Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241782 1

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Lancashire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as requires improvement to be good at the full inspection on 3 and 4 May 2017.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns have been raised with Ofsted in relation to young people’s behaviour in the community, some of which occurs late at night. Concerns have also been raised about the staff’s ability to manage these behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring inspection was carried out to investigate these concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The last inspection identified that there was no clear plan to manage some young people’s anti-social behaviour in the community. Risk assessments did not contain enough information about this, so a requirement was raised to address this shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection found that this requirement has not been met. Not all young people’s risk assessments have been reviewed. These documents still contain insufficient information. They do not provide clear guidance for staff about how to manage young people’s unacceptable behaviour in the community and prevent it from happening. This does not promote young people’s safety and the safety of others.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not manage the difficult dynamic between some young people well. As a result, these young people regularly join forces and present challenging behaviour. A member of staff said: ‘[We] are managing incidents every day. All day, every day, [the boys’ behaviour] builds through the day and then we see the issues we do in the evening.’ Managers and staff do not organise and plan day-to-day life in the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241782 2 home effectively, to stop situations escalating. As a result, some young people’s challenging behaviour in the community, and in the home, has increased in frequency and severity. This places young people and others at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection found that managers do not monitor records and review incidents promptly. As a result, managers do not identify when staff fail to take appropriate action to safeguard young people. For example, despite known risks, staff did not report two young people missing until eight hours after they were last seen. Staff did not follow the guidance that was in the young people’s risk assessments about this. This shortfall was not picked up by the manager or addressed with the staff involved. This lack of robust monitoring does not promote young people’s welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Records fail to show the action taken by staff to challenge young people’s behaviour. This is despite them being present when unacceptable behaviour occurs in the community. Managers do not review incidents with the staff to look at what could have been done differently to prevent reoccurrence. As a result, they are not supporting staff to learn lessons and bring about change, and this compromises young people’s welfare and the welfare of others. This does not show good leadership.

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This monitoring visit

Some young people get drawn into negative behaviour, and this impedes their progress. For example, one young person’s school attendance has declined since coming to live at the home six weeks ago. His attendance has reduced from 100% to 60%. Although the manager recognises that the young person’s attendance has declined, he has not taken sufficient action to address this. Thus, the registered person is not using his understanding to bring about change and promote education. If not rectified quickly, this sharp decline in school attendance will impact on the young person’s educational attainment.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, three requirements are raised, two of which are subject to enforcement action.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241782 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

11: The positive relationships standard The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans; help each child to develop socially aware behaviour. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard* The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 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; 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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(b)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard* The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 30/06/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241782 4 registered person to— understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241782 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspector(s)

Jackie Line, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241782 6 to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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