Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 1 SC359836 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Full inspection 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 and accommodation for up to six young people, irrespective of gender, at any given time, who are experiencing 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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 12 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 All six young people currently living at this home are very happy and settled and feel safe and secure in the knowledge that they can stay until they feel ready to live independently.  Young people are well cared for by an experienced, stable and resilient staff team.  Staff always place the well-being of all the young people at the centre of their practice, irrespective of some extreme challenges that young people may present.  The staff team has the proven ability to help young people re-establish and maintain constructive contact with family and friends in line with any legal directions and personal preferences.  Young people’s views and opinions are genuinely respected and acted upon if it is in their best interests.  The members of this experienced staff team are strong and effective advocates for young people. Staff will appropriately challenge other stakeholders on young people’s behalf.  A key strength of this home is the staff’s proven ability to manage some extreme

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Key findings from this inspection

behaviours effectively without resorting to police assistance. The appropriate use of restorative justice and reparation is effective in preventing young people from being unnecessarily criminalised.  The staff team has firmly established particularly good collaborative working with all relevant agencies to safeguard and protect young people effectively.  Staff benefit from a particularly good range of training opportunities and regular team development days.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Annual staff appraisals have not been completed in a timely manner for all staff.  The quality and timeliness of return home interviews are variable.  External monthly monitoring reports show good scrutiny of documents and practice, with actions to support continuous improvement. However, it is not informed and enriched with the views of young people’s relatives.  The previous manager and the new manager completed the last internal management report about the quality of care provided in the home. It is an accurate and reflective document identifying a clear future vision, but it does not specifically include the views of young people’s social workers. Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/09/2016 Full Good 02/06/2016 Full Inadequate 13/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 4

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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

The registered person must ensure that staff assess and make arrangements to reduce the risk of harm to each child, and help each child to understand how to keep safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that independent return interviews are undertaken in a timely manner. The home should then take account of the information provided by such interviews when reassessing risks and putting any new arrangements in place to protect the child.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(c)) 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

When an independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person to interview young people’s parents and relatives. (Regulation 44(2)(a)) 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

Any internal review of the quality of care provided for children must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of placing authorities. (Regulation 45(5)) 31/10/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All six young people currently living at this home are very happy and settled. They benefit from highly individualised, good-quality care from a dedicated, stable and competent staff team that understands their individual needs and spends quality time with them. Consequently, the young people are making good progress from their individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This staff team is highly skilled at providing a particularly nurturing environment and in quickly building and then sustaining positive relationships with young people. This continues, in some instances, for years after they have left, which instils in them the fact that they are genuinely loved and valued. Recent feedback from ex-residents includes: ‘I am now promoted at work, got a new car and I am buying a house. I was always happy and safe there and without the staff’s help I wouldn’t be where I am today,’ and, ‘The staff have always been there for me and without the staff’s help in my teenage years I wouldn’t be the mature, confident woman I am today with my own family.’ A youth offending worker wrote to the staff saying, ‘Your ongoing involvement with my young person is massively appreciated and really valuable to her.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When young people move on from the home, staff manage this in a sensitive way. An example of this was in respect to a particularly high-profile young person with highly complex needs and extreme behaviours. The transition was conducted gradually and sensitively at his pace and in full collaboration with the new home. This means that his unique needs, personal preferences, vulnerabilities, risks and routines were well known before he moved in. He was also happy to move, as it is closer to his family and in the knowledge that he can still stay in touch and visit. Consequently, he has settled well and is making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff genuinely respect and act upon young people’s views and opinions, if it is in their best interests. Young people have many opportunities to contribute to their day-to-day care and to their futures. This includes timely and frequent key-worker sessions where highly relevant and sensitive issues are explored and entered on the authority’s electronic system. A social worker, having read these entries, wrote to the home specifically to comment on the good quality of these records and the fact that the voice of the child shines through. A specific aim of the new manager is to reintroduce more regular young people’s meetings. This is an appropriate time, given that the current young people are all positively investing in this placement. The only complaint the young people have is ‘the dodgy internet’ and the manager is already actively exploring options to improve this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Given the difficult time that two young people experienced when another young person was in crisis, they have since been actively involved in the decision-making around any new people moving into the home. One young person had the confidence to express openly to his peer, who came to visit, that he did not want any more criminal damage to Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 6 his home. This shows his strong sense of belonging. He said, ‘All is good here. The young people we have in now are alright and there is no damage. The new manager is really good. She makes sure we are happy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people regularly engage in a good range of constructive activities, both inside the home and in the local community. The home has recently purchased a table tennis table where young people and staff spend time together and have competitions. The manager has also purchased camping equipment and young people have been able to use this to have short breaks away together. Two young people went on a residential holiday without staff, which is significant progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual talents and interests are actively encouraged and supported, which increases young people’s competencies and boosts self-esteem. Examples include badminton, technology, boxing, motorcycling and photography. Young people equally enjoy group activities and a number have joined the local gym together. They are also positively contributing to the community by, for example, recently taking part in a five-kilometre mud challenge for charity. All these positive opportunities further strengthen young people’s sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Comments from young people include: ‘I have gained my yellow belt in taekwondo since coming here and I enjoy horse riding and caring for horses,’ and, ‘I enjoy baking and have made some lovely cakes, including a chocolate cake for our bake-off,’ and, ‘I have done lots of activities here like snowboarding and I had a lovely trip to London.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the young people are benefiting from regular physical exercise and really like the varied, homemade and nutritious meals provided. Moreover, staff and young people eat together around the dining table and enjoy this relaxing social occasion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home ensures that young people benefit from timely and appropriate specialist services to meet their specific assessed and more complex needs. Notable examples of particularly good collaborative working include the drug and alcohol team; the local police; emotional and mental health workers; the virtual school; and, the child sexual exploitation team. One parent said, ‘The staff are always friendly and professional and provide excellent care for my daughter.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the young people are benefiting from education that best meets their emotional, behavioural and learning needs and are consequently making good progress. One young person has achieved her stated aim of reintegrating back into a classroom setting. She is on a detailed personalised timetable and is engaging well. She said, ‘I feel more settled and I really enjoy the hair and beauty and the equine studies.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Prior to moving to this home, another young person had not been in school for six months. In sharp contrast, he has just maintained 100% attendance at college. He also received a trophy for ‘the most employable student’ and has secured an apprenticeship alongside his studies. He said, ‘I passed every single test at college with flying colours and I have got myself a part-time job and an apprenticeship, so I am doing really well and I’m proud of myself.’ His education provider confirmed, ‘The communication, provision of care and collaborative working with this home is excellent.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 7 A key strength of this home is the staff’s proven ability to help young people re-establish and maintain constructive contact with family and friends in line with any legal directions and personal preferences. This strengthens young people’s understanding of their past, sustains their unique identities and builds emotional resilience. Comments from young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

people include: ‘I’m so excited that I’m going to be staying with my nan for three days and I‘ve visited family and friends since I came here who I had lost touch with. I am glad to now have the freedom to do so,’ and, ‘I have met my birth mum since moving here and I see my adoptive parents twice a week on my own after school which is what I wanted. We enjoy shopping together and we have bought items to decorate my bedroom.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have the opportunity to develop age and ability-appropriate social and practical skills necessary for future independent living as they actively engage in the daily routines of the home. However, realistically staff have been focusing on settling all the young people into the home, which they have successfully achieved. They will now commence more formal and individualised independence programmes.

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

All the young people say that they feel very safe and settled at this home and get on well with each other, so there is no bullying. Young people also confirm that they have good relationships with all the staff and can each identify several individuals they feel comfortable talking to if they have any concerns. Young people feel listened to, loved and respected. They are particularly secure and happy about the fact that they can remain here until they feel ready for independent living.

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

The staff are clearly enjoying a very relaxed, settled period with the current young people who are positively investing in their placement. This has followed a sustained period of significant extreme behaviours and criminal damage. Staff showed tremendous resilience and commitment to all the young people throughout this difficult time and successfully supported one young person to move to a new placement. A social work team manager wrote thanking the care staff for their ‘sterling work and resilience’ and stated, ‘I have not seen such good practice for some time.’

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

There are good systems in place to identify any patterns and trends in respect to young people going missing. For example, one young person was failing to return on time to the home on a regular basis. He explained to staff that he felt he was of an age to have more freedom. In response, staff successfully advocated for him to have one overnight stay a week at his friend’s home. As a direct result, he is no longer reported missing.

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

The staff team has firmly established particularly good collaborative working with all relevant agencies to safeguard and protect young people effectively. For example, staff called a multi-agency strategy meeting for one highly vulnerable young person following an increase in episodes of going missing. As a result, additional staffing was agreed. This ensured that the young person had appropriate support and guidance from staff. The young person reflected on the missing incidents and said, ‘It’s not worth the hassle Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 8 going missing and I appreciate all the staff do to keep me safe.’

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

The constant positive reinforcement of good behaviours and effort has the desired effect on young people’s behaviours. In particular, all the young people are thrilled that they get £2 per night for settling at 11pm. This was an incentive put in place when other young people were frequently disruptive throughout the night. When sanctions are imposed they are fair, relevant and proportionate to the particular behaviour. Furthermore, the appropriate use of restorative justice and reparation is effective in preventing young people from being unnecessarily criminalised.

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

All the required health and safety certificates are in place. Frequent internal checks also ensure that young people live in a safe environment. There is also clear evidence of an ongoing programme of redecoration and refurbishment to consistently maintain the home at a good standard throughout.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The current manager was promoted from assistant manager to this permanent position in April. She has already made some very positive changes in respect to streamlining paperwork and strengthening systems. She is suitably qualified and experienced, particularly child-focused and provides clear direction to her team, leading by example. She is also not afraid to challenge senior managers and other stakeholders appropriately. Consequently, she is well respected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

In particular, she has appropriately refused a number of referrals taking into consideration the potential impact on the other young people placed. One member of staff said, ‘We now have six well-placed young people who all feel happy, safe and settled. The new manager has been very good at ensuring that.’ An application has been submitted to Ofsted in a timely manner to be registered and her interview is imminent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose accurately reflects the current aims, policies, practices and staffing of the home. This document is regularly reviewed. The new manager has recently added a new section to this document incorporating the current young people’s views about what is most important to them in a children’s home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The new manager has an excellent relationship with all the young people. Comments include: ‘She is a really, really good manager who listens to us and understands our points of view and always tries to find ways to help us ,’ and, ‘She is very good because she is young and understanding and listens when we are upset,’ and, ‘She listens to us and explains why we cannot always have what we want.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

This manager has a calm, reflective personality and staff are confident under her leadership. Furthermore, they feel motivated and genuinely supported to develop. Staff described the manager as ‘a person of integrity’ and ‘always accessible and approachable’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff benefit from a particularly good range of training opportunities and regular team Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 9 development days. These are specifically designed to meet effectively the assessed needs of the young people, wider organisational needs, and their own personal interests and identified development needs. Staff also confirm regular, good-quality formal supervision sessions and open and honest discussions in team meetings. However, due in part to the transition of managers, annual staff appraisals have not been completed in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There was one requirement made at the last inspection. In response, there is now clear documentary evidence of significant and sustained challenge to children’s services to try to ensure that timely and good-quality independent interviews are undertaken when young people return from going missing. Moreover, this is now being closely monitored at a senior level within the wider organisation and alerts added to the county-wide electronic system. Although much improved in respect to the numbers of interviews completed, the timeliness and quality of the recording of these remain variable. For example, one social worker has been attempting to engage with one young person five months on from incidents, which is a meaningless process. The poor quality of some of these forms also means that realistically the home cannot use them to reassess risks and look at strategies to prevent a reoccurrence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Reports of independent monthly monitoring visits show an increasingly more rigorous process. The manager has also found the fact that it is the same visitor particularly helpful in driving improvement. As importantly, it means that the independent visitor has developed meaningful relationships with the young people so they are happy to engage in the process. However, the last five reports have not been informed and enriched by the views of any parents and relatives of the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The previous manager and the new manager completed the last internal management report, following a review of the quality of care provided in the home. It is a detailed, accurate, evaluative and reflective document identifying a clear future vision. However, it does not specifically include the views of the placing authority. In recognition, the new manager has already sent out two sets of questionnaires to young people’s social workers but has had a limited response. She is now planning to hold a barbecue event as a means of securing consultations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Notifications and updates of significant events are forwarded to Ofsted in a timely manner until a satisfactory outcome is reached. These demonstrate that appropriate action is always taken in full collaboration with relevant agencies to safeguard and protect young people. They also identify appropriate actions taken to try to prevent a reoccurrence.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young 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 help and care provided. Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 10 Wherever 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, 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: SC359836 11

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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

Lynn O’Driscoll, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC359836 12 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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