Children's home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Sefton

Inspection report children’s home: SC485956 1 SC485956 Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) 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 privately owned and run. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager is suitably qualified and has been registered to manage the home since May 2017.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC485956 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2017 Full Good 23/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/05/2016 Full Good 16/09/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC485956 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that- (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to- (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child (Regulation 13(1)(2)(c)). In particular, ensure that staff are trained in specific areas of care that reflect young people’s needs, such as how to deal with self-harming behaviours and attachment difficulties. 31/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s homes overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children, and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to- (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to- (i) meet the needs of each child (Regulation 6(2)(c)). In particular, ensure that the carpeting in the home is replaced. 31/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that- (b) children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and (c) any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises- (i) is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; (ii) is necessary and proportionate; (iii) is kept under review and, if necessary, revised and (iv) allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe (Regulation 21(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)). 31/05/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC485956 4

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Recommendations

 Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care (see paragraph 15.2) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.31).

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person has made progress in all areas of her life. Through the consistent care that staff offer, she has learned, over time, to manage her emotions in a more socially acceptable way and begun to engage with the therapeutic support that is offered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person’s daily attendance at an interim school has enabled educational assessments to be completed and appropriate schooling for the future to be identified. From a starting point of school refusal, the young person is now optimistic and embraces the opportunities that school life can offer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The relationships between the young person and staff are positive and routines and boundaries well established. Staff actively listen to the young person, and her views are taken into account when decisions are made. The social worker commenting on the progress that the young person has made said: ‘It is the staff that have made the difference and how they support her.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

From a previous history of rapid placement breakdowns, the young person, since living at the home, has experienced stability and a sense of being valued. The staff have been resolute in their commitment to her and to achieving positive outcomes in her life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff liaise regularly and effectively with other professionals to ensure that that the young person is given care that is holistic and continues to meet her needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On the whole, the home is reasonably well decorated and furnished. However, the carpet in the bedrooms, stairs and landing is worn, fraying and stained. In addition, the laminate flooring in the hallway is worn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although immediate changes were made at the time of this inspection, it has been nightly practice to lock the kitchen, requiring the young person to request access after Inspection report children’s home: SC485956 5 bedtime. This practice was not supported by risk assessments that would validate such a restriction of movement around the home.

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

Professionals involved with the young person believe that she is kept safe by the actions of staff. Her vulnerabilities are understood, and appropriate support is offered to enable her to make positive choices. As a result, incidents of missing from home are infrequent, and drug and alcohol use does not feature in her life.

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

When the young person has been missing, staff have liaised appropriately with other agencies, followed protocols and been active in searching for her. However, currently there is no formal system for evaluating these incidents or tracking when return home interviews have taken place. Opportunities to better inform risk assessments are therefore missed.

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

The manager is quick to respond to allegations or inappropriate responses from staff. There is a robust response to learn from incidents, reinforce good practice and ensure that the young person’s welfare remains at the centre of staff practice.

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

The young person is encouraged to incrementally build her levels of independence within the parameters of agreed risk assessments. Expectations and boundaries are firmly established and, on the whole, the young person does not attempt to undermine these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and has been registered to manage the home since May 2017. Since the last inspection, all but one of the requirements and recommendations have been met. A requirement made at the previous inspection regarding the presentation of the home has partially been met, although renewal of carpets in the home remains outstanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the young person well. He appreciates the progress she makes and ensures that he is available to her. Improvements to the home’s documents have ensured that the young person is better involved in the formulation of plans and goals. Other improvements include increased managerial oversight and tracking of key goals for the young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is suitably resourced with staff, and the manager provides both formal and informal supervision that focuses on the welfare of the young person. Staff are further supported via regular team meetings and training that can be accessed. However, training available does not currently cover some issues that are pertinent to the needs of the young person, such as how to deal with self-harming behaviours and attachment difficulties. Inspection report children’s home: SC485956 6 The manager has suitable processes in place to inform him on the quality of care that is provided and there is an open, learning culture in the home. In order to improve the care that is offered, the manager and staff seek advice and guidance from other agencies.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managerial decisions about other young people joining the home have been made in a child-centred manner. The needs of the young person currently placed are considered to be of prime importance and have resulted in no other admissions for a significant period.

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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: SC485956 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ground Floor, 18−20 Coronation Walk, Southport, Merseyside PR8 1RE

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Inspector

Pauline Yates, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC485956 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 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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