Children's Home run by Exceptional Care Limited in Lancashire

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1227335 1 Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited Interim 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 provides care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has resigned from his post. The deputy manager of the home has been promoted and is in the process of completing his application to be registered with Ofsted. He is suitably experienced and is currently completing his qualification in leadership and management. He is committed and motivated to ensuring that he and his staff team provide a good quality of care to the young people living at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The two young people living at the home were living there at the time of the last inspection. Since then they have made considerable progress in all areas of their lives. They both spoke positively about how the managers and staff have helped them. Outcomes for young people have improved in areas such as education, health and emotional development, socialisation and behaviour. One young person said, ‘I have come very far since I moved into the home because of the support and encouragement Interim inspection report children’s home: 1227335 2 of the managers and staff. I could not wish for a better staff team’. This demonstrates that the managers and staff offer young people a good quality of care, which is improving outcomes for them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite long-standing difficulties in education, both young people are now accessing and engaging in suitable education provision. Structured routines at the home support the young people to succeed in their education. Furthermore, the home’s staff work collaboratively with education professionals to ensure that the young people are fully supported with their education. One young person now has a full-time college placement, and the home’s staff continue to support him to manage the difficulties he has experienced settling into his course. The young person’s attendance and engagement has significantly improved. He is making good progress academically, and his social interaction and confidence have considerably improved since he started his college course. Another young person is now receiving home tuition due to the difficulties she has experienced in previous education placements. She is working towards completing her GCSEs and is proud of the results she is gaining. She is

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

confident that she will do well and achieve good GCSE results. Since they moved to the home education outcomes for both young people have significantly improved.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although there have been no new admissions to the home since the last inspection, one of the young people temporarily moved to a foster placement. Unfortunately, the placement broke down in the early stages despite a supportive and robust transition plan being in place. However, the young person was able to move back into the home and settled well. In line with the young person’s care plan, an alternative and more suitable foster placement has now been identified. The staff have worked closely with local authority commissioners to ensure that the new placement is more appropriate to meet the young person’s identified needs. A detailed and supportive transition plan is in place to support a smoother transition for the young person.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding practice in the home is robust. Young people feel safe and are fully safeguarded. The manager and staff take appropriate swift action when safeguarding incidents occur. For example, when a young person made a historical disclosure the placing local authority and police were informed. In addition, when a young person was under the influence of alcohol appropriate medical attention was sought. This was followed up by staff who undertook direct work with the young person to ensure that he was fully aware of the risks and consequences of consuming alcohol. There have been no further incidents due to the positive approaches and good safeguarding practice of the staff at the home. However, the risk management plans for the young people still lack sufficient detail to demonstrate the individual risks to the young people and the strategies in place to manage these.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been incidents whereby room searches and instances of physical intervention have occurred. While records demonstrate that these interventions have been necessary to safeguard the young people, they have not always been given sufficient opportunity to appropriately express their views, wishes and feelings following the interventions. For example, following one physical intervention the young person involved was given the opportunity to discuss it, but this was with the person who had carried out the Interim inspection report children’s home: 1227335 3 intervention rather than someone who had not been involved. In addition, following a complaint made by a young person in relation to a room search, the young person was not given the opportunity to discuss her views about the outcome of the complaint. This does not show that the manager and staff are always responsive to the views expressed by young people about the use of some interventions. Consequently, the manager and

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff miss the opportunity to reflect on and, if necessary, amend practice appropriately to ensure that it meets the needs of the young person.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff work effectively with other professionals such as social workers, local authority commissioners, therapeutic support services, the police, and health and educational professionals. Consequently, young people are receiving the appropriate support to meet their individual needs. This has meant that young people flourish. For example, one young person who has lived in the home for some time is described as being, ‘a different young person’. His behaviour has significantly improved; he has grown in confidence and self-esteem and is engaging with therapeutic services and in education. The young person is much more settled and presents as a happy young man. This shows that effective partnership working has a positive impact for the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has effective monitoring and review systems in place that enable the manager to identify the home’s strengths and weaknesses and any themes and trends. In turn, he is able to address any shortfalls or issues immediately. The manager regards the monitoring and review systems as integral to the development of the home. The effective monitoring and review systems mean that young people continually receive a good quality of care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leaders and managers have addressed the requirement and recommendations made at the last inspection. The staff feel fully supported and receive regular reflective supervision and good training and development opportunities. The staff team works well together and its members are supportive of each other. They have various levels of experience, strengths and weaknesses, and these are considered when rotas are set. A member of staff said, ‘The staff team has a wide range of skills, strengths and weaknesses and we all get on very well and support each other.’ This means that the young people benefit from having a supportive and effective staff team.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2017 Full Good 13/10/2016 Full Requires improvement Interim inspection report children’s home: 1227335 4

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Recommendations

 Ensure that records of restraint enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59) In particular, records should demonstrate that a debrief has been completed with the young person by a member of staff who was not involved in the intervention.  Ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph, 9.5) In particular, risk management plans should clearly outline the individual risks for

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Recommendations

young people and the strategies in place to manage them.  Staff should encourage children to share concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13) In particular, young people should be given the opportunity to express their views, wishes and feelings following a room search and on the outcome of a complaint.

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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 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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1227335 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 147 Moss Delph Lane, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 5BH

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Inspector

Lisa Mulcahy, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1227335 6 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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