Children's home run by Living Life (UK) Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC481844 1 SC481844 Registered provider: Living Life (UK) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to five children and young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC481844 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2017 Full Outstanding 08/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/09/2016 Full Outstanding 15/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC481844 3

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Recommendations

 Local authorities have a number of responsibilities in relation to education and training for 16–19 year olds, including ensuring that sufficient provision is available to meet their needs and supporting them to participate. Children’s homes should work with the local authority to make sure the young people they are responsible for are getting the support they need to participate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.17)  Children’s homes staff should encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A strength of the care provided in this home is the consistency of staff and the children who live at the home. Staff know well children’s histories and their needs. Children experience stable placements and they have developed positive relationships with staff and their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s views and wishes are acknowledged and this influences their care plans, their day-to-day care and the development plan for the home. Children are involved in the recruitment of staff and they provide feedback for staff appraisals. Children know how to make a complaint. They have visits from an advocate and an independent visitor.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff proactively promote and support contact for children. Contact for one family has developed as a result of the support from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are making exceptional progress in education. There are structured daily routines in place and effective incentive plans. Children who have previously had periods of exclusion from education have improved attendance. They are exceeding expected targets and are meeting aspirational targets. They are also developing independence and life skills, which are part of their daily targets. Children’s achievements are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One young person is struggling with the transition from school to further education and training. Staff have been proactive in liaising with the young person’s social worker and personal adviser. A recommendation is made to ensure that there is an effective multi- agency plan in place to support the young person’s participation in further education and a successful transition from the home in the future. Inspection report children’s home: SC481844 4 There are detailed health plans and staff carefully and sensitively monitor that children’s health needs are being met. One young person requires some additional support in respect of their health, development and emotional well-being needs. Although staff have been addressing this, a recommendation is made to ensure that specialist advice is sought as current strategies have not been wholly successful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from recreational activities and have the opportunity to develop their interests. Currently, children are pursuing interests in football, creative writing, art and photography. All four children have taken part in an activities camp in America over the past two years.

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

There is an established safeguarding culture at the home and children say that they feel safe. There is a low number of incidents of concern. Staff are continuously assessing children’s safeguarding needs and they share any new or emerging concerns with the relevant social workers.

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

The main risks to children living at this home are associated with their vulnerability to being influenced. Staff have worked with children to raise awareness about safeguarding risks that they may be exposed to in the community, online and in relationships. Individual work, and enhanced self-esteem and confidence as a result of positive relationships, is supporting them to manage their own safety and to develop resilience.

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

All children have individual behaviour and risk-management plans that they contribute to and that provide effective advice to children and staff.

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

There has been one unauthorised absence and very few incidents of physical restraint. Staff are trained and use physical restraint only as a last resort to keep children safe. All incident records include a contribution from the child involved and a review by a manager. There has been a significant reduction in aggressive behaviours by one child, which has supported his excellent progress in school.

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

Children receive clear guidance and sign up to individual contracts about their use of digital technology. Their use of digital technology is monitored in line with their risk management plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is an experienced practitioner and manager. He is currently undertaking a relevant management qualification. The management team is conscientious and committed to supporting children to achieve the best outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is proactive in challenging other professionals when there is a delay or there are gaps in resources for children that may impact on their progress. Inspection report children’s home: SC481844 5 All social workers for the children are extremely complimentary about the quality of information provided by staff and managers, and about their skills in meeting the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff report that morale is good and that they feel supported by the managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision, training and development opportunities. New staff have a protected induction and are subject to a probationary period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager receives support and advice from a wider management team, which includes a clinical psychologist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager refers to research and evidence-based practice to support staff development and to inform the development plan for the home. He knows the strengths of the service and the areas for development.

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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: SC481844 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Living Life (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 60 Overstone Road, Sywell, Northampton NN6 0AW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Lorraine Andrews

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481844 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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