Children's Home run by Bay View Child Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC463926 1 SC463926 Registered provider: Bay View Child Care 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 two homes owned and managed by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted to manage this home on 9 May 2018 and holds a relevant qualification.

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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

Date of last inspection: 23 October 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC463926 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2017 Full Outstanding 27/03/2017 Full Outstanding 14/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC463926 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people enjoy exceptionally positive experiences in this nurturing, supportive and safe home. They receive an exceptional quality of care that is making an important difference to their lives. A young person said, ‘The difference between here and anywhere else I’ve lived is that the staff care more here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since young people moved in, they have become happier, healthier, safer and less likely to be at risk of abuse, exploitation or misusing drugs. They are settled, achieving in education and seeing more of their families. They have a better understanding of their previous experiences and have aspirations for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager and staff have created a warm family atmosphere where young people quickly develop a strong sense of belonging. A social worker said that this is ‘a great placement, [with a] fab staff team who are very supportive to my young person.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people see and speak regularly to their families, and some young people routinely stay overnight with their families. This is helping them to improve important relationships and to spend time with people they have not seen for some time. Their friends and families receive a warm welcome when they visit the home. Staff provide young people with a great deal of excellent emotional and practical support around seeing their families. They understand that it can be a difficult time for young people and take every effort to make sure that it is a safe and positive experience for everyone.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager and staff provide structure, stability, encouragement and opportunities for young people to take part in education and to learn and develop their knowledge and skills. Young people enjoy learning, work hard and have excellent attendance at college, school or alternative provisions. The staff have an excellent understanding of young people’s educational needs, plans, progress, achievements and aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager and staff ensure that young people live in a healthy environment that actively promotes their physical health and emotional well-being. Young people enjoy very healthy and varied diets and get plenty of physical exercise. They understand about healthy lifestyles and take responsibility for their own health, appropriate to their age. Young people can identify when they need extra help, for example around drugs misuse, to improve their health. Staff ensure that they have access to suitable support services, including addiction services. Staff have an excellent understanding of young people’s specific health needs and manage their health with sensitivity and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

An outstanding level of support is provided to young people, in line with their abilities and needs, as they move towards adulthood, to help them to become more independent and ready for their move into the community. The home is fully involved in transitional planning for young people, and staff keep in contact with individuals once they have left. Inspection report children’s home: SC463926 4 Young people live in a suitably designed and located family house. They have easy access to all the community facilities and services required to meet their needs. It is a homely, pleasant and comfortable house, which is furnished and decorated to a good standard. The young people have plenty of personal space and their bedrooms are decorated to reflect their character and interests.

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

The safety and protection of young people living in this home are the main priorities within all aspects of the home’s operation. Young people are kept safe by the staff team’s outstanding understanding of their needs and abilities. The excellent placement plans drawn up for each young person manage and minimise risks to young people inside and outside of the home.

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

Consistent care provides young people with clear boundaries and expectations of behaviour. The regular routine in place for individuals helps young people to understand the world around them and contributes to them feeling safe.

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

Young people live in a safe physical environment that protects them from the risk of harm. Their freedom of movement around the house is not restricted. Alarms on their bedroom doors alert staff at night when young people may need assistance. The use of the door alarms needs to be continually reviewed to assess whether they are necessary and proportionate based on each young person’s individual needs and stage of development, with the aim of bringing about the circumstances when their continued use will no longer be required. The home will then have the security arrangements usually found in a family home.

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

Challenging behaviour is well managed, ensuring that young people are kept safe when restrained, and their dignity is maintained. Staff implement the clear plans and guidance in place for each young person regarding the permissible restraint techniques that can be used to safeguard them and others.

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

Recruitment and selection processes carried out by the home’s senior management team are sound. The home strictly follows the local authority’s rules, ensuring that all necessary vetting checks are completed in line with safer recruitment processes. This contributes to ensuring that only suitable persons are employed to look after vulnerable young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management of the home are strong. The home is exceptionally well run by leaders and managers who are well qualified and very experienced. They have a clear vision for the development of this home and creative plans are in place to use the home’s existing resources to bring about changes in practice that are likely to improve outcomes for young people. The home is achieving its aims and objectives as described within its statement of purpose. Inspection report children’s home: SC463926 5 The registered manager has led the staff team since May 2018. He is committed to providing an outstanding level of care to each young person and leads the team by example. His exceptional ability and knowledge of effectively working with and supporting young people is recognised by the staff team, which holds him in high regard. He has an excellent grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of this home and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

diligently keeps up to date with current practice developments and legislation to inform the home’s practice and improve service delivery to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager rigorously scrutinises the home’s care practices and robustly challenges other professionals and services, to make sure the most appropriate and effective help and support is provided to each young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from good access to the organisation’s induction and training programmes and the provision of specialist therapy training to meet young people’s specific needs. Supervision is reflective, regular and recorded, supporting staff to better carry out their roles to benefit the experiences and outcomes for young people. These processes support the development of the staff team, which evidences high levels of competence and skill within its members. Their knowledge, experience and strong commitment support children and young people to make exceptional progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

An independent visitor provides rigorous and impartial scrutiny of the running of the home and how effectively young people’s welfare is promoted and safeguarded. She talks to the young people, their families and social workers to help her make judgements. The registered manager always acts promptly on her recommendations to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager completes detailed and informative reviews of the quality of care. He evaluates critically young people’s progress and how effectively the staff are applying the quality standards, and reflects on the success of the strategies that staff are using to support young people. He uses this information to prioritise areas for development and drive improvement.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC463926 6 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: SC463926 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bay View Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Borough, 3–5 Dalton Square, Lancaster LA1 1PP

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Christopher Thompson

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Inspector

Elaine Clare, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC463926 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 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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