Children's Home run by CASC (Barrow) Limited in Cumbria

Inspection report children’s home: SC436826 1 SC436826 Registered provider: CASC (Barrow) 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 privately owned children’s home is registered for up to four young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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: 16 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC436826 2 26/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/08/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC436826 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are settled and feel happy and safe in this home. One young person said, ‘It’s really nice here. Staff ask us what we want to do. They give us plenty of choices and they make sure we are happy.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create a calm and relaxed atmosphere that gives the home a warm and welcoming feeling. Their approach in supporting young people is nurturing and caring. Consequently, relationships between staff and young people are extremely positive. One young person commented, ‘The best thing about this home is how friendly staff are. If there are any issues, staff resolve things quickly.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is being refurbished throughout to update furnishings and fittings and generally refresh the appearance of the home. Young people’s wishes have been included in this task, with them choosing the decor for their own bedrooms. Young people have also participated in creating a cinema-themed room within the home. They are very proud of their work and enjoy watching films on a large screen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s progress from their starting points is, overall, very positive. Staff actively promote young people’s education and learning. Staff work in partnership with schools, including the company’s own local independent school. Young people’s attendance is excellent, and their educational achievements are good. For example, staff have helped one young person in school to secure a work experience placement and regular weekend work on a farm. This is work that he is familiar with and enjoys. This is helping to promote his independence and opportunities for future employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to follow healthy lifestyles. Young people’s plans clearly identify their individual health needs and how they are to be met. Young people have good access to clinicians and other healthcare professionals. Staff help young people to understand the importance of following a nutritious and well-balanced diet. Staff encourage them to make healthy choices when planning meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people who currently live at this home enjoy walking and often go out as a group with staff. Young people told the inspector that they often walk for miles and appreciate how good it makes them feel. Young people enjoy a wide range of activities. These include fishing, dancing, go-karting and bowling. For some, these are new experiences. As well as providing healthy exercise, these activities provide them with good opportunities to have fun and socialise with other young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Placing authorities and families have confidence in this home. They spoke highly of the standard of care provided and the progress young people make. One social worker commented, ‘The placement has exceeded my expectations. Staff followed up on all appointments and kept me well informed. I have received positive feedback from [the young person’s] mum. She is pleased that [her daughter] is engaging well with her education and has built up some trusting relationships here.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC436826 4

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

Young people said they feel safe and protected by staff. One young person commented, ‘I know I can talk to any of them. I am very comfortable with staff. They keep me safe.’

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

Staff are familiar with the young people’s histories prior to them coming to live at the home. They fully understand the extent of young people’s risk-taking behaviours and those activities that increase their vulnerability. Individual risk assessments are comprehensively written. They provide staff with clear guidance about the action to take, and the support young people should receive, to keep them safe. Consequently, young people’s risk-taking behaviours, such as self-harm and drug misuse, significantly reduce over time. Young people are proud of their achievements; their growing confidence and self-esteem are evident.

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

Staff are trained in, and regularly update their knowledge on, child protection and current safeguarding issues, specifically those, such as county lines, that target vulnerable children and young people. This promotes staff awareness to identify and deal with any concerns at an early stage.

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

Health and safety are a priority for staff. Staff understand that it is imperative that young people do not come to further harm because of living at this home. Medication and other hazardous items are safely stored and managed. Staff are trained in safe medication practice and are accountable for carrying out daily checks and monitoring to ensure that this takes place without error.

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

Safety equipment and emergency procedures are regularly checked and practised. For example, several staff have undertaken fire warden training and share a responsibility for checking that equipment and emergency lighting remain fit for purpose. Young people and staff participate in regular evacuation drills to ensure that they all know what to do in the event of an emergency.

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

Recruitment and selection practice is robust. New staff are fully checked and vetted before they can work in the home. Unexpected visitors and contractors’ credentials are also checked before gaining admittance to the home. These measures are successful in protecting young people from unsuitable adults who may pose harm to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since November 2017. She is suitably qualified and experienced in working with young people. She strives to provide young people with a high standard of care that will enable them to achieve good outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff team have a clear understanding of young people’s needs and how their needs are to be met. The home now has a full and stable staff team. This provides young people with the continuity of care they require. This was previously identified as a concern at the home’s interim inspection in January 2018. Inspection report children’s home: SC436826 5 The manager and staff welcome challenge and the ability to reflect on their practice. Staff meetings are scheduled weekly. The frequency of these meetings provides staff with valuable time to discuss and track young people’s progress. In addition, this provides them with a regular opportunity to learn from, and improve, their care practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported and confident in their care-giving roles. Regular professional supervision and training arrangements are well established and effective in providing staff with the advice, guidance and knowledge they require.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from an annual appraisal process that successfully focuses on their competencies and ongoing developmental needs. Good relationships with local agencies and professionals have provided further opportunities for staff development. Together, these arrangements are ensuring that young people are supported by a knowledgeable and skilled staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring arrangements provide rigorous scrutiny of the home. The manager and the home’s responsible individual regularly audit and monitor activity and welcome the scrutiny and guidance of the home’s independent person. The manager seeks out lessons to be learned and uses these to inform and develop the home’s good practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people’s written records are well maintained and provide a full and accurate account of their plans, achievements and day-to-day activities. They appropriately reflect young people’s views and wishes and their inclusion in their care planning. These help young people to reflect on their experience and progress made.

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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: SC436826 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CASC (Barrow) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 125 Ramsden Square, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria LA14 1XA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Hilary Southward

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Inspector

Gillian Walters, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC436826 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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