understanding. This excellent practice is worthy of wider dissemination.

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Outstanding

Young people do not go missing often, but when they do staff respond quickly and effectively. They go to great lengths to locate young people and facilitate their safe return. Staff keep relevant people informed, and work together well with families, friends, and the police. Collaborative working keeps young people safe from harm. When young people return, they have the opportunity to talk to someone independent of the home about what happened when they were away. This information informs risk management plans.

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Outstanding

Robust risk assessments underpin excellent safeguarding practice. Individual risk assessments contain detailed information to guide staff in how to reduce and manage risk. The registered manager carefully considers the impact of new young people on those who already live in the home. Well-detailed impact risk assessments contain relevant and factual information, along with the measures in place to minimise any identified risks. Where additional support is required, for example increased staffing, this is facilitated. This safeguards all young people and promotes their welfare.

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Outstanding

Staff work diligently to support young people through periods of challenging behaviour and help them to reduce behaviour that causes concern. A parent said: ‘They do deal with things, they deal with volatile people and manage really well. [Staff] worked on a safety programme with [my daughter] about child sexual exploitation. They also manage her phone use because she hands it in at night.’ A young person has re-engaged with support to address his drugs misuse. His social worker describes this as ‘fantastic’, given his starting point.

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Outstanding

Managers and staff work consistently to explain and instil routines and boundaries. Young people respond exceedingly well. A social worker said about one young person, ‘He respects the rules, [which is] something he never did.’ Furthermore, a parent comments, ‘This home is so different. The team work together all doing the same thing, and so X knows the rules.’ Such consistency and clarity in young people’s day-to-day lives help them to feel safe and cared for. This promotes their welfare and supports their progress.

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Outstanding

Occasionally incidents escalate and restraint is required. A young person told the inspector that staff do this ‘to stop people getting hurt’. Restraint happens rarely, with 13 episodes since the last inspection and none within a six-month period. This demonstrates that staff are able to de-escalate situations successfully. Records are up to date and properly kept. Managers, staff and young people reflect on any incident of restraint. However, this is not always done with somebody independent of the incident, and a recommendation is raised to address this.

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Outstanding

The home benefits from excellent leadership by a suitably qualified and experienced manager, who registered with Ofsted in 2012. Exceptional leadership ensures that the home maintains very high standards of care for young people. The registered manager promotes an ethos and culture that is aspirational, energetic, resilient, safe and supportive for young people and staff.

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Outstanding

The staff team is proud of the service. Comments received include, ‘I love working here’ and, ‘It is enjoyable to see the change in young people and to see them develop. It is hard for them and they are apprehensive at first, but when they leave they have turned around. We put building blocks in place so that they can continue with what they need.’

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Outstanding

Managers and staff are all clearly child focused and passionate about what they do. Because of the outstanding care and support that young people receive, they thrive and make excellent progress quickly. Managers diligently monitor young people’s progress, and this means that young people receive care in line with their relevant plans. A young person said: ‘I can say that out of all the homes I have lived in, Gill is the best manager I have ever met, she is sound, and she gets [things] done.’

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Outstanding

Managers and staff contribute to the assessment of young people’s needs and coordinate services with vigour. This ensures that young people receive the right support and preparation to return home, or to move on to an alternative long-term provision.

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Outstanding

The registered manager is skilled at constructively challenging professionals and families where necessary, and this is something she has instilled in her team. A social worker said: ‘The staff chase me for things to make sure that I am doing my job.’ The registered manager has no hesitation in escalating any concerns she has to the highest level, to ensure that young people are protected and well cared for. As a result, admissions procedures have changed. Confident and constructive challenge holds people to account, promotes young people’s welfare and supports their progress.

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Outstanding

Managers create a supportive environment for staff. All staff receive regular supervision to enable them to reflect on their practice and development. A member of staff commented, ‘You always have notice of when supervision will be, so you can prepare and bring things to discuss. If I have brought information where further help is needed, it is always provided.’ Training is tailored to meet the varied needs of the young people. As a result, staff refresh their existing skills and learn new ones, to help them carry out their work effectively.

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Outstanding

In recent months external monitoring systems have improved. This means external oversight is now more effective and rigorous. The manager is keen to develop this further, and has ideas to take this forward. This demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement. Robust internal monitoring systems ensure that high standards are maintained. Quality of care review reports now include the opinions of young people, their families, and placing authorities. Extensive feedback from a range of sources enables the manager to evaluate the service. She has a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and needs of the service, and wants to maintain excellence. One recommendation is raised following this inspection.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 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 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 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 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

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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