Children's Home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC485318 1 SC485318 Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home can accommodate two young people. The manager has been registered since August 2016.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 to 29 November 2018

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 7 December 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC485318 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/12/2017 Full Good 03/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/12/2016 Full Outstanding 29/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC485318 3

p.2

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. In particular, ensure that staff receive training with regard to understanding, managing and responding to self- harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  Regulation 11 (2) sets out the expectations on staff in building positive relationships with each child and helping the child develop skills to have positive relationships with others. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 38, paragraph 8.6)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people were observed to have positive relationships with the staff. They approached staff for advice in relation to their education and free time. Staff responded to their requests in a positive, calm manner.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide young people with clear, consistent boundaries and routine. This contributes to young people feeling safe. Individual care is specific to young people’s needs. Staff support and assist the young people to attend their education provision. Records show the progress that the young people are making in education. Some young people now attend college, which is a big achievement for them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know what causes young people anxiety and frustration. They understand that changes to routine can often cause some young people to react in a negative way. The home’s staff work with education staff. This ensures that both disciplines provide consistent care to young people.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to young people and take their views into account. Staff ensure that young people have a voice in the home. Young people’s meetings provide an opportunity for young people to express their views on their care. They choose their weekly activities and the meals that they would like to eat.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are working towards independence. Staff teach them how to budget their finances and how to open a bank account. Staff support them to learn cooking skills and household chores. These tasks will support and assist them in their adult lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to have contact with their families, in line with their care plans. Staff ensure that these sessions are safe and enjoyable for all concerned. Staff Inspection report children’s home: SC485318 4 update young people’s social workers on the progress of these sessions. Staff share any issues of concern with young people’s social workers. This means that young people receive consistent care that is safe and supports their identity.

p.3

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

Young people rarely go missing from the home. They manage their free time in a safe way. Staff keep in contact with young people to ensure that they are safe. Staff teach young people how to keep safe in the community and when using the internet. These sessions help young people to learn about potential dangers. Staff tell young people what they need to do and who to contact if they are worried or in any danger.

p.4

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

On the few occasions when young people have gone missing from the home, staff follow their procedures. They get to know young people’s friends and favourite locations so that they know where to search for them. Staff take account of the information from independent return home interviews. They support young people and discuss any worries or anxieties that the young people may have.

p.4

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

Staff identify and record young people’s individual risks. Behaviour support plans show strategies that assist young people to manage these risks. Young people assist staff to develop these plans. This method has proved successful. Young people’s risk-taking behaviour, such as going missing from home, has reduced.

p.4

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

Staff know that young people struggle to manage new situations. Staff need to consider strategies to support young people with their emotions. This will help young people to manage their own feelings and enhance their social lives and increase their self- confidence. A recommendation has been raised to reflect this.

p.4

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

Young people enjoy spending time in the home and with their friends. Staff get to know the young people’s friends and their friends’ parents. This ensures that young people and their friends’ families are safe and that their friends are a positive influence for them.

p.4

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

Physical intervention is used as a last resort. Methods used are low level and only used to keep young people and staff safe. The manager evaluates the restraint used to ensure that it was necessary and proportionate.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He has gained the diploma in leadership and management. He manages another home within the organisation and has the support of a deputy manager. This does not impact on his oversight of this home. Managers are child-focused and prioritise young people’s needs effectively. They have good relationships with the young people and demonstrate commitment to their individual development, safety and care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager identifies what triggers young people’s anxiety and frustrations. He is keen Inspection report children’s home: SC485318 5 for his staff to learn techniques to help young people to manage new situations. He is exploring strategies that will assist young people to manage their feelings. This will increase their self-confidence and self-esteem.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers know the progress that young people are making in relation to their plans. They encourage young people to aspire for their futures. They follow young people’s care plans. This ensures that young people receive individualised care for their specific needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision is of a good quality. Records show the discussions relating to young people’s progress and development. Records state young people’s risks and vulnerabilities and consider whether strategies used to support young people are working.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have good relationships with other agencies. They communicate with parents and all professionals, and parents provide regular updates on the young people’s progress. Staff share concerns and strategies with other disciplines, such as education, to ensure that young people are receiving consistent care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed all mandatory training, including training around child sexual exploitation. Other training such as training in relation to self-harm has been of benefit to the staff. Ligature training would provide staff with the knowledge and skills to ensure that they are able to manage potentially harmful behaviours.

p.5

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.

p.5

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: SC485318 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Children’s Services Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3, Craig Court, Standish Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1GJ

p.6

Inspector

Jo Hornby: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC485318 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7