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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 1 SC473475 Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) 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 privately owned children‟s home provides care for up to five children and young people who have social and emotional difficulties, and who may have special educational needs or autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered since June 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/08/2017 Full Good 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good 01/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 3

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‟s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children‟s home is to provide care and accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that children receive the support they need from a personal adviser from the placing authority to prepare to leave care and plan for the future; and developing effective working relationships with the virtual schools to promote and support children‟s education. 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 30/11/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 4 This relates to making sure that all staff have the training they need to develop their skills and understanding in relation to attachment and trauma, transgender identity and sexual orientation, and that relief staff receive regular practice-related supervision. The registered person needs to make sure that the supervision policy sets out the arrangements and frequency for the supervision of relief and temporary staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children‟s case records include an up- to-date copy of the care, placement and pathway plans prepared by the placing authority, and copies of children‟s school reports. 30/11/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that the house is maintained and decorated to a good standard to provide children with a welcoming and homely physical environment („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.7). In particular, ensure that children‟s bedroom windows have blinds to provide them with an additional level of privacy.  Appraisals and reviews of performance of members of staff should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of children in the home‟s care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.54)  The registered person should use the development plan as an effective management tool for continuous improvement in the home („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 65, paragraph 15.4). In particular, it should show the progress being made to deliver any

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Recommendations

actions identified from the review of the quality of care provided. Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a nurturing and safe home. They receive a high quality of individualised care that is making an important difference to their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have brought stability to young people‟s lives. As a result, young people are making positive progress in their education, health and emotional well-being, building healthy relationships, confidence, managing their feelings and making good choices about their safety. Young people enjoy the same opportunities and experiences as other young people, including spending time with their friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have stable and secure relationships with staff. They feel at home because they are treated with warmth and respect. The manager and staff are skilled at engaging naturally with young people and helping them to feel at ease. They listen to young people and respond appropriately to their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A young person said, „It‟s a chilled place to live. It‟s settled and calm. You can be yourself. Staff don‟t put too much pressure on you and give you space. I‟ve got quite a good bond with the staff because they are down to earth and friendly.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff get to know each young person very well. They make sure that young people receive the support and guidance to meet their complex personal needs. For example, a social worker said, „The young person has struggled with gender dysmorphia this year. The staff have been very understanding and are supporting [the young person] as best as they can. They have all read up and researched around the area, which is a huge positive.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work hard to make sure that young people get the right support to achieve good educational outcomes. All the young people are in full-time education and most are on track to meet their expected targets. Staff have supported young people to get into college and make the most of their educational opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that young people have the skills, opportunities and emotional resilience that they need to become independent adults. This includes encouraging and supporting young people to cook, shop, manage money, make appointments and use public transport independently and safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people get to see their families and friends regularly. Staff make sure that it is a safe and positive experience for everyone involved. This has helped young people to rebuild relationships with their parents, brothers and sisters and relatives. Staff have helped parents develop a better understanding of their children‟s needs and how best to support them. Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 6

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

Young people feel safe. They know that staff listen to their worries and do everything that they can to help them. The manager and staff‟s professional practice and the safeguarding arrangements protect young people from harm. Young people have become increasingly safer from the risk of self-harm, going missing and sexual exploitation.

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

A social worker said, „The young person has built positive relationships with staff. He feels he can comfortably talk to them. He has self-harmed in the past; however, we have not had any episodes in over 12 weeks now. This is because he says that he feels able to talk to staff instead of cutting himself.‟

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

Staff have a good understanding of each young person‟s vulnerability and any concerns about their safety. Staff are vigilant and recognise signs that indicate that a young person may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Staff continually assess the risks for each young person and take every necessary step to make sure that young people are protected.

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

The manager and staff take decisive action when they have concerns about a young person‟s welfare in line with safeguarding guidance. They work effectively with local authorities and the police to manage risks to young people.

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

Staff help young people to be aware of risks and to manage their safety. They help young people to understand what a healthy friendship is and to recognise the signs of damaging and exploitative relationships. Young people use this advice to protect themselves from harm. For example, when a young person received inappropriate text messages, she blocked the caller immediately and told a trusted adult what had happened.

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

Staff work positively and confidently with young people when they are upset, worried or anxious. A young person said, „Staff are always there if I needed help. They give really good advice. They‟re really understanding and help me out.‟ Staff understand the context behind young people‟s behaviour. This understanding helps staff to intervene effectively to get the right support for the young person, including from the child and adolescent mental health service.

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

Staff make sure that young people live in a safe and reliable environment that helps them to feel emotionally secure. Staff find the least intrusive way possible to help young people manage their feelings and control their behaviour. Staff and young people work together to manage disagreements constructively and to find a solution. A social worker said, „Staff are good at responding to the young person‟s challenges by trying to explain the reasons behind decisions and helping her to see things from others‟ perspectives.‟

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

The lack of blinds on young people‟s bedroom windows does not provide them with the same level of privacy that would be found in a family home. Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 7

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very experienced and working towards completing the relevant leadership and management qualification. She provides clear and effective leadership. She is passionate about providing each young person with the best possible care and support to improve their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff share the manager‟s vision and high expectations for young people. Together, the manager and staff have created a warm and supportive atmosphere. They actively promote tolerance, equality and diversity. As a result, young people feel accepted, safe and comfortable to be themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a detailed understanding of the progress that each young person is making. She makes sure that they are always cared for in line with their agreed plans. The manager identifies when young people may not be getting the best possible help from the local authority and other services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

However, the manager has not always been effective in making sure that local authorities carry out their duties to young people, for example ensuring that a young person approaching her 18th birthday is receiving the support that she needs from a personal adviser from the placing authority to prepare her to leave care and plan for the future. The manager and staff have not made sure that local authorities have provided them with the information that they need to look after each young person, including up- to-date care plans, pathway plans and school reports. The manager is not taking advantage of the advice and guidance available from virtual schools to support young people‟s education.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides staff with appropriate guidance and support. She makes sure that staff provide young people with a very good standard of care. Staff are knowledgeable, experienced, skilled and motivated. They are resilient and do not give up trying to make a positive difference in young people‟s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staffing arrangements and levels meet the needs of young people and provide them with continuity of care. The use of temporary staff to cover absences is well managed to make sure that young people are cared for by suitable people that they know.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation needs to improve certain areas in the management of staff support, performance and development. The organisation does not have a clear policy and agreed practice standard for the formal supervision of temporary staff. Young people‟s views are not considered when managers review the performance of members of staff. Staff have not had training opportunities to develop their knowledge and practice in important areas relevant to young people‟s needs, including understanding attachment and trauma, gender identity and sexual orientation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the quality of care that young people are receiving. The manager acts when things are not working, such as improving Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 8 the quality of staff supervision and appointing a deputy manager to improve the efficiency of the running of the home. She has good ideas about how to improve young people‟s experiences and outcomes. However, leaders and managers are not using the home‟s development plan as an effective management tool to show how improvements are put into practice.

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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: SC473475 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) Limited

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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

Nick Veysey, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC473475 10 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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