Children's home run by New Horizons NW Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1270802 1 Registered provider: New Horizons (nw) Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a number owned and managed by a private organisation. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who are unable to live with their birth families for a variety of reasons. The registered manager has been at the home since it was registered in January 2018.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the last full inspection of the home in June 2018, only one young person had lived in the home since it was registered, and only for a matter of weeks. That young person is no longer resident. Concerns in relation to placement matching have impacted on this interim inspection judgement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of this inspection, there was just one young person living in the home. Her local authority has agreed to support her solo placement for the time being. Staffing levels are high, enabling the young person to participate in activities that interest her, both inside and outside of the home. The young person likes to do arts and crafts activities and jigsaws, as well as going for days out with staff and to the trampoline park. Inspection report children’s home: 1270802 2 The home is warm and welcoming and decorated to a good standard. Photographs of the young person are on display and her belongings are evident, as they would be in a family home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person is making good progress. She is attending school regularly, despite this being a lengthy journey from the home. Staff support her to attend school in her home authority, as the long-term plans are currently unclear. This will help to prevent an unnecessary move for her and further disruption to her education.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Similarly, progress is being made in relation to the young person’s health needs. Improvements are evident in relation to her dental hygiene. The young person is also engaging positively with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). She attends regularly, and staff receive advice and support to help them deal effectively with any presenting behaviours of concern. This ensures that staff are responding consistently and in the most appropriate manner.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support the young person to maintain contact with her family, appreciating the importance of these relationships. This includes telephone and face-to-face contact. Visits to the home are facilitated if appropriate.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person benefits from a clear placement plan, outlining her needs and routines. The quality of daily recording is good. Similarly, staff complete detailed progress reports on the young person to help inform the review process. However, the young person’s risk assessment document has not had a formal review since she was placed, almost five months ago. It does contain detail of ongoing concerns, but some areas of concern still include no risk judgement and others indicate an incorrect judgement. This limits its effectiveness, as it has the potential to result in confusion to staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Four other young people have lived in the home since the last inspection. Their outcomes have been variable. They have not always left the home in a positive manner. Issues have quickly become apparent when young people have been living together. The registered manager completes an impact risk assessment when looking at potential matches. This includes known risk factors for those living in the home and those joining. However, despite appreciating potential areas of conflict, the document falls short of considering the best strategies for staff to implement to alleviate the risks identified. It does not support safe placement decision making.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Tension has arisen between the young people placed together. On occasion, this has resulted in physical aggression between the young people. Staff have tried to manage these behaviours by keeping young people apart wherever possible. This was intended as a short-term solution. They have also worked with the placing authority to look at alternatives, but ultimately this has resulted in placement moves, with little time to prepare the young people in some circumstances. Such practice is likely to cause young people anxiety, impact on their ability to settle in their next placement and result in further distrust of the adults caring for them. Inspection report children’s home: 1270802 3 The internal and external monitoring arrangements help the registered manager to audit the home’s records and identify areas for improvement. However, not all of these reports have been received by Ofsted due to an administrative error. This was rectified

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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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; and that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(b)) 05/04/2019

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person works with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9) Inspection report children’s home: 1270802 4

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (nw) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ground Floor, 18–20 Coronation Walk, Southport, Merseyside PR8 1RE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Abbie Rosenblatt

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Inspector

Mandy Williams, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1270802 5 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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