Children's Home run by Progressive Futures Care Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 1 SC431931 Registered provider: Progressive Futures Care 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 home is run by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered at the home since October 2011.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 20 September 2017

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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: SC431931 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2017 Full Good 09/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good 12/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 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— seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‟s needs; and 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 relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. ((Regulation 5 (d)) In particular, ensure that placing authorities are challenged when requests for relevant plans are not met. 22/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(h)) This is specifically in relation to ensuring that all monitoring and review activity completed in the home is recorded systematically. 22/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) In particular, the report should provide analysis of the assessment of information provided to enable an opinion that supports the registered person‟s understanding of the quality of care. 22/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of 22/02/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 4 care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating ─ the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks presented by the home‟s location and strategies for managing these („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 64, paragraph 15.1). In particular, ensure that all potential hazards in the locality, including motorways and bridges, are considered when undertaking the assessment.  Staff should understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.4). Specifically, records should be legible, with any amendments attributed to the author. Records should specifically describe

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Recommendations

actual events and behaviours and avoid the use of colloquialisms.  The registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.1). In particular, the registered person should record all actions taken to contact the last previous employer who has been identified to provide a reference but has not done so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make positive progress from their starting points. Staff recognise the Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 5 challenges that young people experience and positively support them to achieve as individuals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good partnership working with other professionals is in place so that staff can access advice to best support young people‟s individual needs and to plan care effectively. For example, nutritional advice has been sought from the designated nurse for looked after children and local healthy living team to support young people to achieve a healthier diet and weight. Staff also attend the gym with young people to support them to improve their fitness. Young people are encouraged to take increasing responsibility as they move towards independence, such as making their own health appointments. Staff respect young people‟s wishes about who attends appointments with them. However, the staff make sure that they have any relevant information necessary to support ongoing needs. This was particularly important during the assessment and planning for a young woman to successfully move to her own property after the birth of her baby.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are attending education. One attends a setting to achieve nationally recognised qualifications, as well as attending a catering course at college. Another young person had not attended an education placement for a significant period before arriving at the home. Staff are working closely with the education provider to overcome barriers to his attendance. They have requested a care planning meeting with the local authority to identify how he can be supported to attend full time. However, he is encouraged and praised for the progress he has made, and the staff understand his anxieties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One of the home‟s strengths is the way in which it supports young people to maintain contact with the people who are important to them. They enjoy regular overnight contact with family members and close friends, and the home provides financial support so that young people can enjoy activities with them. Effective multi-agency working ensures that contact with important people in young people‟s lives can be arranged safely. This approach makes sure that young people‟s views are considered. Young people also enjoy a range of activities with staff, including go-karting, playing pool and going to the cinema.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people‟s views are regularly sought through meetings, key-work sessions and individual monthly consultations. Any complaints are responded to quickly, and explanations are given if staff are unable to uphold young people‟s concerns. Staff act as advocates for young people and, for example, make sure that social workers take note of young people‟s wishes in planning transitions. Young people are fully aware of their plans and of when they are likely to move on from the home. The deputy manager uses his knowledge and previous experience to enhance the home‟s independent living skills programme so that young people are confident in their abilities as they transition towards adulthood.

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

Staff understand young people‟s risks and behaviours well. They have effective management strategies in place to increase young people‟s safety, and young people Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 6 said that they feel safe. Young people‟s views are listened to carefully. Due to the highly effective planning between the home‟s staff and the placing authority, one young person, who had persistently been reported as missing from previous placements, has not be missing at all during his time at this home. He said, „It‟s the best home I‟ve been in, the first house that‟s listened to me and done something.‟

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

Any referrals are carefully considered to ensure that staff understand the impact of a new young person moving to the home on those already living here. This consideration means that the home only admits young people whose needs can be met, and who will not have a negative impact on young people already living in the home. The manager considers the risks in the local area as part of the assessment. However, the risk assessment of the locality does not include a nearby motorway bridge. The manager has undertaken to include this as part of her current review of the document.

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

On the rare occasion when any young people are away from the home without permission, staff follow procedures to make sure that they return safely and are offered independent return home interviews. Staff maintain contact with young people to encourage them to return and welcome them when they come home. Keywork sessions help young people to understand why staff worry about them and the sessions encourage young people to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff use a bonus system successfully to promote positive behaviour. Young people have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and they respond well to boundaries that are in place. Young people also receive additional rewards to recognise when they do something particularly well. Sanctions are rarely necessary. The manager oversees any sanctions to ensure that they are appropriate, and she challenges staff when they are not. However, records are not always clearly written to enable the reader to understand what happened, and they include colloquial language in descriptions. This makes it difficult for young people to understand their journey if they later request to read their records.

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

Risk assessments include previous concerns such as alcohol or substance misuse. The home communicates well with other local children‟s homes so that if any concerns arise about any young people drinking alcohol in the area staff are immediately aware and can discuss the hazards with them. Positive relationships between staff and young people mean that young people are open and honest about their friendships and activities away from the home. Staff encourage young people to invite their friends to the home, so that they can get to know them and be confident that they are a positive influence.

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

The home has effective links with local authority social workers and designated officers. A complaint made by a parent to a young person‟s social worker was referred to the designated officer, who was consulted throughout the investigation process and at its conclusion. This ensured that all procedures were followed appropriately and that the local authority was satisfied with the outcome. Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 7

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has benefited from the consistency of a registered manager who has been in post since it opened. She has well-developed relationships with services and professionals in the local area. This means that she was able to support a local authority to identify an education setting for a young person who had missed a significant amount of school prior to his admission. One social worker spoke of her confidence in the home‟s ability to support young people through a very child-focused approach. She said, „I would put my own child with [the provider]‟, and highly recommended the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Young people are cared for by a small and committed staff team that shares an ethos of providing good-quality care. Staff from the provider‟s other homes provide cover, if necessary, so that agency staff are not required. The staff team is experienced, and all staff are appropriately qualified except for one individual who is enrolled on a relevant qualification. Staff complete online and face-to-face training to ensure that their knowledge and skills remain current and relevant. Regular team meetings are held to discuss how best to support young people and provide consistent care that helps them to reach their potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices are used to ensure that employees are suitably vetted, and additional references are sought if required. The provider had difficulties in locating one former employer for a reference, and, although they made several enquiries, this information was not fully recorded on the applicant‟s file.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A recently appointed deputy manager said that he was attracted to the post because of the provider‟s ethos and the smaller homes. He is enthusiastic about the challenge of the new role but is committed to ensuring that young people are fully consulted before making any changes. He feels well supported by the manager and confirmed that his supervision is regular, of good quality and in line with the provider‟s induction policy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has clear knowledge and understanding of the progress of each young person. She ensures that young people‟s plans are reviewed regularly and provides oversight of records. However, a consistent monitoring system is not evident, and records do not always reflect actions that are taken away from the home, such as telephone contact with social workers to request relevant plans. Some written records are not clear and have been amended without being initialled to identify who has made the changes. Evidence that medication administration records are monitored to identify any errors is inconsistent. Records do not show that placing authorities are challenged when important information is not provided to support care planning in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Reports from the independent person have improved since the last inspection but require further improvement to ensure that there is a clear understanding of where the home needs to develop. The manager‟s review of the quality of care in the home provides an in-depth understanding of young people‟s needs but does not focus on how staff practice supports young people‟s progress. It does not provide an action plan of how the home will develop in the next six months. These are missed opportunities to reflect the home‟s strengths and weaknesses and to identify areas for improvement. Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 8

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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: SC431931 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progressive Futures Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o 18a London Street, Southport, Merseyside PR9 0UE

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Inspector

Karen Willson, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC431931 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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