Children's Home run by Future Focused Ltd in Wigan

Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 1 Registered provider: Future Focused Ltd

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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 operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for young people up to the age of 18, who have a range of complex needs based on their previous experiences, including attachment difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is currently on maternity leave. The home is managed by an experienced deputy manager. She has the support of the organisation‟s registered individual.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/04/2018 Full Good 02/08/2017 Full Good 13/02/2017 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 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

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the principles in 9.35 are respected. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child‟s assessed needs as Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 4 recorded in the child‟s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home‟s records as „living documents‟ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that

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Recommendations

reflects their voice on a regular basis. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a welcoming environment. At the time of the inspection, new carpets were being fitted in most rooms. Staff encourage and support young people to invest in their home. Young people choose the themes and colours for their bedrooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate on behalf of the young people to ensure that they receive the right level of education. The home‟s staff and education staff work together. This ensures that both disciplines provide consistent care. It has resulted in young people attending and engaging in their education. This is a big achievement for young people who refused to attend school. A member of education staff said, „[Name] is doing well, she attends full- time and is making very good progress in all subjects.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two young people have moved on from the home. Staff supported a young person to move to semi-independent living. They ensured that he learned cooking skills, how to budget and how to pay his bills. Staff continued to support him after he left the home. The support from staff assisted him in making a positive transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector had the opportunity to meet the young person who currently lives in the home. She has formed positive relationships with staff. The young person said that she „likes‟ the home and that she „gets on‟ with the staff. The young person was comfortable in her environment and chatted with the deputy manager and staff about the day‟s events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage young people to give their views on their care. Staff record young people‟s views in the home‟s care plans. However, individual care records lack evidence that they include the voice of the young person. The acting manager is keen to improve these systems.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proud of young people‟s achievements. They provide opportunities for young people to develop their interests and skills. Staff source football clubs that support and teach the young people to develop their skills. This will increase the young people‟s confidence and self-esteem. A social worker said, „Staff encourage [name] to engage in activities. These are tailored to her interests.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have safe contact with their families in line with their plans. Young people receive consistent care that supports their culture and identity. A social worker said, „Staff supported additional contact over Christmas to facilitate better contact for [name]. They suggested ideas to improve the contact in general.‟

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

The home has recently had a difficult time. Young people chose to go missing from the home. Staff follow procedures. They search for young people and report them missing to Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 6 the police. Staff identify the triggers for these behaviours. They talk to young people about the dangers of their actions. Young people are now making better choices and these behaviours have significantly decreased.

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

Staff assess when to admit a new young person to the home. They consider each young person‟s risks and behaviours. These assessments lack the deputy manager‟s evaluation of the risk of disruption to the existing young people.

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

Physical intervention is only used to keep the young person, staff and other young people safe. Staff have undertaken the relevant training to ensure that they are using the correct procedures. The interventions used are of a low level. Records lack the deputy manager‟s evaluation of these strategies to ensure that they are necessary and proportionate.

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

Staff support young people to overcome difficult and challenging behaviour. They have good insight into young people‟s emotional needs. Behaviour management plans include the use of humour and distraction. These strategies are proving successful in helping young people to manage their emotions in a more positive way.

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

The home‟s area risk assessment is reviewed on a regular basis. Managers ensure that strategies for managing the identified risks are effective. The risks to the young people of sexual exploitation, criminalisation and radicalisation are considered. Staff complete the relevant training. This enhances the staff‟s knowledge.

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

Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are thorough. Staff identify young people‟s individual needs and risks, and consider how best to manage these. Managers and staff ensure that the advice of the organisation‟s therapist is used. This assists staff in managing young people‟s behaviours.

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

Staff are patient and are consistent in their responses to young people. They use rewards to reinforce positive behaviour. A praise book is used daily to record positive comments to the young person. Young people can keep this book and take it with them when they leave the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is currently on maternity leave. The home is managed by an experienced deputy manager. She has the support of the organisation‟s registered individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The deputy manager has a great relationship with the young people. She knows that some young people struggle with their emotions. The deputy manager is upbeat and child focused. She was observed during the inspection to be approachable to staff and the young person. The young person asked the deputy manager‟s advice and chatted to her about various subjects.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision is regular and of a good quality. Staff team meetings are well attended. Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 7 There are clear and detailed recordings of the discussions. The deputy manager shares information within the team and updates staff on new developments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of care report lacks the deputy manager‟s evaluation of the feedback from other agencies, families and young people. This is a missed opportunity to review care practice and to take action if there are any shortfalls in the care provided for young people. The deputy manager is keen to improve this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home‟s statement of purpose was updated in March 2019. This was not sent to Ofsted within required timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have good relationships with other agencies. They communicate with parents and all professionals. They provide updates on the young people‟s progress. A social worker said, „The manager contacts me to discuss [name‟s] care plan. The managers and staff listen and work with me to create a positive care plan for [name].‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed all mandatory training, including training around child sexual exploitation. Ligature training has now been completed. This provides staff with the knowledge and skills to manage potentially harmful behaviours.

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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: 1241634 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Office 1, Crows Nest Business Park, Ashton Road, Wigan WN5 7XX

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Inspector

Jo Hornby: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1241634 9 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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