Children's home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 1 SC037181 Registered provider: After Care (N W) 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

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for two young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 31 October to 1 November 2017

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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: 1 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make exceptional progress in all aspects of their lives from their starting points, which is sustained over time.  The registered manager and staff are committed to the young people in their care. Their consistent and reliable care provides young people with a strong Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 2 sense of security and belonging.  Staff spend time investing in young people. They develop a detailed understanding of the young people’s experiences and behaviour, which enables them to provide highly individualised care.  Staff work proactively with stakeholders, with whom they have developed strong working relationships. This ensures a coordinated response to young people’s needs.  Young people have a strong sense of safety and well-being, including those who are most vulnerable and have been at risk of sexual exploitation. They develop strategies to self-regulate their behaviours and consequently become

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Key findings from this inspection

increasingly safe.  The registered manager and deputy provide strong and inspirational leadership. They consistently focus on young people’s outcomes and strive to continually improve the service. The children’s home’s areas for development:  Ensure that the service regulator is informed of significant changes in leadership as required.  The local area assessment needs to provide a more detailed analysis of the local area.  Review staff development plans and annual appraisals to ensure that any gaps in learning are planned for and addressed.  The quality of care review reports do not sufficiently identify the registered person’s intended actions to further improve and maintain the service.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/10/2016 Full Good 16/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 18/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 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

If the person who is in day-to-day charge of the children’s home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, the registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI of the proposed absence. Except in the case of an emergency or unforeseen absence, a notice under paragraph (1) must be given no later than one month before the proposed absence commences, or within such shorter period as may be agreed with HMCI; and specify with respect to the proposed absence—

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Requirement Due date

(i) its length or expected length; (ii) the reason for it; (iii) the arrangements which have been made for running the home during the absence; (iv) the address, name and qualifications of the person who will be responsible for the home during the absence; and (v) in the case of the absence of the registered manager, the arrangements that have been, or are proposed to be, made for appointing another person to manage the home during the absence, including the proposed date by which the appointment is to be made. (Regulation 48(1) and (2)(a)(b)) 06/12/2017

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan, which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the on-going training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8). In particular, ensure that staff development plans are updated and annual appraisals used to address gaps in staff’s learning and skills.

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Recommendations

 Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 4 and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) In particular, consult with other relevant agencies and include all potential risks, such as local public houses, other children’s homes in the area and local services available to young people in the area.  The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of care provided by the home. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weaknesses in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions

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Recommendations

required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how these actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from consistent, warm nurturing care provided by a committed and dedicated team. A social worker said: ‘The care provided has been remarkable. She [young person] has turned things around. Staff are nurturing and they are attuned to her needs and provide personalised care. All staff are committed and invest in her.’ Young people’s unwavering progress and positive experiences confirm this. Staff have high aspirations for the young people in their care and they work hard to make sure that each young person continues to develop and achieve to the best of their ability. Individualised care planning is central to staff’s practice. Likewise, partnership working with young people, schools, social workers and education departments has resulted in young people making measurable progress in their education. A teacher’s comment in a young person’s end of year school report reflects this: ‘An absolutely

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

outstanding year from [young person name]. She has developed into an intelligent, hardworking, mature young woman who is a role model to the other students. Not only has her academic progress, but her social and emotional development, have also been outstanding.’ This young person had been out of education for quite some time prior to her moving to this home. Young people benefit from the staff’s creative approach to care and support. Staff get to know the young people extremely well and gain an in-depth understanding of their particular needs, preferred means of learning and interests. Staff use creative ideas in their work with young people. For example, when a young person struggles to understand their care plan, staff use their in-depth knowledge of the young person to communicate their plan in a format that they understand. This has involved devising computer presentations with visual prompts and photographs. Consequently, young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

people are enabled to meaningfully engage in care planning and make informed choices about their future. Young people’s health is promoted extremely well because staff have made good links with a range of local health services, such as health and well-being centres, drug and Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 5 alcohol services and smoking cessation clinics. Young people also benefit from having access to the in-house therapy team. This support includes psychological assessment and review and direct counselling, as well as guidance and consultation for staff. When necessary, staff ensure that young people receive specialist support from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) team. As a result, young people’s physical and emotional health improves from their starting points. Staff place young people at the centre of their practice. All young people’s achievements are recognised and celebrated, no matter how small. The ‘daily praise’ book

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

demonstrates how staff praise each young person’s actions and positive behaviour daily. This constant praise and affirmation is helping to build young people’s self-esteem, as well as their understanding of the benefits of acceptable and safe behaviour. Young people are supported to develop their independence and self-care skills at a pace that reflects their individual needs. Staff are skilled at encouraging young people to try new tasks, such as cooking, shopping and budgeting, providing them with guidance and support as and when needed. As a result, young people learn new essential life skills, grow in confidence and are better prepared for adulthood. Staff wholly understand the importance of developing young people’s sense of belonging and family identity. Therefore, they support young people to keep in touch with their families in a planned way, taking into account the young person’s wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This ensures that contact between young people and their family is safe and enjoyable. Staff undertake direct work with young people to help them to understand their background and identity. This work has involved researching information about the young person’s home town when they have moved a distance from their family.

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

Staff are extremely vigilant and alert to potential risks for young people. They follow comprehensive risk assessments and placement plans, which identify effective strategies for keeping young people safe. Staff receive ongoing training which enables them to respond appropriately to all safeguarding concerns. What’s more, they are skilled at developing trusting relationships with young people and these relationships are central to effective safeguarding practice. Young people confide in staff because they trust them. Young people respect staff because staff respect them. Consequently, young people are willing to accept the support and guidance of staff, and are supported to make safer choices. Young people benefit from having regular direct work and support from staff and specialist services. This work focuses on a range of subjects, including safe relationships, personal hygiene, health and education. This is helping the young people to understand

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

their vulnerabilities and learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. High-risk behaviours, such as missing from home and child sexual exploitation, have reduced considerably for the young people living at this home. Staff understand what to do when young people go missing, and follow comprehensive plans. On the occasion when young people have been missing, they have contacted staff and returned home quickly. Staff always actively look for young people and ensure that the police and other relevant bodies are informed. Staff ensure that return interviews take place and any Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 6 information obtained is used to update the young person’s risk assessment. Staff manage young people’s behaviour well. Their positive, consistent and calm approach provides positive role modelling to young people and shows them how to manage difficult emotions and situations safely. Aggressive behaviour, self-harm and

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

substance misuse are reducing because young people are becoming better equipped to manage their feelings. Staff understand the risks that the internet may pose. They undertake work with young people so that they learn how they can use social media safely and safeguard themselves. The registered manager and staff develop positive relationships with local safeguarding professionals – in particular, the local community police officer, who visits the home and provides staff with information about potential risks within the community. However, the home’s locality assessment report does not assess all potential risks – for example, local public houses or other children’s homes in the area. Additionally, it lacks wider consultation with other relevant agencies, such as the multi-agency child sexual exploitation coordinator. A more rigorous assessment of the local area would further enhance young people’s safety and well-being.

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

The physical environment is safe and secure. Staff ensure that regular fire evacuation drills take place and that all fire safety equipment is in good working order. The home presents as a safe and welcoming environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified and experienced registered manager manages the home. She is actively supported by an enthusiastic and efficient deputy manager. The managers are inspirational and lead the team confidently by example. A social worker described the management team as ‘dedicated and committed’. The managers have good knowledge and understanding of each young person’s specific needs and care plan. They advocate on behalf of young people to prevent delays in getting the support they need from other professionals, such as CAMHS. Managers and staff regularly engage with all stakeholders, including parents and former foster carers. This effective partnership working is securing positive outcomes for the young people. A teacher said: ‘Staff are very supportive. Her attendance is 100%. She is always well presented and eager to learn. Any time we contact the home they immediately respond.’ A stable team, which the registered manager and deputy support extremely well,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

provides consistently good care, guidance and support. Regular professional supervision and a range of relevant training ensure that staff are equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence to undertake their roles competently. However, individual workforce development plans do not reflect staff’s full range of training. Furthermore, although staff’s annual appraisals identify gaps in learning, they do not identify strategies for addressing these gaps. Improvements in staff’s workforce development plans and annual appraisals would further enhance staff’s professional development. Suitable monitoring systems are in place to ensure that the managers are alert to the service’s strengths and areas for development. This is helping the managers to make continued improvements in the home and the care provided to young people. The Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 7 quality of care review reports can be strengthened by including the plans to develop the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

service for the forthcoming months. The registered manager will shortly be absent from the home for an unknown period of time. At the time of the inspection, neither the registered manager nor the responsible individual could provide details of the arrangements for cover during her absence. The registered manager has failed to provide Ofsted with the details regarding her imminent absence from the home as required by law.

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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: SC037181 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: After Care (N W) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 45 Kensington Road, Southport, Merseyside PR9 0RT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Timothy Blundell

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Inspector

Marina Tully, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037181 9 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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