Children's Home run by Considerate Care Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 1 SC059261 Registered provider: Considerate Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people live in a very positive and emotionally warm environment. They have built trusting and meaningful relationships with staff. They have the routine and structure they need to develop a strong sense of belonging and emotional security.  The high quality of personal care that young people receive is making a positive Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 2 and significant difference to their lives. They are making very good progress in all areas of their development. The staff are adept at tailoring support to meet the individual needs of each young person.  A strong safeguarding culture is helping young people to become increasingly safer. Very effective partnerships with other agencies help reduce their risk-taking behaviour. They are now less likely to go missing, use cannabis or get involved in crime.  Effective care planning and productive working relationships between the staff,

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Key findings from this inspection

families, social workers, schools and health workers mean that young people receive the best possible support which meets all of their needs.  Under the registered manager’s strong and effective leadership, caring, experienced, skilled, qualified and well-supported staff provide a high quality of care for each young person. The staffing arrangements are efficiently organised to provide young people with a continuity of care that meets their needs and provides opportunities for them to form positive attachments.  The registered manager has a clear and accurate understanding of young people’s progress and the key priorities for each young person. Her effective monitoring of the quality of care and support means that she has a realistic understanding of how well the staff are promoting and safeguarding young people’s welfare and the priorities for making further improvements.

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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

 Ensure that young people get prompt access to the health care they require. Staff should develop clear and effective plans to make sure that young people who have a fear of the dentist gain access to suitable dental services.  The quality of the decoration and furniture in the bathroom and young people’s bedrooms.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/07/2016 Full Good 29/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/01/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to provide children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6(1) (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the bathroom and all of the children’s bedrooms are clean, decorated and maintained and furnished to a good standard to ensure that they are pleasant environments for children to use. 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead a healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to have access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10(1)(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to making sure that staff respond in a timely way to the request from a general practitioner to make an appointment for a child to have an immunisation; and helping a child with a dental phobia to access dental services. 30/09/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered manager has a copy of their supervision records. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraphs 13.3 & 13.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a safe, nurturing and supportive home. They receive a very high quality of care from extremely positive, understanding and competent staff. Their consistent and personalised support has brought stability to young people’s lives, which has helped them to feel safe and make important progress across all aspects of their development. Young people are increasingly settled, happier, safer, achieving in education and managing their feelings positively, and are less likely to go missing, use cannabis or be involved in crime. An independent reviewing officer said that coming to live in this children’s home ‘has been a real positive move for the young person. He has settled down. It is a supportive environment that is meeting his needs.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff have the right skills and personal qualities to form meaningful relationships with young people. They have a sensitive and thoughtful understanding of some of the reasons young people may find it difficult to trust adults. Staff use knowledge of attachment theory to create a consistently, warm and reliable home environment. This is enabling young people to feel emotionally secure and to build appropriate and sustainable relationships. An independent reviewing officer said that ‘The young person has built a good rapport with the manager. He enjoys talking to her about life in the area where they both grew up.’ Staff treat young people with honesty and respect them, praise them, listen to their wishes, feelings and worries and take them seriously. Young people know that staff care about them and want what is best for them. Staff are committed to helping young people, regardless of the challenges they

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

may face or the complexity of their needs. Their patience and perseverance has helped young people to feel more able to accept help and guidance. A social worker said that ‘The young person presents with challenging behaviours, but staff have resilience and commitment towards positive outcomes for her.’ Staff tailor their approach to the individual needs of young people and change things if plans are not working, for example making a young person’s targets around her personal care more realistic and achievable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are fully involved in decisions about their lives, including choices around their family contact, education, health and plans for their future. Staff encourage and support young people to take part and have their say in the meetings to review their plans. Also, staff enable young people to express themselves as individuals and to have suitable freedom and choice in relation to the day-to-day arrangements for their care and the running of the home. Young people make decisions about their clothes, the food they eat, how the house is decorated and how they spend their spare time. Staff work hard to make sure young people’s views are listened to and acted upon. They balance young people’s preferences against what they judge to be in the young person’s best interests. When staff feel they cannot follow a young person’s wishes, they carefully explain and help the young person understand their reasons.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Effective care planning and strong working relationships between the staff, families, placing authorities and other people involved in young people’s lives means that they get Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 5 the support they need on a daily basis. Everyone works extremely well together to ensure that the relevant plans for each young person’s care are reviewed on an ongoing basis to reflect their progress and continue to meet their needs and circumstances. Staff keep social workers and parents well-informed of young people’s care and their progress. Staff’s individual work with young people is focused on specific issues identified in their plans and emerging issues, including relationships with their families, education, personal safety and planning for their future. Before the registered manager agrees to a young person moving in, she makes every effort to get all the available information about the young person’s needs. She completes thorough assessments of

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

the young person’s assessed needs, staff’s ability to meet them, and the young person’s compatibility with the other young people already living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff also help young people to develop their life skills and prepare for moving into their own accommodation. Young people are fully involved in planning their futures. Staff work closely with social workers to ensure that young people have every opportunity to develop practical life skills, including shopping, cooking, managing money, setting up a new home and knowing where they can get support when they need it. The registered manager takes suitable action when she is concerned that plans for young people’s future are not moving at the right pace to fully meet young people’s needs and abilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carefully planned arrangements help young people to spend time with their parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, friends and other people important to them. Staff work actively to help young people maintain meaningful relationships, understand their identity, feel part of their family and improve their self-esteem. They work sensitively with young people and their families to try to overcome difficulties and rebuild relationships. Staff understand that seeing their families may be painful and stressful for young people. They always make sure it is a safe and positive experience and find out about how young people feel about it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff provide structure, stability, encouragement and opportunities for young people to take part in education and to learn and develop their knowledge, skills, and talents. Young people’s attendance has improved since they first moved in and they are supported to reach their potential. A young person’s school reports show that she has ‘excellent attendance. There has been real improvement and progress in her focus, concentration and resilience, despite difficulties in her life.’ Staff work well with schools, colleges and the virtual school headteachers to support and improve young people’s education opportunities. They have been successful at overcoming the barriers to young people’s learning and supported young people’s return to full-time education. A social worker said that since living there the young person ‘has accessed work experience on three different occasions and now has a college placement

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s physical health and emotional well-being continue to improve. They have healthy diets and get plenty of physical exercise. The staff support young people and ensure that they get good support from health services to meet their needs and help them understand about healthy lifestyles, including sexual health and the risks associated with the use of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco and nitrous oxide. Staff have an Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 6 excellent understanding of young people’s specific health needs and support, and encourage young people to manage their own health needs appropriately. This includes young people managing their own medication safely and making their own health appointments. They have helped a young person to attend regular health appointments and have blood tests. They always take suitable action when concerned about an individual’s health and well-being, including seeking medical advice and checking on

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

young people’s welfare throughout the night. However, staff did not respond in a timely way to the request from a general practitioner to make an appointment for a young person to have an immunisation, and staff do not have a clear plan for helping a young person with a dental phobia to access dental services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a large house that provides them with a welcoming home. The dining room and lounge have been recently decorated and are bright and pleasant rooms. Young people have their own personal space in their bedrooms. However, one of the bedrooms is not decorated or furnished to a good standard: the furniture does not match and the curtain pole has come away from the wall. Other bedrooms also do not have matching furniture. The bathroom is not clean or well maintained, or suitably decorated. It does not provide a pleasant environment in which young people can look after their personal care. A young person said, ‘Have you seen the bathroom? It’s disgusting. I won’t use the bath when it’s in that state.’

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

The registered manager and staff have created a safe environment where young people feel safe and are protected from harm. Young people feel able to talk to staff when they are worried, unsure or upset. They know that staff will listen to them, take their concerns seriously and get them the help that they need to keep them safe. The registered manager and staff’s ability to build warm and reliable relationships with young people is bringing stability to their lives and helping them become increasingly more safe from harm.

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

Staff actively and continuously assess the risks to individual young people and make sure that the arrangements for their care protect them. They follow all the statutory guidance to protect young people from the risk of abuse, neglect, sexual exploitation, going missing from home, criminal activity and extremism. They have a detailed knowledge of young people’s specific vulnerabilities and the signs that they may be at risk of harm. They are vigilant, and take prompt and decisive action to report and deal with any concerns about young people’s safety. The registered manager and staff have effective relationships with the local police, social workers, the youth offending service, schools and health professionals. This well-established professional network works together well to identify the risks facing young people and take appropriate action that protects them.

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

Staff work effectively with young people to understand risks and develop the skills to manage these and keep themselves and others safe. Staff talk naturally and honestly with young people. They use the news and television dramas to help young people understand the risks and impact of sexual exploitation, appropriate sexual behaviour and relationships, and terrorism. They balance effectively the protection of young people Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 7 with enabling them to take appropriate and reasonable risks to promote their personal growth. They take reasonable precautions to promote young people’s confidence and independence in the community and to promote their understanding of using technology and social media safely. Young people trust staff, listen to their advice and accept help. As a result, young people have made changes to their behaviour and are no longer involved in crime and using cannabis. Staff have encouraged a young person to see the

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

benefits of working with the youth offending service: he is now attending his appointments and making progress in completing his youth offending order.

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

Staff help young people understand what makes a healthy relationship and support them to make friends with other young people. They also help young people understand that some friendships may not be in their best interests and may place them in dangerous situations, including risks of exploitation, alcohol and substance use, and crime. Staff’s work is having a positive influence on young people’s ability to recognise damaging friendships and increasingly reduce these risks. Since one young person has made new friends, he is happier, comes in on time when he has been out with his friends and is no longer getting into trouble in the community.

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

The number of times that young people have been missing from this home has significantly reduced. Staff have helped young people to understand the risks and dangers involved if they go missing. Young people are now very good at keeping in touch with staff when they are out. They let them know if they get delayed and usually come home on time. When young people have gone missing previously, staff always acted quickly to try to find them. They went out looking for young people, made contact with their family and friends and let the police and social workers know. The local police missing from home coordinator said that ‘We have a good working relationship with the manager and staff. They act appropriately when a young person is missing and do not hesitate to contact myself or my colleague for any advice they may need.’ When the registered manager has had concerns that a young person was going missing more often

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

and may have been at risk of exploitation, the registered manager has appropriately called a multi-agency risk management meeting to assess and manage the risks to the young person. When young people return home after being missing, staff always check if they are alright and give them the opportunity to see an independent person to talk about what happened and the reasons for them not wanting to come home.

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

The registered manager and staff promote positive behaviour through the warm and constructive relationships with young people. They are compassionate and understand the impact of young people’s previous experiences on their behaviour. A social worker said that ‘Staff have also empathised with the young person, expressing an understanding of her anger display in the context of separation and loss from her birth family. At times, she has been verbally abusive towards staff members; yet they have exemplified a stoic regard for her well-being.’ Staff help young people by giving them structure and clear boundaries that help them understand the expected standard of behaviour and help young people know that they will be treated consistently. They encourage and reinforce positive behaviour through praise and rewards. This is helping young people to see the benefits of behaving in a socially acceptable way. Staff also

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

challenge inappropriate behaviour by talking things through, and help young people to Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 8 think about how their behaviour affects other people. For example, they help young people to understand how unkind remarks about other young people can be extremely hurtful. Staff help young people when they struggle to manage their feelings and to control their behaviour safely. Carers take appropriate action to help young people feel calm and safe without the need to use restraint.

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

The registered manager ensures that the recruitment and selection of staff are thorough and prevent unsuitable people from working at the home. She makes sure that staff have the right personal qualities, enthusiasm, experience, skills and values to work with vulnerable young people. She collects all the available information about them to make the right decisions about a person’s suitability. This includes verifying by telephone information about a person’s practice, and their experiences and abilities from previous employers. Young people always take a significant part in the selection of new staff. They devise questions and usually take part in the interview. The registered manager always takes their opinions into account and their views influence decisions about the best people to employ.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been providing consistently strong and effective leadership at this children’s home since November 2015. She is a highly experienced and suitably qualified manager. She has high aspirations for young people to feel safe, be happy and do well. Her passion is shared by the staff. This is easily seen in every aspect of the quality of care young people receive. The registered manager and staff’s unconditional warmth and consistent approach is helping young people to develop a sense of belonging, build positive social relationships and manage their feelings constructively. The staff have created an open and welcoming environment where young people feel comfortable to be themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager makes sure that young people are cared for in line with their agreed plans. An independent reviewing officer confirmed that ‘The young person is getting the level of support that is right for him.’ The registered manager has a detailed understanding of the progress each young person is making. She is quick to identify when young people are struggling and takes suitable action to make sure that they get the best possible help. This has included recognising that a young person’s school was not meeting his needs, then working with the placing authority to find a more appropriate school for him. The registered manager has also improved the quality of written records of direct work with young people. These records now clearly show staff’s assessment of the effectiveness of the work, identify areas for further work and capture the views and reflections of young people regarding their experiences and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the staff have productive working relationships with young people’s wider support networks, including their families, social workers, schools and health services. They work together effectively to achieve better outcomes for young people. For example, staff and teachers are working closely and consistently to help a young person gain a better understanding about appropriate sexual behaviour and healthy relationships. Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 9 The registered manager and deputy manager are an efficient and effective management team. They have enough time and the capacity to guide and support staff, complete the administration of the home and monitor the quality of care young people receive. Both thorough external scrutiny by an independent person and the registered manager’s detailed reviews of the quality of care give the registered manager a detailed understanding of how well young people are being supported to meet their assessed

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

needs. The findings inform the registered manager’s dynamic and specific development plan, which she uses to continue to improve the standard of support that young people receive and the quality of the accommodation, to develop staff’s skills and knowledge, and to improve the running of the home. For example, she has shared research with staff about attachment that has helped them gain insight into young people’s behaviour and how best to help them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager have established the right environment for staff to provide young people with a very high standard of care. They ensure that the staffing arrangements provide young people with consistency. Young people are always cared for by the right number of knowledgeable and experienced members of staff to meet all their needs. Very few changes to the staff team means that young people are looked after by staff they know well. This has helped them form positive attachments and friendly relationships with the people caring for them each day. The enthusiastic members of staff clearly enjoy spending time with young people and are keen to make a positive difference to young people’s lives. The staff team works cohesively to make sure the day-to-day care of young people is well-planned and focused on meeting their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager provide each member of staff with excellent support, guidance and encouragement. Staff have regular opportunities through practice-related supervision and team meetings to reflect on young people’s progress and their own performance, to share skills and develop their skills and knowledge. New staff follow a suitable induction and training programme that equips them well to carry out their role. The registered manager encourages and supports staff to develop professionally through training, research and completing the relevant level 3 diploma. The registered manager carries out regular formal assessments of each member of staff’s performance and fitness to carry out their job. These assessments take into account young people’s views about the member of staff’s work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager receives practice-related supervision from a person with appropriate qualifications and experience. This gives her the opportunity to reflect critically on her practice with a person who can provide them with effective professional challenge, support and guidance, and to identify areas for continuing professional development. However, the registered manager is not receiving a written copy of the content and outcomes of her supervision. This information would help her reflect on her performance and development. Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 10

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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 differences 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. 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: SC059261 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Considerate Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Millers Accountants, 69 Windsor Road, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0DB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: William Aspinall

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Inspector

Nick Veysey, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 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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