Children's Home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

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

Young people benefit from consistent care and support, which enables them to make positive progress in all aspects of their lives. Staff fully understand young people’s individual needs and are sufficiently trained to care for them. As a result, young people feel happy, safe and content. This is reflected in young people’s comments, ‘It’s decent living here and it’s homely’, ‘It doesn’t feel like a care home, everyone is normal and laid back, staff really care about us’ and ‘I’d give it ten out ten no messing!’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, a young person has successfully moved on to independent living. Staff fully supported him with this transition and ensured that he developed the necessary skills, such as cooking and budgeting, as well as being emotionally equipped to live independently. Staff listened to this young person’s views and helped him to play an active role in the planning of his transition. As a result, he achieved his goal to return to his home area, near to his family and friends. Due to staff’s genuine care and effective support, this young person’s move to independence has been a positive experience.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Similarly, staff ensure that young people who move into the home are suitably matched to the service and other young people living in the home. Staff invest their time in introducing young people to the home’s routines and the local area, as well as getting to know their likes and interests. Consequently, when young people move into the home they settle quickly and trusting relationships with staff are nurtured from the very start. Young people’s social workers are complimentary of the support and care provided to young people. This is evident in a social workers written feedback to the provider, ‘I will like to say a very big thank you to you and all your members of staff who managed to work with our young person, effortlessly. It has been such a pleasure working with you.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have aspirations for young people. Good routines, consistent support, encouragement and guidance is helping young people to succeed in their chosen vocations. For example, staff supported a young person to overcome the barriers to his learning and as a result, he left school with three GCSE’s and four awards, including an award for student of the year. This placed him in a strong position to pursue his chosen college course, which he thoroughly enjoys.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff and young people enjoy activities together, such as short breaks away to European cities. These opportunities are helping young people to develop positive relationships with staff and learn about different countries and cultures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The team work effectively to protect young people from harm. Incidents of missing from home have significantly decreased. This is down to good partnership working with young people, their family, friends and other safeguarding professionals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are well supported to keep in touch with their families and friends. Some are benefitting from increased contact with their family, as well as having sleepovers with their friends. This enables young people to maintain appropriate attachments with people who are important to them. Furthermore, it is helping to decrease incidents of missing because young people are having their contact increased in a safe and planned way.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to be managed effectively by an experienced and committed registered manager. She has made improvements to the home and has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, she demonstrates enthusiasm and capacity to continue to drive the service forward. All of the actions raised at the last inspection have been addressed and leadership within the home has clearly strengthened.

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to two young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/05/2016 Full Good 15/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/11/2015 Full Requires improvement 12/03/2015 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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