Children's home run by Independent Living Services (North West) Limited

Inspection report children’’’s home: 1278022 1 Registered provider: Independent Living Services (North West) 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

The home is owned and managed by a limited company. The home provides care and support for up to two children who are no longer able to live at home. The registered manager has been in post since registration on 25 April 2018. The registered manager also manages another home for the company.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 15 to 16 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

Date of last inspection: not applicable as this is the home’s first inspection after registration.

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

n/a Inspection report children’s home: 1278022 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— 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. (Regulation 5(c)) 28/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality standards, the registered person must: The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as

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Requirement Due date

possible; help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and 28/12/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1278022 3 that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) Ensure that the full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(d)) In particular, the information pertaining to points 2, 3, 4 & 6 of Schedule 2. 28/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)) 28/12/2018

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Recommendations

 The information set out in the statement of purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and the placing authority that a placement in the home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6)  Regulations 35-39 detail the records that must be kept in a children’s home. Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person lives in a caring, nurturing environment. The current young person has only lived in the home for a short period. The young person said that she gets on with the staff and that she feels she can talk to them about anything. The young person enjoys spending time with the staff. The young person’s social worker said that she is settling in well and that they are pleased with her progress. This is echoed by parents, who say that they can see positive changes in their child. Staff know the young person well and understand what is important in her life. Staff follow detailed plans that are built on the limited information provided by the placing authority. The staff provide stability and consistency of care that is helping the young person to feel safe. The young person is not in education and has not been for some considerable time. Inspection report children’s home: 1278022 4 There is an expectation for them to work with a tutor, but this has not yet been

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

successful. A contributory factor is that the young person’s education plan does not make clear the educational levels that the young person is at. Therefore, this is hindering the ability to secure the right educational support. The independent reviewing officer said that it has been difficult to engage in conversations with the young person about their education and that this is an ongoing issue. The home’s daily plans are unclear as to the time the young person should get up when she should be participating in education and the activities for the day. Some action has been identified to address this, but it has not yet been implemented. As a result, there are missed opportunities to engage the young person in activities, such as using the internet to research information or to access educational programmes of work. In contrast, the staff are supporting the development of the young person’s independence skills in accordance with her age and level of understanding. Staff are

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

attentive to the young person’s current and emerging needs in relation to her future and respond well to these. Staff have a very good understanding of the young person’s specific health and emotional needs. They are proactive in securing the right health support for the young person. Staff researched and sourced additional information to share with the young person, so that the young person can understand her health needs and take increasing responsibility for keeping herself safe and well. Staff work well with parents to ensure that they are fully informed about their child’s health and the action the home is taking to support them. The young person has access to a wide range of activities, including trips to the cinema, beauty outlets, and attending an under 18s disco with friends. These activities help the young person to develop their interests, build self-esteem and provide opportunities for the young person to make new friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff actively promote and maintain the relationships young people have with their family and friends. Young people continue to enjoy spending time with friends that they have known since infant school. This connection is vital, especially as the plans are for the young person to return home.

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

The registered manager and staff have created an open and transparent culture that protects young people from harm. Safeguarding practice is secure. The registered manager responds quickly and sensitively to safeguarding issues, and this helps to keep young people safe. Staff understand good safeguarding practice. Staff have a sound understanding of the current young person’s vulnerabilities. The young person does not go missing from home. Staff are acutely aware of the risks associated with the young person should this occur, and the action to take to keep them safe. Individual risk assessments are detailed and are helping to reduce the perceived risks for the young person. Staff are proactive in addressing emerging risks. Consequently, the young person is becoming more aware of their own safety. For example, the young person makes sure that she keeps in touch with staff when she is Inspection report children’s home: 1278022 5

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

out with her friends. Staff have a clear insight into the reasons behind the young person’s behaviour. They work positively with the young person to find the best ways for her to express her emotions and moderate her behaviour. The young person said that staff know when she is going to ‘kick off’ and have things in place to help reduce her anxieties. The young person explained that throwing the bean bags helped her to reduce her anxieties and means that she no longer damages property in the home. The calm approach by staff helps support the young person when she is having a difficult time. Young people live in a warm, welcoming, and homely environment. The home is well maintained and is furnished to a high standard. The young person has placed family photographs around the home and has personalised her bedroom. Sound procedures are in place for the recruitment and vetting of staff. However, the two recruitment files examined contained omissions, for example the staff’s start date is not

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

written in full and a there is a lack of information about the verification of references. This is not effective record-keeping and does not contribute to the robustness of safer recruitment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A qualified and experienced registered manager leads and manages the home. She is also the registered manager of the other home run by the organisation. An experienced acting deputy manager supports her. Staff are provided with good support, guidance and encouragement. They have regular opportunities through supervision and team meetings to reflect on their work and to develop their practice. As a result, plans for the young person are continually evolving to best meet their individual needs. The home works well in partnership with placing authorities and the young person’s social worker. However, the registered manager and staff have not been sufficiently robust in securing the most up-to-date placement plans and educational plans for the young person. This has not been helped by the number of changes to the young person’s allocated social worker. Consequently, the placing authority’s plans contain

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

incorrect or out-of-date information that does not help the staff to support the young person or effectively chart their progress. Records and documentation are in the main detailed and provide clear insight into the young people’s time living in the home. On some occasions, the records are not signed or dated by the author and this impacts on the transparency of record-keeping. The admissions and discharge book does not contain the full address of where a child moves from or to. The statement of purpose is detailed and, in the main, reflects the care and support offered to young people. However, the age range of young people is incorrect and there is very little information about how the registered manager manages both homes. Action was taken during the inspection to address this. The registered manager has a realistic understanding of the home’s strengths and areas Inspection report children’s home: 1278022 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

for development. For example, the registered manager changed the independent person who had previously undertaken the external monitoring role and, as a result, monitoring is improving and is helping the registered manager to make positive changes. Monitoring by the registered manager is also improving and has identified areas of strength and further actions moving forward.

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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: 1278022 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Independent Living Services (North West) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lakeside, Prescot Road, St Helens, Lancashire WA10 3TP

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Inspector

Chris Scully, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1278022 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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