Children's Home run by Frances House Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC403462 1 SC403462 Registered provider: Frances House Ltd

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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 home is registered to provide care for up to five children who may require social, emotional or behavioural support.

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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: 20 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2017 Full Good 08/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/11/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC403462 2

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  It should be ensured that all children remain fully aware that they have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including

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Recommendations

the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good, and at times outstanding, progress in a number of areas. Young people have developed confidence and self-esteem, which has enabled them to increase in independence. Young people have reduced their challenging behaviours, and in some cases have repaired fractured relationships with their family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team’s ability to develop positive relationships with young people is a particular strength of this home. Young people speak highly of staff and of the care and support they receive. Leaders and staff have a demonstrable ability to persevere with young people through difficult times, which means that young people feel they can trust and depend on them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide effective support to help ensure that young people maintain good physical health and emotional well-being. Young people are supported to access routine health care services and any healthcare required in relation to individual health conditions. The staff team works closely with external services, such as SCAYT+, to help ensure that young people’s emotional well-being is consistently promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers understand the importance of education and work closely with young people to assist them in overcoming any barriers they face. Young people have experienced variable outcomes in education. The registered manager is consistently proactive in ensuring that young people have appropriate educational provision in place. Inspection report children’s home: SC403462 3 However, she and the staff team have found it difficult to motivate some young people to engage. The registered manager recognises that education is an area for development, and was able to discuss a number of measures that she has put in place in an attempt to improve educational outcomes for all young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are good examples of young people being encouraged to express their views about their own care, and to be involved in the running of the home. Recently, all young people took part in a recruitment open day, held at an external venue. Young people took part in interviewing candidates and were involved in discussions about recruitment decisions. One young person commented that she felt ‘very important’ when interviewing potential staff members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

It was identified during the inspection that young people may benefit from a greater understanding of local advocacy services that are available to them. Engaging with advocates would assist young people in expressing their views about the things that are important to them and therefore a recommendation is raised to support this improvement.

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

Young people are demonstrably safer as a result of the care and support they receive at this home. For example, young people have significantly reduced their high-risk behaviours, such as going missing from home and offending. Positive one-to-one work takes place with young people on a regular basis, to assist them in learning about keeping themselves safe.

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

Safeguarding practice is sound. All staff receive safeguarding training at the start of their employment, which is regularly updated. Staff are able to recognise safeguarding concerns and respond appropriately. Records demonstrate that when safeguarding concerns are identified, staff and managers take appropriate action to alert the relevant authorities.

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

Staff have a good understanding of risks to young people’s safety and well-being, and are aware of any individual concerns. Risk assessments are regularly updated so that they contain relevant, up-to-date information which is understood by all staff. There is clear guidance in place on how to support each young person safely.

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

From their starting points, all young people have significantly reduced their high-risk behaviours, in particular going missing from home. On occasion, when young people are missing, staff are extremely proactive in searching for them and in attempting to make contact with them. One young person’s missing-from-care protocol was found to lack some clarity in terms of the timescales for reporting him as being missing. It was noted that a meeting was due to take place with external agencies to clarify some of this information. It is recommended that the protocol is updated to reflect this, to help ensure that the young person is effectively safeguarded when missing from home. Inspection report children’s home: SC403462 4 Young people benefit from positive behaviour support. This is evident through the significant reduction in serious incidents, which has occurred for all young people over time. There is a strong focus on rewarding positive behaviour, which the young people

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s manager has been registered since September 2016, and is suitably qualified and experienced. She consistently demonstrates effective leadership and high expectations of the care and support provided for young people who live at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager works well with a variety of professionals to help ensure that young people are safeguarded and receive effective care and support. External professionals describe the home as well led, and express satisfaction with the standards of communication and joint working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of young people’s needs. The needs of young people referred to the service are carefully considered before a decision is made about offering them a place. However, this process could be improved to better demonstrate how the needs of young people who already live in the home are taken into account when considering new admissions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff who spoke to the inspector expressed satisfaction with the standard of training and supervision provided, and described a supportive environment. Staff are confident in their roles and keen to develop their skills and knowledge. The registered manager ensures that any staff members who require additional support consistently receive this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has experienced some staff turnover in the last year. One young person commented that they found this annoying. The registered manager has identified this issue, and has taken a number of steps to address it, which include improvements to the home’s induction process and overall training package. The registered manager ensures that the use of agency staff is minimal, which helps to maintain consistency for the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager demonstrates a good understanding of the strengths of the home and the areas for development. Where areas for development are identified, she is able to show that measures have been taken to address them. She has recently reviewed and improved the quality-monitoring systems to ensure that they are more aligned with young people’s experiences and the outcomes of their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Independent monitoring of the home is of a good standard. The registered manager welcomes the constructive feedback that is consistently provided, and takes action to address the areas for improvement that are identified from these visits. There is a development plan in place, which includes the aim to develop the staff team’s skills and enhance practice by introducing an evidence-based approach. Inspection report children’s home: SC403462 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

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: SC403462 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 16, Linden Business Centre, Linden Road, Colne, Lancashire BB8 9BA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pamela Forrester

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Inspector

Marie Cordingley: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC403462 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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