Children's Home run by Progressive Futures Care Limited in Knowsley

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to be managed by a dedicated manager who is committed to securing positive outcomes for young people living at the home. The manager ensures that the needs of the young people are prioritised by the staff team. She continues to spend time with the young people to ensure that they feel supported and settled in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Strong relationships are fostered between individual staff members and young people. This is because the manager works to ensure that the staff team remains constant in the home. As a result, young people and staff know each other well and share a mutual respect for each other. Since the last inspection, one young person has moved on from the home, following a serious assault on a member of staff. The manager prioritised the other young person in placement and the safety of the staff team and took the decision to terminate the placement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The other young person has remained settled in the home and they continue to make good progress from their individual starting point. They have excellent attendance at school and are enjoying improved outcomes. The young person is preparing to take GCSE examinations this summer and has positively engaged in extra tuition to improve their grades . The placing social worker commented:

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

I am very happy with the placement. [Name] has made significant progress. She has very good relationships with the staff and they know her very well. Right now it’s definitely the right placement for her.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has addressed three of the four shortfalls raised at the last inspection. Complaint recording has improved. Records now show all action taken to address and resolve any complaints raised. This ensures transparency and that a clear record is maintained in the home. The manager has ensured that local authority care plans are held on file at the home. These plans support the manager to implement in-house placement plans to support staff to work consistently with young people. The manager has also improved fire safety in the home since the last inspection. All staff and young people now have the opportunity to practise fire evacuation from the home. This means that in the event of an emergency they have the understanding and experience to leave the home safely. Records of fire evacuations have also improved. This enables the manager to have a stronger oversight of who has undertaken the emergency evacuation, which enables her to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

identify any outstanding action for individual staff members or young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite making some changes to the quality assurance systems, the manager has not yet fully addressed the shortfall identified around the monitoring of the home, in particular reviewing the quality of care provided by the home. The report produced does not provide for consultation or identify patterns and trends in behaviour. The manager does not evaluate the information that she reviews and consequently does not identify the impact of any improvements. This is a missed opportunity to drive improvement in the quality of care provided by the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has ensured that regular independent visits take place, as required by regulation. However, the visitor does not consult regularly with young people and parents regarding the quality of care provided in the home. The reports do not evaluate the visitor’s findings during the visit or provide the manager with detailed actions to secure improvement in the quality of care provided. The visitor does not comment in their opinion as to whether young people are effectively safeguarded in the home. This is a further missed opportunity to drive improvement in the home and the quality of care provided.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are clear safeguarding policies and procedures for staff to follow in the event of any allegation, suspicion of abuse or unsafe practice. Allegations are handled in line with procedure and support both the young person and the members of staff involved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff team develop excellent links with families and supporting professionals. They are committed to working in partnership to ensure that young people are very well supported and continue to make good progress while living at the home and into adulthood. Young people continue to enjoy spending time with family members and friends. This has resulted in positive time spent at the home and at their family homes, supported by staff when necessary, to safeguard both young people and family members. This supports positive relationships and helps to cement family relationships in preparation for the young person moving into adulthood.

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home can accommodate up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/06/2016 Full Good 12/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/12/2015 Full Requires improvement 19/01/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person if they consent to interview in private the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. The independent person must produce a report about a visit which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (2)(a), (4)(a)(b), (5)) 31/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children, the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it, and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review. (Regulation 45 (1), (2)(a)(b)(c), (3)) 31/05/2017

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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 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. Whenever 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 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

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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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