Children's Home run by Nugent Care 2019 in St Helens

Inspection report children’s home: SC022447 1 SC022447 Registered provider: Nugent Care

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a charitable organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have behavioural and developmental problems, neglect, attachment issues and disruptive behaviour. The registered manager has been in post since 8 October 2014.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 5 December 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC022447 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/04/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC022447 3

p.2

Recommendations

 Ensure maintenance of good employment practice for each prospective employee by requesting specific dates of previous employment and scrutinising any gaps in employment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  Ensure that the use of CCTV or other monitoring equipment has a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working in the home in accordance with regulation 24. Homes must gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. The use of CCTV is regulated by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the Surveillance Camera Code of Conduct (Home Office 2013). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)  Ensure that the staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and

p.3

Recommendations

understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual young people in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about young people should always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to them now or in the future. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, and paragraph 14.4)  Ensure that the Statement of Purpose is kept under review. The home’s Statement of Purpose should be child-focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the Quality Standards for the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, pages 14 and 15, paragraph 3.5)  Ensure that, as part of reviewing and revising where appropriate the Statement of Purpose, the registered person reviews and updates the children’s guide as

p.3

Recommendations

necessary and makes sure children and young people are given an explanation of any changes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.23)  Ensure that the behaviour management strategy is understood and applied at all times by staff, and that it is kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34) This also relates to agreed plans for rewards and restorative justice practices. Inspection report children’s home: SC022447 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Progress for young people is very good. Young people’s progress with their education and general well-being is very good. They also make significant emotional and social progress. Interactions between the staff and young people are warm and considerate and observable attachments exist. This means young people are confident to discuss their feelings and concerns with members of staff.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is now given a high priority. A new education planning document has been created, which enables staff to clearly identify each young person’s ongoing education needs. This has resulted in a significant increase in attendance for both young people and a more positive approach in their understanding about the importance of education.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are well supported with their individual health needs, and staff follow detailed healthcare plans. Care, encouragement and attention to detail are given to all aspects of young people’s health, including the quality of meals, attendance at appointments and access to professional services.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some young people, for whom going missing from home was previously a feature of their lives, experience a significant drop in the frequency of these episodes. However, when young people do go missing, staff follow a robust protocol that includes searching for young people as any good parent would.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and nurture young people’s relationships with their families, their friends and others who are important to them. The young people have regular contact that is subject to careful assessment and monitoring when deemed to be in their best interests.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are encouraged and supported in developing their independence skills in line with their care plan, age and understanding, in preparation for transition to adulthood.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are listened to, and there are a variety of forums for young people to voice their views, opinions, wishes and concerns. A young person commented, ‘I can talk to any of the staff about anything; they really do listen.’ Young people know how to make a complaint, although no complaints have been made since the last inspection.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home now presents as a lived-in family home. It is warm, welcoming and comfortable. The quality of furniture and decor is very good.

p.4

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

Young people feel safe and are kept safe. They appear comfortable and relaxed around the staff who are caring for them.

p.4

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

Each young person has a detailed individual risk assessment that staff understand and Inspection report children’s home: SC022447 5 follow. The physical environment is safe and protects young people from accidental injury. Health and safety processes are robust. As a result, the home is able to take all necessary steps to reduce the likelihood of young people being at risk of harm.

p.4

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

Young people’s risk-taking behaviour reduces from the point of moving into the home. For example, incidents of missing from care and exposure to incidents of child sexual exploitation have reduced. This is because staff support young people well in these areas by undertaking direct-work sessions to raise young people’s awareness and understanding of the risks associated with these behaviours and to teach them how to keep safe.

p.5

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

Staff are calm and consistent in their approach to supporting young people in times of high anxiety. However, behaviour management plans lack clarity. Furthermore, young people are not consulted on what works for them when they feel emotional or anxious. This is a missed opportunity to include the thoughts and feelings of young people on strategies which help them to reduce their anxiety.

p.5

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

Rewards for good behaviour are used. However, these are not documented in the behaviour management records. Furthermore, there is a lack of management overview of the rewards.

p.5

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

All medication is stored and recorded appropriately. Consent for medical treatment and first aid is in place for each young person. The registered manager has a robust auditing system in place for overseeing the safe administration of medication that ensures that young people receive their medication in line with the prescription.

p.5

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

Recruitment practices used at the home require some minor improvements, for example ensuring that all staff submit on their application for employment a record of the exact months and years of their employment history.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and has the experience to undertake her role. She leads by example and is actively involved in all of the home’s operations. This enables her to monitor everyday practice at the home as she works alongside colleagues and young people. Young people and staff spoke highly of the manager.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and the manager have established strong working relationships with a range of agencies and professionals who are involved in young people’s care. Staff work closely with schools, colleges, social workers, health professionals and leading child protection agencies. Feedback from all stakeholders is positive, praising staff’s commitment, young people’s progress and the effective communication with the manager and her team.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Generally, young people’s records are very good, with a good level of management oversight. However, on some occasions, records about individual young people were not always recorded in a non-stigmatising way. This is not helpful to the young person should they want to read their paperwork now or in the future. Staff have not Inspection report children’s home: SC022447 6 considered how this could affect young people when they read their files.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are proud of the progress young people have made since moving into the home. They demonstrate a commitment to making further improvement in the lives of the young people who live at the home. They take pride in the young people’s achievements and celebrate difference.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose and the children’s guide have not been updated to include the use of CCTV. Furthermore, there is no written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working at the home.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the home and the staff team and has plans to address these. Staff commented that they feel supported by the manager and are encouraged to bring new ideas to her. This demonstrates that the manager and staff remain focused on supporting the young people to continually progress and have positive experiences.

p.6

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.

p.6

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: SC022447 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 99 Edge Lane, Edge Hill, Liverpool L7 2PE

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Gary Thistlewood

p.7

Inspectors

Elaine Allison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC022447 8 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8