Children's home run by Herman Allen

Inspection report children’s home: SC067810 1 SC067810 Registered provider: Lily House

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Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care and accommodation for up to seven young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. In addition to having two other children’s homes, the company is a registered education provider.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has successfully addressed all of the requirements and most of the recommendations made at the last inspection. The admission planning process is good. The process includes impact analysis, meeting with the young people and partner agencies, and arranging visits to the home. The manager discusses placement referrals with the staff to ensure that they can meet the young person’s level of needs. As a result, young people whose needs cannot be met by the staff team are not admitted to the home. Young people who have left the home since the last inspection have been supported to move to semi-independent accommodation, or to another residential placement in a planned way. Staff and managers support young people to develop independent living Inspection report children’s home: SC067810 2 skills. There is evidence of staff and young people working to the young people’s individualised care plans through the targets that they achieve.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk factors are regularly assessed and reviewed. Each young person has a detailed risk assessment in place with specific actions to mitigate the risks. Staff and managers work well in partnership with others to help reduce the risks for the young people. As a result, young people have experienced a reduction in missing from home episodes. Young people are engaged in education and make good progress. Through key-working sessions, young people are helped to build positive relationships with the adults in the home. Staff are finely attuned to the young people’s needs as well as their strengths. Individualised behaviour management plans are thorough. They include de-escalation techniques and other strategies to help the young person contain their challenging behaviour. Young people are offered opportunities for restorative justice through which they are helped to reflect on their behaviour and make amends. Since the last

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

inspection, there has been an overall reduction in the number of incidents of young people being aggressive towards staff or one another. However, there is room for further improvement in effectively managing more challenging behaviour, especially when there is a clear behavioural plan in place. The systems in place for recording sanctions and restraints are appropriate. Restraint is rarely used. Young people’s views are recorded, and there is evidence of the registered manager’s review of the incidents and the effectiveness of the sanctions. While most of the recordings are clear and easy to follow, they vary in quality and the amount of detail. Investigations into serious incidents or allegations are shared with the appropriate agencies and are handled robustly in line with the statutory guidance. The independent visitor’s reports are comprehensive. However, there is room for improvement in ensuring that the assessments are rigorous and impartial in relation to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

the home’s arrangements in safeguarding and promoting young people’s well-being. The home has a clear and structured training plan for the staff. Staff say that the training that they receive is helpful. Staff receive regular supervision and are challenged where there are gaps in their practice. Staff members enjoy working with the young people and making a difference in their lives. The home provides good care, operating in line with the ethos of its statement of purpose. The registered manager provides effective oversight of the running of the home. As a result, the young people experience positive outcomes. Inspection report children’s home: SC067810 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 30/08/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Ensure that the individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and Inspection report children’s home: SC067810 4 experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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Inspector

Linda Kim-Newby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC067810 5 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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