Children's home run by Supporting Futures Limited in Sefton

Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 1 SC381667 Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

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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 a privately owned children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who 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: 30 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people live in a safe, friendly and supportive home. The registered manager has made improvements that have addressed weaknesses identified at the last inspection about the management and reduction of risk, the quality of written records and plans, and making sure that young people live in a comfortable and safe home environment.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager and staff fully understand their responsibilities in promoting young people’s welfare. They identify, understand and manage the risks to individual young people, including the risks from exploitation, radicalisation and self-harm. They know the action to take when they have concerns about young people’s safety.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people usually enjoy positive daily routines and experiences that meet their assessed needs. They have trusting relationships with staff because they live in a reliable environment where they feel safe and at home. They feel that staff listen to their views and respond appropriately. Staff provide clear and unambiguous routines and boundaries, so that young people know what is happening each day, understand the expected standard of behaviour, and are aware of how they will be treated. Young people are making progress in managing their feelings, and control their behaviour safely. Both young people are rebuilding positive relationships with their parents.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Effective impartial scrutiny of the home helps the registered manager understand the home’s strengths, the progress being made and the priority areas for improvement.

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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

 The registered manager needs to challenge local authorities, school and services more assertively to make sure that young people always receive the help and support required to improve their lives.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people who have left school need a clear and achievable plan for their future. They need to participate in education, training or employment to improve their life chances.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager and responsible individual need to make sure that an accurate record is kept of money that young people give to staff for safekeeping.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The review of the quality of care should include an in-depth assessment of the impact the home is making on young people’s lives and outcomes. Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 3  The registered manager should improve the processes in relation to the induction of new staff and recording of information about recruitment and supervision.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/05/2016 Full Good 18/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/08/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 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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needs are met

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and staff must ensure that:

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needs are met

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate, in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c))

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needs are met

This relates to ensuring that staff challenge the child’s school and placing authority if the child does not receive sufficient support and access to education, as a good parent would do. 31/10/2017

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8: The education standard

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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8: The education standard

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education and employment. (Regulation 8(2)(ix)) 31/10/2017

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36: Children’s case records

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child, which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36(1)(a))

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36: Children’s case records

In particular, the dates on which any money or valuables are deposited by or on behalf of the child for safekeeping, the amount of money or a description of the valuables, and the dates on which any money is withdrawn, and any valuables are returned. 31/10/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 5

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children’s views about the quality of care provided and their plans are recorded in their case records and in the review of the quality of care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when children placed in the home are not fully participating in education, training or employment they are engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the workforce plan details the processes and timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training. In particular that all new staff, including managers and senior members of staff, have a well-designed and comprehensive induction programme that enables them to understand their role, responsibilities and expectations for their performance. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks do them. In particular, when information contained in written references raises potential concerns about a person’s suitability, the registered person keeps a written record of the action they have taken to be satisfied that the person is suitable to work with children, and the outcome of these enquiries. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Recommendations

 Ensure a written record of the outcome of staff supervision sessions and performance reviews are kept and clearly set out the actions that were agreed at these meetings. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Recommendations

 Ensure the review of the quality of care provided by the home shows the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people happily live in this safe, friendly and supportive home. They are receiving a good quality of individualised care that consistently meets most of their assessed needs. A young person said, ‘It’s the right place for me; it meets my needs.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 6 Young people have positive relationships with the registered manager and staff straight away. The registered manager and staff engage with them naturally. Their open and friendly manner helps young people feel at home, and know that the registered manager and staff want what is best for them. The registered manager and staff enable young people to express themselves as individuals. They know each young person well, and know their interests. They talk to them to find out their views about the house, and how they are being looked after. Young people make choices in relation to the day-to-day arrangements for their care, including decisions about clothes, food and how they spend

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

their time. They also help to choose where to go on holiday. Young people are also involved in decisions about their lives, including choices around seeing their families, education and training, and plans for their future. The registered manager and staff listen to their wishes and feelings, and respond to meet them appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s placement plans for each young person match the objectives and actions set out in their local authority plan. Staff are actively helping the young people to maintain and rebuild relationships with their parents. Young people are seeing more of their families. For example, one young person has re-established a positive relationship with his dad after not being in touch for most of his life. Staff work well with the young people’s families. They work sensitively with the young people and their families to try to overcome any difficulties and improve relationships. This work has included offering advice and support around activities that make sure that seeing family is a safe and positive experience for the young people.

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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. A young person said, ‘Staff make sure I go to school, get me stuff for school and are helpful. If I’m facing a big brick wall – they’ll always manage to get round it. I trust that they can.’ However, young people’s progress and participation is variable. One young person’s school attendance is improving, but additional work around managing his feelings and behaviour in school is required to tackle the barriers to his progress. Another young person, who left school in the summer, is currently not in education, employment or training. The plans for his future have not been firmly established and a number of different options have been explored. However, until very recently there has been no contingency planning or active work to identify suitable education for him. Consequently, he has missed opportunities to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

start courses at the beginning of the year, and may start already behind other students. The registered manager and staff are gradually encouraging the young person to think about his future and get involved in activities that will bring structure to his life. The staff encourage and support young people to develop their life skills, including cooking, shopping and managing money. Young people are supported to follow their interests, for example by participating in sport, going to the cinema and watching aeroplanes at different airports. Both young people have also had a holiday abroad with staff over the summer. These experiences are helping young people to gain confidence in their abilities, have fun, acquire new skills and improve their social and emotional skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that young people live in a healthy environment. Young people’s physical health and emotional well-being continues to improve. They have a healthy diet and get plenty of physical exercise. The staff support young people to get good support Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 7 from health services to meet their needs, and to help them understand about healthy lifestyles. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s specific health needs, and manage their health with sensitivity and confidence. They closely monitor young people to make sure they are healthy, and ensure that young people always get suitable medical advice and treatment when they are feeling unwell or are concerned about their health. The arrangements for young people’s medication are safely managed.

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

Young people living in the home are receiving a good standard of care that is increasingly keeping them safe from harm. They feel safe, and talk to trusted adults if they have any concerns. A young person said, ‘I feel safe. They look out for me. I can talk to the manager and staff if I’m worried. They listen and sort things out. I’ve nothing to worry about.’

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

The registered manager and staff understand their responsibilities in protecting young people from harm. They are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, and are aware of one young person’s vulnerability to sexual exploitation and radicalisation. They are clear about what they must do if they are concerned about the young person’s welfare, and they know which safeguarding professionals they must contact. The registered manager has taken effective action when he has been concerned about young people’s welfare, including dealing appropriately with a member of staff’s conduct that placed a young person at increased risk of harm. He reported his concerns to the local authority safeguarding team, and took suitable disciplinary action.

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

The registered manager and staff show a good understanding of the risks to each young person’s safety. They have the skills to identify and understand risk, and use suitable and proportionate protective measures to handle situations safely. The registered manager and staff continuously review the assessed risks to each young person. They keep written risk assessments and plans up to date, to make sure they understand and manage the level of risk that individual young people are currently facing. They are also able to show that the protective measures have been effective in reducing the risks for young people associated with self-harm, poor emotional health, aggression and going missing from home. Staff carefully balance the young people’s protection with providing them with an appropriate level of freedom, supervision and choice about how they spend their free time. Staff encourage young people to enjoy the same experiences as

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

other young people of the same age, including spending time with their friends and family, and going on holiday. Strong working relationships with young people’s families, social workers and the police enable staff to work effectively to manage risk and improve young people’s safety.

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

The number of times young people have gone missing from the home has reduced. Staff help young people to understand the risks and dangers involved if they go missing, and make sure that they know how to get help. Staff take reasonable precautions to check on young people’s welfare when they are out. When young people have gone missing, staff always act quickly to try to find them by actively looking for them, making contact Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 8 with their family and friends, and informing the police and social workers. The police missing-from-home coordinator said, ‘I cannot fault the care they provide to young people. I work closely with the manager and he keeps me updated on young people’s progress. When a young person is reported missing they do everything they can to assist the police in trying to locate the young person. We have strategy meetings when needed and care planning meetings.’ After children return home they always have the

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

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 provide young people with a warm, friendly and reliable home environment. This has helped young people to form positive relationships with staff. The registered manager and staff provide young people with clear and unambiguous routines and boundaries that meet their needs. Therefore, young people know what is happening each day, understand the expected standard of behaviour, and know how they will be treated. The registered manager and staff encourage and reinforce positive behaviour through lots of praise and a straightforward incentive system tailored to each young person’s needs. A young person said, ‘Staff don’t let you do your own thing, but they’re not on your back all the time. I have my say about my targets. I usually get my incentives. Staff are fair, you don’t lose it automatically the first time, they remind me and I don’t lose it. They work with us.’

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

The warm and consistent approach of staff is helping young people to manage their feelings safely and control their behaviour. The number of times young people have shown aggressive and destructive behaviour has reduced significantly. Staff and young people work out the best way to sort out problems together. A young person said, ‘The best way is for me to be on my own when I get angry. I go to my room to feel calm. I don’t like being round other people when I’m angry – even people that care about me.’ This information is incorporated into the young person’s plans, and staff know how best to help him when he feels frustrated, and manage the situation well. Staff keep accurate records of the times when young people have been upset, and give young people the chance to talk about what has happened, and how to manage their feelings constructively.

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

The house now provides a safe environment for young people to live in. The registered manager and staff have significantly improved the quality of the house. It is now a pleasant place in which to live and work. The house is clean, tidy, bright and homely, and is furnished and decorated to a good standard. There is plenty of personal space for young people in their comfortable bedrooms.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in charge of the home since 2015. He has considerable experience and a number of relevant qualifications, including the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. He provides clear leadership that focuses on encouraging and supporting young people to make progress and improve their lives. The registered manager has made improvements that have addressed weaknesses identified Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 9 at the last inspection about the management and reduction of risk, the quality of written records and plans, and making sure that young people live in a comfortable and safe home environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people’s plans and records are up to date and contain the information that is needed to understand their needs and look after them properly. Staff are familiar with each young person’s plan and have a detailed knowledge of the young person’s assessed needs, and the arrangements for their care. Information about young people gives a clear picture of young people’s experiences, and is recorded in a non-stigmatising way. The written records contribute to the understanding of young people’s needs and the review of their placement plans. However, staff did not keep a record of the date on which a young person gave staff money for safekeeping, the amount of money and the date it was deposited in the young person’s bank account.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff have a good understanding of the progress that each young person is making, and the priorities for their care. They are making sure that young people are being cared for in line with their agreed plans. They identify when young people are struggling, and take the necessary action to make sure that they get the best possible help. For example, they enabled the assessment of a young person’s emotional well-being bythe child and adolescent mental health service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the staff have developed positive working relationships with social workers, teachers, health workers and the police. The registered manager challenges placing authorities and services when he sees that young people are not receiving the support they need to meet their assessed needs. For example, he challenged how effectively a school is supporting a young person to manage his behaviour, to reduce the number of times he is asked to work from home. The registered manager has also raised concerns with a placing authority regarding another young person who did not have a clear plan for his future care and education. Unfortunately, these challenges have not always resulted in improved support and outcomes for young people. The registered manager has not always escalated his concerns when things have not changed for the better. He is not making good use of the virtual school and special educational needs and/or disabilities team, or complaints

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

procedures, to move things forward for the young person, as a good parent would.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation ensures that an independent person with suitable knowledge, skills and experience provides detailed scrutiny of the home. The independent person provides an impartial and evaluative assessment of the arrangements for safeguarding, and meeting young people’s needs. The registered manager always acts on the independent person’s recommendations, and as a result has continued to make improvements in the quality of the written records, the effectiveness of behaviour management strategies and the support and training available for staff. The registered manager’s monitoring shows the work being done to support young people and identify the right priorities for further development, such as training for staff and further improvements to the accommodation. However, his reviews of the quality of care do not show young people’s actual views about the care they receive, or provide an in-depth analysis of the impact the care is

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

having on outcomes and improvements for young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 10 The registered manager and responsible individual ensure that members of staff go through careful recruitment and selection processes that reduce the risk of unsuitable people working at the home. They make sure that staff have the right personal qualities, enthusiasm, experience, skills, and values to work with vulnerable young people. They collect all the available information about candidates to make the right decisions about a person’s suitability. This includes phoning the person’s previous employers to verify information about the person’s practice, experiences, abilities, and the reasons they left their last job. However, on one occasion, when a written reference raised potential concerns about a person’s suitability, the registered manager did not keep a written record of the action he took to be satisfied that the person was suitable to work with

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

children, and the outcome of these enquiries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has created the right environment for staff to provide young people with a good quality of care and support. Staff have regular opportunities, through practice-related supervision and team meetings, to reflect on young people’s progress, the expectations for good childcare practice, and their own performance, and to develop their skills and knowledge through relevant training. Staff clearly understand the ethos of the home and the ways of working, their roles and responsibilities, and the systems for the protection of young people and administration of the home. The registered manager and staff keep records of their discussions, but do not clearly set out the actions that were agreed at these meetings. This would improve the quality of these plans, and would enable the registered manager to monitor easily the progress being made by staff. In addition, there is little written evidence to show that new members of staff have

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

successfully completed a systematic induction programme, and that their performance has been thoroughly assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staffing arrangements ensure that there are always enough suitably experienced and qualified staff available to meet young people’s needs. The enthusiastic and caring members of staff clearly enjoy spending time with young people and are keen to make a positive difference to young people’s lives. Young people are looked after by people they get to know well and with whom they build positive relationships. The registered manager makes sure that the day-to-day care of young people is well planned, and is focused on meeting their needs.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 11 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: SC381667 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector(s)

Nick Veysey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC381667 13 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)

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