Children's Home run by Blackpool Borough Council in Blackpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC033611 1 SC033611 Registered provider: Blackpool Borough 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 children’s home is operated by a local authority. It provides short-break care for disabled children.. Up to seven children and young people can attend at any one time. At the time of the inspection, the service was supporting 26 children and young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has managed the home for approximately two years.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 December 2018

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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 good

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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: 13 December 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC033611 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2017 21/02/2017 Full Full Outstanding Good 11/08/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC033611 3

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Recommendations

 Children with disabilities or illnesses may have physical or emotional difficulties which mean that participation in leisure or cultural activities in the community is difficult to achieve. The registered person, in conjunction with any relevant person (such as a parent or school) should assess what would be safe, achievable and reasonable for each child, in line with their relevant plans, and ensure appropriate opportunities are available for each child to have fun, form friendships and enjoy life, relative to their stage of development and individual needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 32, paragraph 6.10)

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Recommendations

In particular, that a suitable vehicle is available so that all children are able to access community activities.  Ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5) In particular, that a record is made of any meetings or contacts made by staff in the home and that records support decisions made about matching the needs of children who attend the service at the same time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s short breaks are carefully planned. The registered manager ensures that she has full and accurate information about the child prior to their stay. Consultation takes place with parents and school, so that a full picture of the child and their needs can be formulated. This includes details of the child’s routine, likes and dislikes, as well as details of health and communication needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are visited in their home environment and they also get to visit the home for tea, before considering overnight stays. This introduction to the home is taken at the child’s pace. They only proceed to overnight stays when they are ready. There are a range of helpful and child-friendly booklets to help children understand about the service. This includes a talking book with buttons for children to press. Similarly, an information leaflet for parents also helps them to understand how the service operates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is warm and welcoming. There is ample space for children to play. The home is well resourced. This includes outside play equipment such as a swing, a trampoline and trikes, as well as toys, games, a ball pool and a sensory room. Children also have access to a computer and electronic tablets. They enjoy the time they spend here. Inspection report children’s home: SC033611 4 Children receive highly individualised care, ensuring that their needs are met during their stay here. The home has accessible bedrooms and bathrooms for those that need them. Children are helped to settle during their overnight stay because they are surrounded by personal and familiar items. For example, they sleep in the same room with their own bedding, and a box of their own things is kept at the home, which staff place in their rooms for their stay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A range of communication aids ensure that staff can communicate with children effectively. Some non-verbal children use electronic communication devices, while others use a picture exchange communication system. Staff confidently adapt to the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff confidently manage the complex health needs of the children. Safe arrangements for the administration of medication ensure that children receive their medication when they need it. Good communication with parents means that staff are kept up to date about any changes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff encourage children and their families to contribute to the development of the service. Communication is good, and parents are kept updated about developments via a seasonal newsletter. Staff work well with parents to help children reach their personal goals. For one young person, this was to learn how to use the washing machine. They also support parents to establish routines at home. For instance, one staff member made several home visits at bedtime, to help a parent establish a bedtime routine that was replicated in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Feedback about the quality of care and support that children receive is consistently positive. One parent commented, ‘It is like a home from home. I could ring them about anything. My daughter loves coming here.’ Similarly, a social worker commented, ‘I think that the staff support the children and families who use their service to a high standard. Families never raise any concerns. I can’t identify any areas that I think require improvement.’

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

Staff know how to identify and respond promptly to safeguarding concerns, if they arise. Appropriate referrals are made to safeguarding bodies if needed. This helps to promote the safety and well-being of children.

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

Staff support children to develop safe and appropriate behaviours. They de-escalate most incidents of challenging behaviour and are usually able to divert children to another activity. Behaviour support plans clearly identify triggers for each child and how staff should respond to calm them. Incidents requiring physical intervention to protect the child or others are very rare. Similarly, sanctions are not a feature of behaviour management.

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

Staff successfully engage children in activities on how to keep themselves safe. They are Inspection report children’s home: SC033611 5 imaginative in their approach and look at different ways to help each child to understand how to keep themselves safe. Staff develop interactive and accessible ways to work with children and are constantly looking at how to develop new initiatives. They have recently completed work on bullying and internet safety. In response to how to make the internet safer, children replied with comments such as, ‘have an adult with you’, ‘say no’ and ‘get help’. This helps to keep children safe.

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

Regular health and safety checks ensure the safety of the home. Fire evacuation drills take place regularly. Staff have also developed an interactive booklet about fire drills which replicates the sound of the fire alarm, so that children are familiar with the alarm sound. Children who need assistance to evacuate the home have personal emergency evacuation plans. These are reviewed following each fire drill and amendments made if required. This ensures that staff and children can evacuate the home safely, in the event of an emergency.

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

Staff recruitment processes are robust, ensuring that only suitable individuals are able to work in the home. However, the staff team is stable and established. Children and their families are familiar with key workers. These staff work in the home when the children are attending whenever possible. This consistent care helps develop trusting relationships. Staff are alert to small changes in children’s behaviour and presentation, which helps to promote their welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She worked in the home prior to her appointment as manager, so knows the staff and children well. She has a passion and commitment to improve outcomes for children who access the service. She leads a dedicated staff team, whose members feel well supported. One staff member said, ‘I feel my colleagues and the management team are always thinking of ways to improve the service, which in turn has a positive impact on the young people we support.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with other professionals. Everyone spoken to during the inspection, and those who completed the annual Ofsted surveys, spoke highly of her commitment and communication. One social worker commented, ‘Communication is excellent.’ Another professional also said, ‘Staff provide reports and attend reviews. Children that attend develop their social skills. The key workers liaise well with teaching staff, sharing strategies between the home and the school.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The service runs smoothly and effectively. The manager carefully matches the needs of the children attending together, although she does not use matching documentation to support this. If issues arise between particular children, consideration is given to altering the short-break arrangements. Sometimes, additional staffing alleviates this. Parents are kept up to date if issues arise. However, records do not always indicate when staff have been in contact with parents or other professionals. Consequently, they do not always reflect the hard work undertaken by the staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC033611 6 Staff benefit from regular training and an annual performance appraisal. Staff are positive about the quality and variety of training opportunities afforded to them. In addition to mandatory training, such as first aid and food hygiene, staff have been able to access specific training to help them meet the specific needs of children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This includes subjects such as stoma care, epilepsy, Tourette’s and autism spectrum disorder. In relation to the latter, one staff member said, ‘It really helped me understand the child’s behaviour better.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The internal and external monitoring of the home is good. The manager has a development plan in place and is always looking for ways to improve. She makes good use of the skill base of the staff team, who are allocated areas of responsibility. They take their roles seriously and go above and beyond to action these. This ensures that issues are swiftly and competently addressed. However, the home has been without a vehicle for over six months, despite this being repeatedly raised in monitoring reports. In the long term, this has the potential to impact on learning and social opportunities for children who are unable to access public transport.

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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: SC033611 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blackpool Borough Council

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Inspector

Mandy Williams, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033611 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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