Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 1 SC064735 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 All young people make good progress from their starting points as a result of the individualised care and support that they receive.  Young people enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff, who care about their welfare and take the time to understand the things that are important to Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 2 them.  Young people feel listened to and that their opinions are valued. Staff encourage young people to share their views and take appropriate action when they do so.  Staff work hard to support young people to overcome barriers to education. This supports young people’s educational achievements.  Young people feel safe and have confidence in the staff. Young people are demonstrably safer as a result of the care and support that they receive.  Managers and staff work positively with external agencies to safeguard young people. Young people who arrive at the home with high levels of risk are kept

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Key findings from this inspection

safe from harm.  Staff help young people to develop safe behaviours. Staff are skilled in de- escalating potentially volatile situations, and this results in a low number of crisis situations.  Young people, social workers and parents express high levels of satisfaction with the service provided.  There is a low turnover of staff, which means that young people benefit from stability and consistency.  Staff are well motivated and report good levels of training and support.  The registered manager makes effective use of quality monitoring systems. This enables him to identify and address areas for development.

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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

 Young people’s risk assessments do not always contain clear information about how identified risks should be managed.  The support provided to young people to prepare for independence is not consistently underpinned by clear care planning.  Young people are provided with safe accommodation. However, some areas, in particular bathrooms and toilets, are in need of general improvement.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2016 Full Good 03/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 3

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Young people should be provided with a consistently good standard of accommodation that promotes their self-esteem and sense of worth. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the young people who live at the home have made very good progress from their starting points. For example, they have grown in confidence, developed their personal and social skills, and are making consistently safer choices. Young people themselves recognise their progress and feel that this is due to the high standard of care and support that they receive. Two young people described the home as the best one that they had ever lived in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make demonstrable progress in their social development. Staff strongly consider young people’s emotional well-being and work hard to promote it. One young person said, ‘They are so understanding about everything.’ A professional from a young people’s well-being service described the staff as ‘nurturing’ and ‘empathetic’. She described how staff were always keen to take advice about how to support young people’s emotional well-being, and took the time to put the advised strategies in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the things that are important to young people. They approach sensitive matters with care and understanding, and ensure that young people have access to the help and support that they need. For example, staff recently took time to create an Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 4 evening routine care plan with a young person who reported feeling anxious when trying to sleep. In another example, the registered manager and staff are working hard to support a young person’s family in their understanding of a very complex and sensitive matter affecting the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from stability and consistency. They have developed positive relationships with staff and speak extremely highly of them. Young people describe staff in ways such as ‘caring’, ‘understanding’, ‘sound’ and ‘the best’. One young person described how she had experienced a very high number of previous placements, which had all broken down, before she settled at this home. She said, ‘The others all gave up on me, but they didn’t here. They stuck with me and then I got a bond with them. That’s when I started to sort my head out.’ A social worker commented, ‘(X) has never settled anywhere for long periods of time. This placement has given him a sense of grounding and being settled. He has, at times, pushed the placement to breaking point, but they never gave up.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager carefully considers the needs of young people before offering them a place at the home. Well-planned introductions help to ensure that young people are welcomed to the home in a sensitive way. The most recently admitted young person was able to visit the home on several occasions before moving in. When asked if he had settled in well, he replied, ‘I settled in the day I got here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been challenges in encouraging some young people to engage in education. However, staff have worked hard to support young people to overcome barriers to education. This has resulted in one young person returning to mainstream education from a starting point of non-engagement. Another young person has recently commenced an apprenticeship and is working towards vocational qualifications. This achievement was recently recognised at a local authority award ceremony for young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to gain the practical and social skills necessary to successfully live independently. One young person has taken part in a scheme which will result in some recognised awards when completed. However, it was noted that the care plan of another young person lacked detail regarding this aspect of support. It is recommended that independence planning and training are consistently addressed in young people’s plans. This will help to ensure a consistent approach that links well with pathway planning and the young people’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s views are valued and encouraged. Staff encourage them to share their feelings and wishes, and support them to raise concerns. One young person described how staff were helping her to pursue a matter with her placing authority regarding her future plans. Another young person said, ‘They are the first ones to really listen to me and support my choices.’ An innovative new method has recently been introduced whereby young people have the ability to contact external professionals involved in their care through an ‘app’ on their phone. Young people have quickly started to use the app, which gives them an additional way in which they can raise questions or concerns. Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 5 Young people are given the opportunity to enjoy fun and fulfilling experiences. There is a variety of activities made available, which are planned in line with young people’s needs and wishes. One young person recently enjoyed a holiday in Paris, with staff support. He

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

commented that he enjoyed this very much.

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

Young people say that they feel safe and well cared for. They have confidence in the staff and are able to share their worries or concerns. A community professional said, ‘The team has a consistent and caring approach, which provides young people with a sense of security.’

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

Young people are demonstrably safer due to the care and support that they receive. There were high levels of concern identified in relation to each young person prior to their arrival at the home. For example, young people had histories of high-risk behaviours such as being missing from home, offending or having associations with unsuitable people. In all cases, these concerns have now been significantly reduced or have completely ceased. This means that young people are safer and that their physical and emotional well-being is promoted.

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

The registered manager and staff work closely and effectively with external professionals to manage identified risks to young people’s safety. Professionals from these agencies speak highly of the home and describe positive partnership working. Staff are vigilant and have a good understanding of their duty to keep young people safe from harm.

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

Incidents of young people being missing from this home have been reduced significantly since the last inspection. This is despite all the young people who live at the home having a history of being frequently missing from previous placements. On occasions when young people are missing, staff take effective action to help to ensure their safe return, for example by conducting local searches and making contact with the young person’s known associates. These actions are clearly recorded.

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

Individualised risk assessments identify specific risks to young people’s safety and well- being. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that any new information is taken into account. This means that staff have access to information which is current and up to date. In most examples, there are clear strategies in place to guide staff in supporting children and young people in a safe manner. However a small number viewed lacked clear information about the measures in place to manage the risks. A recommendation is raised to ensure that risk management strategies are consistently well detailed.

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

Staff are skilled in understanding young people’s emotional responses and are trained and equipped to de-escalate potentially volatile situations. This is demonstrated in the significant reduction in incidents requiring staff to physically intervene. Since the last inspection, there has been only one such incident, which illustrates the significant progress made by each young person. Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 6 Staff are strongly focused on a system of praise and reward, which is the much preferred strategy, as opposed to the use of sanctions and consequences. Staff recognise and celebrate young people’s achievements on a regular basis and ensure that young people are rewarded. Positive reward promotes young people’s self-esteem and ensures that negative behaviour does not become the only focus of attention.

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

Robust recruitment procedures mean that all prospective employees are required to undergo a range of background checks prior to an offer of employment being made. The checks include full employment histories and police records. This helps to reduce the risk of young people being in contact with adults of unsuitable character.

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

Regular health and safety checks help to ensure that young people are provided with safe accommodation. The registered manager completes an annual review of the location of the home to help to ensure that any wider risks in the community are identified and assessed. This promotes young people’s well-being and helps to safeguard them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from strong leadership provided by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. The registered manager demonstrates strong values and high ambition for the young people in his care. Young people, their parents, staff and external professionals speak extremely highly of the registered manager, describing him as ‘approachable’ and ‘supportive’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is supported by a well-established management team that has a wide range of skills and experience. Some of the management team are involved in training staff and managers from across the organisation in a variety of areas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals who have been involved with the service describe a well-managed home and are highly complimentary about the outcomes experienced by young people. A social worker said, ‘I cannot fault them in the care they have provided to (X). He has made huge progress. The team is professional and dedicated. This home stands out for all the right reasons.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have positive relationships with young people and demonstrate a good understanding of their needs. Young people’s progress is carefully monitored and managers take effective action to ensure that young people receive a good level of support from all those involved in their care, including outside agencies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well motivated and describe a good level of support. This is reflected in the low turnover of staff that the home experiences. This low turnover means that young people benefit from a stable and consistent home, and are cared for by people who know them well and understand their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision. This means that they have regular opportunities to discuss matters such as training, work performance and any concerns that they may Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 7 have. Where necessary, the registered manager arranges additional supervision, for example when it is identified that a staff member requires an enhanced level of support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regularly held and well attended. These provide opportunities to share information, reflect on practice and share ideas. Staff report a positive culture within which they can share their views and ideas. Staff have confidence in the management team and are comfortable to share any concerns that they have.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a comprehensive mandatory training programme in place, which includes a range of learning in areas such as safeguarding and positive behaviour support. The registered manager carefully monitors training to ensure that all staff receive regular updates at the required intervals. All but one recently appointed staff member hold nationally recognised qualifications in caring for young people. The registered manager has also arranged additional training in line with the complex needs of young people who live at the home. For example, he has recently arranged for some staff to undertake training in relation to supporting the emotional well-being of young people who have experienced trauma or neglect.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager makes effective use of quality monitoring and carries out regular checks of safety and quality across the service. This enables him to identify and address areas for improvement on an ongoing basis, which supports continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people are provided with safe accommodation. However, some areas of the home, particularly the bathrooms, are in need of a general update. The registered manager has attempted to address this, but has not yet been provided with the resources to do so. A recommendation is raised in relation to this matter to help to ensure that young people are provided with a consistently high standard of accommodation.

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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. 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: SC064735 8

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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

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC064735 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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