Children's Home run by Lifetime Opportunities Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC411046 1 SC411046 Registered provider: Lifetime Opportunities 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

The home is run by a privately owned company and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 September 2018

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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: 18 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

18/09/2017 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/07/2016 Full Good 08/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC411046 2

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential, and; promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph requires the registered person to— ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. This is with specific reference to recruiting a sufficient number of staff to the core team and reducing the over reliance on the manager covering shifts. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2(d)) 26/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records The registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— the name of the child; details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 26/10/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC411046 3 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered

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Requirement Due date

person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3(a)(i-viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The home should work in partnership with relevant people as appropriate to ensure that each child is provided with support (appropriate to their age and understanding) to communicate their views, wishes and feelings and participate as fully as possible in all aspects of their care planning and daily care. This may include the use of and support to use communication aids, equipment and/or any necessary language support. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 22, paragraph 4.6)

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Recommendations

 Please see regulation 23. Care must be taken to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 35 paragraph 7.15)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive a high standard of care and support, which meets their individual needs and supports their progress. Both young people have experienced positive outcomes, for example in their health, education and general well-being. An independent reviewing officer commented that the young person they worked with had developed independence skills, improved school attendance, engaged in more social activities and appeared to be very contented since his admission to the home. Inspection report children‟s home: SC411046 4 The registered manager and staff have a clear understanding of young people‟s needs. Each young person has a comprehensive care plan, which details their day-to-day needs and wishes. These documents are child centred and demonstrate that young people are involved in their care planning through effective consultation. Young people are encouraged to express their needs and wishes. Staff have a good

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

understanding of young people‟s individual methods of communication and use most communication tools effectively to enable young people to express their choices. However, the use of some communication tools is inconsistent, for example those relating to behaviour support. Young people are provided with a wide range of information in accessible formats, such as pictorial rotas, menus and activity plans. The registered manager and staff work well with health services to ensure that young people receive appropriate care and support. As a result, young people have experienced good outcomes. For example, over time, one young person has benefited from a significantly reduced medication regime. Young people‟s medication is managed in a safe and effective manner. However, some minor shortfalls were identified within medication records. These shortfalls had not resulted in any errors when administering young people‟s medicines, but require action

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

to minimise this risk. Young people achieve consistently good school attendance and are meeting their expected targets. Staff work well to ensure that young people‟s learning is supported within the home environment. Young people have regular opportunities to take part in valued activities including a number of clubs. This gives them the chance to make positive friendships and contribute to the community.

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

Young people live in a secure environment where their safety and well-being are consistently promoted. The young people‟s home and the facilities in it are maintained to a good standard. Staff are carefully recruited to minimise the risk of young people being in contact with adults of unsuitable character. The registered manager and staff have a good understanding of the risks to young people‟s safety and well-being. They work in accordance with agreed strategies to minimise risks and maintain young people‟s safety. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed to ensure that they contain current information. There are effective safeguarding arrangements in place. All staff are provided with safeguarding training, which is regularly updated to help ensure that they maintain their knowledge. There are clear procedures in place for staff to follow in the event that a safeguarding concern is identified. Each young person has an individualised behaviour support plan in place. This provides

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

staff with guidance about triggers and agreed strategies to de-escalate challenging situations, which supports a consistent approach. However, records of incidents where restraint has been used require improvement to demonstrate that staff have attempted to use de-escalation strategies to manage situations. Inspection report children‟s home: SC411046 5 Any incident that results in the physical restraint of a young person is clearly recorded and reviewed by the registered manager. However, records of debriefs provided to staff who have been involved in incidents are inconsistent and require improvement. Effective debrief supports a consistent and professional approach and helps to safeguard young people from inappropriate or excessive restraint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager who has been registered since December 2012. The registered manager consistently demonstrates effective leadership and achieves positive outcomes for young people in her care. Families of young people and external professionals speak highly of the registered manager and express high levels of satisfaction with the standard of care provided at the home. Young people‟s well-being and the outcomes they experience are at the centre of the home‟s management. For example, the provider and registered manager have chosen not to fill a vacancy for a significant amount of time due to the current young people being so well settled. The registered manager described a number of positive developments planned for the home. Currently, she is working towards additional accreditation with an external organisation. This involves the home providing evidence that it meets a number of

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

enhanced standards based on best practice. There is a core training programme in place for all staff. In addition, staff benefit from regular supervision during which they are able to meet with a manager and discuss areas such as work performance, personal development and any concerns that either party may have. The supervision programme for staff who are new to their role and still within their probationary period could be improved to provide more frequent opportunities to meet and discuss pertinent issues. The home has experienced some difficulties in recruiting staff. This has resulted in the registered manager losing some management time as she has been required to work care shifts in the home. This has not significantly impacted on the quality of her day-to- day management of the home or the quality of care that young people receive. However, the issue must be addressed as a matter of priority to ensure that the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

management of the home remains safe and effective.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC411046 6 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: SC411046 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lifetime Opportunities Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Shona Wands Alderson

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Inspectors

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Jessica Forshaw, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC411046 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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