Children's home run by Good Foundations Limited

Inspection report children’s home: SC065789 1 SC065789 Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

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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 is one of a number of children’s homes operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children or young people. The home offers care for young people who have been unable to live at home, or in any other type of provision, because of the problems that they may have.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered .

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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: 21 November 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC065789 2 06/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/10/2016 Full Outstanding 14/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC065789 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that all young people’s case records are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  Children’s homes staff should seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plan for their care. Each child’s talents and interests should be understood and nurtured, with children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. Staff should also support children to try activities that are ‘new’ for them, where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Progress for young people is good and results in significant emotional and social development. A social worker commented, ‘He has made progress socially, using less cannabis, contact issues have improved and he has a good range of independence skills.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been a number of management and staff changes over the past three months. Nevertheless, the staff’s commitment to forging positive attachments means that the young people have positive relationships with individuals who they trust. The staff adhere to consistent boundaries and expectations that provide the young people with warmth and security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people benefit from good health. There is a high level of support offered to them to ensure that their health needs are consistently met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value education for young people and they support and encourage the young people to attend school and college. Positive relationships with education staff and the virtual headteacher mean that any barriers to learning are quickly identified and addressed.

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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. A parent commented, ‘He is safer now staff know where he is at all times.’ However, when young people do go missing, staff follow a robust protocol that includes searching for young people as any good parent would. Inspection report children’s home: SC065789 4 Young people are listened to, and there are a variety of forums for young people to voice their views, opinions, wishes and concerns. However, when agreements have been reached, such as holiday dates and venues, young people should be kept informed of possible changes and individual preferences should be adhered to whenever possible.

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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 this is deemed to be in their best interests.

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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.

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

A comprehensive range of risk assessments contributes towards protecting the young people. The physical environment is safe and protects young people from accidental injury. Health and safety processes are robust. As a result, the staff are able to take all necessary steps to reduce the likelihood of young people being at risk of harm.

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

Staff promote positive behaviour through the use of positive rewards and direct work with young people. Young people understand reward systems and feel that they work effectively. As a result, the home is settled, with very few behavioural incidents. Any negative consequences are proportionate to the behaviour, and are thoroughly evaluated by the manager.

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

The home’s safeguarding arrangements acknowledge the risk of child criminal exploitation and the potential of abuse through the links to ‘county lines’. Members of the staff team report positively on the training that they have received to address this concern and how it helps promote the young people’s safety and welfare. A staff member commented, ‘I didn’t really know about county lines, but the training has been invaluable, not just for the young people when they are living here, but also when they move on.’

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

Young people are well prepared for independence. Staff ensure that each young person has an individual independence plan. This plan provides the detail about what young people can do and what areas they still need to develop. As a result, young people learn a wide range of skills that they will require for adulthood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is currently no registered manager for this home. The home is being managed by a very experienced and qualified interim manager, who is in the process of applying to Ofsted to become the registered manager. An experienced deputy manager assists her. Inspection report children’s home: SC065789 5 The interim manager has introduced a management checklist, which enables her to routinely monitor, evaluate and analyse the work undertaken by the staff. Daily, weekly and monthly monitoring takes place, and has helped her to identify weaknesses and to take remedial action. As a result, the quality of the records and practice has improved since the previous inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are clear responsibilities and expectations set out for the staff and they share a sense of ownership regarding the practice in this home. The staff are well led and well managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager and the staff work collaboratively with the other professionals and family members involved in each young person’s care and this helps to support positive outcomes. Feedback from professionals and family members is positive, praising both the management and staff’s commitment to the young people and the progress that they make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team provides staff with regular and effective supervision and there are suitable arrangements in place to support staff members’ continued professional development through annual appraisals. This, in addition to suitable training opportunities and monthly team meetings, means that staff are supported well and have the necessary skills to carry out their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Generally, young people’s records are very good, with a good level of management oversight. However, some young people’s records require improvement. For example, the managers need to ensure that staff sign and date each record accordingly.

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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: SC065789 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Good Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 6 Tower Quays, Tower Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 1BP

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Inspector

Elaine Allison: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC065789 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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