Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC035477 1 SC035477 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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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 a local authority home that provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have complex emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 19 to 20 November 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: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC035477 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/06/2017 Full Good 12/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC035477 3

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5(c)). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8) This specifically relates to obtaining relevant documentation or recorded agreements from partner agencies.  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36) This specifically relates to staff debriefs.  The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles

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Recommendations

and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission, including how their actions must be recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home provides care for young people with complex emotional and behavioural needs. Before arriving at the home, young people have generally experienced a high number of placement breakdowns and have difficulty in developing positive relationships with carers. However, the registered manager and staff demonstrate the ability to engage young people in a manner that supports their personal growth and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and external professionals involved in young people’s care described highly positive outcomes for young people. A youth offending team worker commented, ‘They have been fantastic with [X] and provided her with the stability and support she craved Inspection report children’s home: SC035477 4 but failed to get in any of her multiple previous placements. The support and guidance she has had from the home [have] made it all possible, and they have not allowed her to fail – picking her up at every step when needed and continually praising her for every little effort made.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with health professionals who specialise in providing clinical advice and guidance in supporting young people’s therapeutic needs. A worker from this team said, ‘I think this is a very therapeutic environment for young people. Staff have a lot of insight. They recognise that young people find it hard to form relationships. They understand young people and are very resilient. They ask all the right questions and always take advice on board.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work positively with young people’s families and help young people to repair fractured or estranged relationships with people who are important to them. A parent of one young person commented that he feels that the way his young person relates to him and others is much improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high aspirations for young people and strongly encourage young people’s engagement in education. The registered manager has worked positively with external agencies to secure education placements for young people that match their needs and interests. As a result, some young people are engaging in education for the first time in several years.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive effective support in preparing for independence. There are examples of creative planning and positive joint working to ensure that young people move on to appropriate settings. Where necessary, young people who have left the home continue to be supported by staff on an outreach basis, to increase their chances of succeeding in an independent setting.

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

Young people are supported by a dedicated staff team that has a good understanding of safeguarding and the risks to individual young people’s safety and well-being. There is evidence that young people are safer as a result of the care that they receive at the home.

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

Assessments for one young person show significantly decreasing episodes of risk-taking behaviour, including sexual exploitation and substance misuse, over the course of their stay at the home. For another young person, a decrease in risks of offending and aggression towards others is apparent. This is evidence of young people’s good progress and increased safety.

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

The quality of risk assessment is good. Risks are clearly identified, and assessments are constantly updated to reflect new information or changes in young people’s circumstances. There is clear guidance for staff regarding the action they must take to maintain young people’s safety. Inspection report children’s home: SC035477 5 The registered manager and staff work proactively with partner agencies to safeguard young people who go missing from the home. There are highly individualised protocols in place, which provide detailed information about the action staff must take if a young person becomes missing. It is evident that staff take appropriate action to safeguard young people who are missing, although some aspects of recording these actions could be improved.

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

Young people are encouraged to develop safe and appropriate behaviours. There is a strong focus on positive reward. The staff team has a good understanding of young people’s emotional responses, and individualised guidance enables staff to support young people in a positive and consistent manner. This good practice results in very few incidents in which staff are required to restrain young people or request police involvement.

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

Any restraints that do occur are thoroughly recorded and effectively monitored. All those involved in an incident are provided with debrief to enable them to reflect and raise any concerns they have. Records of staff debrief should be clearly linked to the appropriate restraint record to assist in monitoring that these have taken place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a manager in place who has been registered since June 2018. The registered manager demonstrates strong commitment to improving outcomes for young people. He leads a team of well-motivated staff who have high aspirations for young people and a good understanding of young people’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals about the leadership of the home is extremely positive. Several professionals commented on the home’s commitment to standing by young people through difficult times. They also reported staff’s highly effective communication and partnership working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a clear sense of the purpose of the home and the aims and objectives of the service provided. He demonstrates the ability to challenge outside agencies where necessary. For example, when recently requested to provide support, which was not in line with the home’s statement of purpose, he took appropriate action to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are highly motivated and express pride in the home. They described managers as approachable and always available to provide advice and guidance. Staff described good levels of support from managers and from each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All except one staff member hold nationally recognised qualifications in caring for young people. The staff team also benefits from regular training in areas such as safeguarding and behaviour management. Specialist trainers such as health professionals deliver in- house training specific to young people’s needs. This comprehensive training helps to Inspection report children’s home: SC035477 6 ensure that staff have the skills to provide safe and effective care to young people. The registered manager uses quality assurance systems effectively to ensure that young people’s progress and care standards are consistently monitored. The registered manager is aware of the home’s strengths and is able to recognise areas for improvement. This means that young people benefit from a constantly improving service.

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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: SC035477 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 78, County Hall, Fishergate, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspector

Marie Cordingley: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035477 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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