Children's Home run by New Start in Liverpool

Inspection report children's home: SC444411 1 SC444411 Registered provider: New Start

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not judged

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is good because:  Young people are cared for by committed and supportive staff, who know them well, listen to them and promote their safety and well-being at all times. Inspection report children's home: SC444411 2  Staff have a very good understanding and knowledge of young people’s needs and the risks they face.  Young people’s healthcare needs are supported and met well. Staff have a clear understanding of young people’s health needs and promote a healthy lifestyle for them.  Staff are proactive in advocating for appropriate education provision to be in place for young people. They support and encourage young people who are out of education to complete educational work and activities during school time.  Planning for new admissions to the home is robust. The leaders and managers liaise and plan effectively with relevant professionals prior to any new admission to the home to ensure that the placement is suitable for the young person.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are listened to and their views, wishes and feelings are given the highest priority.  Effective partnership working promotes the safety and well-being of young people and ensures that they receive the appropriate support and intervention in relation to their education, health and emotional well-being.  The monitoring and review systems in the home are robust and enable the registered manager to identify strengths and weaknesses and areas for development. Swift action is taken to address any shortfalls identified in practice or in the quality of care provided to young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:  The recruitment procedures in the home need to be strengthened. Relevant checks should be completed to ensure safe recruitment practice.  The home should ensure that Ofsted is provided with any updates to the statement of purpose in a timely manner.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2017 Interim Not judged 10/11/2016 Full Good 09/02/2016 Full Requires improvement 12/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC444411 3

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Statutory requirement

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

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that–

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Requirement Due date

Full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)(d)) 08/09/2017

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Recommendation

 The information set out in the statement of purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and the placing authority that a placement in the home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6) The registered person therefore must provide Ofsted with a copy of the statement of purpose as and when it is updated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people generally make progress in all areas of their lives. They receive a good quality of care that is contributing to the progress they make. The responsible individual, manager and staff have a good understanding of the young people’s needs. Care plans and placement plans are detailed, and the staff follow these to ensure that young people receive appropriate support and guidance. Consequently, young people’s needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The planning and preparation for new admissions to the home is thorough. The responsible individual and manager fully consider all new referrals before making a decision as to whether the placement is appropriate for the young person. They meet Inspection report children's home: SC444411 4 with the young person and where possible arrange for the young person to visit the home and meet the staff team. Planning meetings take place prior to new admissions to ensure that full and accurate information is obtained. This supports smooth transitions for young people moving into the home. The young person who is currently living in the home moved in unexpectedly, following an unsuccessful transition to their family home from one of the company’s other homes. The staff arranged at short notice for the young person to move in to minimise disruption and to provide some consistency for the young person during this unsettling time. The young person already knew all of the staff

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

working at the home and they had a good understanding of his needs. The staff were confident that they could meet his needs and support him through an unsettling time. The young person said, ‘I am really pleased I came to live here. It’s great.’ The home is supporting the young person and his family in preparing for a smooth transition back home in the near future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Unfortunately, the placement for one young person broke down, following a very unsettled and challenging time. A number of staff were assaulted, so a decision was made to end the placement as the leaders and managers felt that they were unable to safeguard the young person and the staff team. The young person’s social worker had been very impressed with the home, until the point when the placement broke down. However, she feels that the home could have done more to maintain the young person’s placement. The leaders, managers and staff have reflected on the placement breakdown and have identified some learning from this in order to help them to ensure that a similar situation is avoided in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The placement plan for the young person living in the home is detailed and clearly outlines his current needs and how these are being met. The information in the plan demonstrates the young person’s experiences and progress since he moved into the company’s other children’s home and the current issues and circumstances for him in relation to his health, education, contact, transition plan and risks. Consequently, the young person’s placement plan supports the home in providing a good quality of care to meet his individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Unfortunately, some young people who have moved into the home have not been in full- time education. However, the home is proactive in ensuring appropriate education provision is identified for young people at the earliest opportunity. A social worker said, ‘The home were proactive in ensuring suitable education provision was in place for the young person.’ In the interim, staff undertake educational work and activities with the young people to bridge the gaps in their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health needs of young people are well understood by the manager and staff at the home. Placement plans clearly outline young people’s health needs and how they are being met. Health issues are addressed with young people during key-work sessions, and staff encourage and support all of the young people to adopt a healthier lifestyle and to attend health and development appointments as and when necessary. Issues relating to substance misuse, self-harm and mental health are managed effectively and young people receive appropriate support in relation to these matters from specialist services. Young people are fully supported in relation to all areas of their health and Inspection report children's home: SC444411 5 development, including their physical and emotional well-being. Consequently, young people benefit from improved health and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views, wishes and feelings of young people are a central part of the way that the home functions and are sought regularly through day-to-day discussions with them and key-work sessions. Plans and records for young people in the home clearly demonstrate their views, wishes and feelings. Staff spend time with the young people, which helps to build trusting relationships. Young people are encouraged to take part in social and recreational activities with staff and peers, which increases their confidence, self-esteem and social inclusion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The therapeutic support available to young people is good. The company psychotherapist provides support to staff and young people. The psychotherapist has an overview of key-work sessions that have taken place and regularly evaluates the effectiveness of the sessions. The evaluation provides staff with guidance for the issues to be addressed in future key-work sessions. This ensures that young people receive the most appropriate advice, support and guidance from the staff. The therapeutic service provides a holistic approach to the individual needs of the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment provides a secure and nurturing environment for young people to live in. Home improvements have been made regularly and further home improvements are planned to take place. For example, the damage caused in the home by one young person was repaired once he moved out of the home. The television was replaced following this being damaged, and painting of the hall, stairs and landing area of the home is due to take place. Since the young person living in the home moved in unexpectedly, he does not have a wardrobe in his bedroom, as this was damaged by the previous young person living in the home. However, the home has purchased a new wardrobe and arrangements are in place for this to be assembled in the next few days. This shows the home’s commitment to providing young people with a nice place to live.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding young people is a priority for the manager and staff and is central to their practice. Staff understand their responsibilities to protect young people and act within clear procedures when required. Young people say they feel safe and protected in the home, because staff have a clear understanding of the risks to them, such as from going missing from care, self-harm and substance misuse. Staff have the knowledge, skills and experience to safeguard young people effectively. They are adequately trained in safeguarding, which enables them to recognise and respond appropriately to any safeguarding issues that arise.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Comprehensive risk assessments clearly identify the risks to young people and how they are to be managed. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect any new identified risks, such as those that are associated with criminality. Risk assessments are read and signed by staff to acknowledge that they understand them. The robust risk assessments in place for young people support the home to manage the risks effectively Inspection report children's home: SC444411 6 and keep young people safe from harm.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The procedures in place in relation to young people who go missing from the home are good. The staff team searches for young people and liaises effectively with the police, family members and social workers to secure the young person’s safe return at the earliest opportunity. Staff take effective action to locate young people when they are missing, and when they return home young people are welcomed. Young people receive an independent return interview in line with statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care. This helps to: identify and deal with any harm the young person has suffered; understand and try to address the reasons why the young person ran away; and prevent future incidents. The home has a flexible approach to support a reduction in the frequency and length of time young people are missing from home. For example, for one young person the staff have increased his coming-in

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

time at night and implemented a bespoke incentive and progression scheme to ensure that he returns home. Consequently, the missing-from-home procedures in place have resulted in a reduction in the instances when young people are reported as missing from the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff provide young people with clear and reasonable boundaries that encourage positive behaviour. They have insight about how young people’s previous experiences affect their sense of safety and respond sensitively to help young people when they struggle to control their behaviour. They work closely with young people to find out how best to help them when they are upset. They communicate effectively and calmly with young people to help them understand what is expected of them. This includes keeping young people time to process information and reflect on what has happened. Staff are patient and make every effort to help young people manage their feelings and frustrations constructively, regardless of the challenges. Bespoke training about the needs of a particular young person built the staff’s skills and confidence in engaging with the young person during some very challenging times.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Physical intervention is used in the home as a last resort when other strategies including de-escalation have been unsuccessful. The records relating to physical intervention are clear and detailed. A de-brief always takes place with the registered manager, staff and young person following a physical intervention to reflect on what happened and what can be learned from the incident.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

A review of the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises is undertaken annually in line with the children’s homes regulations. It clearly details all known risks in the community and information from a range of other professionals including the police, health and education safeguarding leads and the local safeguarding children’s board. The information obtained from other professionals is considered and evaluated and outlines the impact this has on the young people living in the home. Furthermore, the location risk assessment outlines how all known risks are managed to safeguard young people effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children's home: SC444411 7 Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left the home. A new interim manager is in post and has submitted her application to be the registered manager. She is suitably experienced and qualified for the role. The interim manager has experience of managing a children’s home and has a good understanding and knowledge of the regulations and quality standards. Despite the short time she has been managing this home, she has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and a clear action plan in place to develop the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team feels supported and receives regular effective supervision that reflects on staff members’ practice and the needs of young people. A staff member said, ‘The manager is lovely and very supportive.’ Supervision for new staff is more frequent during their six-month induction. Records of supervision are detailed and include an action plan which is reviewed at subsequent supervision sessions. Team meetings are frequent and are reflective in nature, with young people being at the centre of discussions. The company psychotherapist attends team meetings and offers advice and guidance to staff to enable them to provide a therapeutic environment for the young person living in the home, based on his individual needs and issues. This demonstrates the commitment of the leaders and managers to supporting the staff team to provide a good quality of care to the young person living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are suitably experienced and qualified or working towards their qualification. The training and development of staff working in the home is good. Staff are well trained to meet the needs of young people and the aims of the home. A new member of staff said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The training on offer to me is good. I have completed lots of safeguarding training in my previous job but it is always good to attend refresher training to keep you focused and up to date with safeguarding issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The company psychotherapist has taken over as the training co-ordinator for the company and ensures that staff are up to date with their mandatory training. Individual training needs for staff are identified and they are supported to fill these gaps with the relevant training opportunities on offer to them. The staff have regular opportunities to complete training to enhance their knowledge and skills in working with young people and keeping them safe, for example, in relation to missing from home, behaviour management, substance misuse and sexually harmful behaviour. This demonstrates that staff are adequately trained to meet the needs of young people and keep them safe from harm. Furthermore, the continuous professional development of the staff is promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and review systems in the home support the leaders and managers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home, patterns and trends, and the action to be taken to address these. There is evidence of action being taken on the recommendations made following visits from the independent person. Furthermore, the internal and external monitoring systems enable the manager to review the quality of care provided to young people. The monitoring and review systems in place enable the manager to identify areas for development, thus ensuring that dips in the quality of care Inspection report children's home: SC444411 8 are quickly rectified, practice is strengthened and the young person’s continuing progress is promoted. The home has a detailed development plan in place for the next six months, based on the findings from the monitoring and review systems in the home. The interim manager provides strong leadership and has a clear commitment to the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

continued development and sustained improvement of the home. Consequently, the care delivered to the young person is of a good standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leaders, managers and staff work collaboratively and effectively with a range of professionals and other agencies. This ensures that young people receive the most appropriate support to meet their needs. The leaders, managers and staff regularly communicate with other professionals, including placing social workers, independent reviewing officers and education and health professionals, to share information and ensure that young people are receiving the most appropriate support and intervention. They are proactive in ensuring that the needs of young people are suitably met. A social worker said, ‘I was impressed with the high level of communication from the home. They were proactive in ensuring the young person was receiving the most appropriate support and intervention to meet his needs.’ Consequently, young people receive the most appropriate support and intervention, which leads to improved outcomes for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Notifications to Ofsted are made in line with regulation 40 when a significant incident has occurred that relates to the welfare and protection of young people in the home. This ensures that the regulatory body is well informed about significant incidents and the actions taken by the home as a result to keep young people safe. Furthermore, this demonstrates that the home treats significant incidents seriously and ensures an appropriate response.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recruitment procedures in the home need to be strengthened. Checks on a member of staff recently employed at the home are not complete. Appropriate references have not been verified, gaps in employment history have not been explored and photographic identification has not been obtained. These shortfalls mean that the home does not hold all the relevant information on the member of staff as required by regulation. Furthermore, young people could be placed at risk due to the shortfalls in recruitment practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose is up to date and reflects the aims, objectives, purpose and ethos of the home. The manager and staff clearly understand the statement and how they will achieve the purpose through the care that they provide. The details of the leaders, managers and staff are incorporated in the statement of purpose. However, the home has failed to provide the most recent statement of purpose to Ofsted in line with regulation. Consequently, the regulator does not have a true reflection of the home’s current aims, objectives, purpose, ethos and staff details.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young Inspection report children's home: SC444411 9 people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of the help and care provided. Whenever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children's home: SC444411 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Job Bank, 4 Tunnel Road, Liverpool L7 6QD

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Inspector

Lisa Mulcahy, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC444411 11 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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