Children's home run by New Horizons 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 declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of young people since the last inspection. The inspection identified significant shortfalls in safeguarding practices and a deterioration in the management of the home, which has seriously affected the welfare and safety of young people living in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s progress has declined. This is due to an increase in unsafe and serious risk-taking behaviour by young people. Managers failed to identify that the young people in the home were at risk of sexual exploitation and were not safeguarded. Managers and staff do not take sufficient action to keep young people safe, nor do they always identify and act on the signs that young people are at risk of harm. For example, an incident in September 2016 should have alerted staff of the risks of child sexual exploitation for young people living at the home. This was not reported to safeguarding or to Ofsted as a serious notification. The young person’s risk assessment did not provide adequate guidance for staff about how to respond when the young people requested to leave the home together. An inability to assess and manage risk does not adequately safeguard young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In December 2016, the young people were allowed by staff, without challenge, to go for a walk together at 11:20pm. The staff member did follow the young people when they left the home and when they were collected in a car the member of staff returned to the home to report the young people missing. Allowing young people to leave the home late into the night is not reflective of what a reasonable parent would do for children of this age and demonstrates little regard for young people’s safety.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Once young people were found, staff went on to fail to safeguard the young people in their care. One young person was left at an address, despite staff’s knowledge of allegations of sexual assault, and alcohol and substance misuse relating to that address. Staff stated that they alerted the police to the fact that the young person had been left at the premises but the police do not have a log of this report. The police stated, ‘It is poor safeguarding to leave a child in an address with adults, especially when another young person has disclosed an assault.’ No evidence was found to support the actions that the staff member said he had taken. This poor practice and poor recording fails to demonstrate how staff at the home have attempted to safeguard young people and therefore fails to demonstrate how they have fulfilled their safeguarding responsibilities to young people in their care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous registered manager of the home reported an allegation of serious misconduct and potential grooming to a staffing agency and to the designated officer, but failed to notify Ofsted of the serious event. Failure of the registered manager to notify Ofsted of serious events does not provide the regulator with the opportunity to scrutinise the practice happening in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have failed to administer medication in line with the advice of the medical practitioner. Two consultants have written to the home, in November 2016 and again in February 2017 to ask the staff not to give the medication on a daily basis. One writes, ‘I have once again stressed the importance of the use of medication on an as required basis only, so as to avoid developing further tolerance.’ Following this instruction there was no attempt by staff to reduce the medication. In February 2017, another consultant writes, ‘I have advised to try to minimise the frequency of the medication.’ The staff have continued to supply the medication on a daily basis, with no guidance or plan being developed to reduce this. The failure to follow a consultant psychiatrist’s instruction fails to safeguard the welfare of young people and could cause considerable impact on their emotional well-being in the future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Poor internal monitoring and evaluation mean that managers fail to understand the lessons learned from serious events in the home. For example, the registered manager evaluated the incident outlined above in December 2016 as ‘staff had acted appropriately’. This demonstrates that managers fail to identify and act on shortfalls in staff practice. A lack of rigorous monitoring does not promote staff development, safeguard young people or promote their welfare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is no longer in post having resigned from her position in January 2017. A new manager has been appointed and he has submitted his application to Ofsted to be registered.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to accommodate up to two children, irrespective of gender, aged from 10 to 17 years. The home specialises in the care of children who present with emotional and behavioural problems and/or a learning disability. It is operated by a private organisation

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/05/2016 Full Good 16/09/2015 Full Good

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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

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure: (2)(a) that staff: (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard: (1) the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that: (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

23: Medicines The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. In particular the registered person must ensure that medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. 31/03/2017 (Regulation 23 (1)(2)(b)) 32: Fitness of workers The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that the individual is of integrity and good character. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)(a)) 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

40: Notification of a serious event The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 31/03/2017

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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 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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