Children's home run by Cherry Cottage Limited in Wigan

Inspection report children’s home: SC361129 1 SC361129 Registered provider: Cherry Cottage 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 owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for three children who may have challenging behaviour and/or may be emotionally vulnerable. The home’s manager was registered in September 2018.

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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: 13 December 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: SC361129 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2017 Full Good 30/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 20/12/2016 Full Outstanding 29/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC361129 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 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. In doing this the registered person must ensure that they seek feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive, and identify any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c)) 31/01/2018

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of the information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated to a high standard. It is a warm comfortable environment that resembles a family home. There are photographs of the young people displayed throughout the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the young people well. They know how young people’s past experiences can Inspection report children’s home: SC361129 4 cause them anger and frustration. Staff ensure that young people live in a nurturing environment with routines and boundaries. This affords young people security and stability. A member of staff said, ‘We always put young people’s pyjamas on the radiators in the evening. It’s what we do in our own homes, and the young people love it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been through an unsettled period. Staff understand the reasons for young people’s anger and frustration. They understand the barriers to education. Young people sometimes manage their emotions by going missing from home. Breakdown in family placement is often a trigger to these behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers communicate with families and placing social workers. They are strong advocates for the young people, ensuring that their views are heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people to have contact with their families and friends. They understand the importance of maintaining these relationships to provide consistent care. Staff ensure that contact is safe and of good quality and does not impact on the young person’s well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are beginning to invest in their home and are gaining a sense of belonging. Education attendance has improved. Staff work with education staff and placing authorities. They ensure that young people have the right level of education for their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff explore young people’s interests and hobbies. They want young people to have different experiences, to enjoy and have fun. They want young people to make happy memories of their time living in the home. For example, a member of staff took a young person to watch his favourite premiership football team at the home ground.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respect the young people and are open and honest with them. They are good role models and want young people to respect others and to learn how to show compassion. Staff encouraged the young people to help the emergency services who were extinguishing the grass fires at Rivington. They took food and water to a collection point. This shows a sense of community and empathy for others.

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

There has been an increase in young people who have gone missing from the home. Staff identify that most of this behaviour is caused by a breakdown in family placements. Staff follow missing from home procedures and search for the young people. Managers arrange meetings with placing social workers. They discuss strategies to manage and reduce these behaviours.

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

There were several occasions when young people were not offered independent return home interviews. This is a missed opportunity for young people to talk about any issues they had when they were away from the home. This means that staff are not able to Inspection report children’s home: SC361129 5 consider the information and act on these issues and concerns. The manager has escalated this issue to the placing authority. A recommendation has been made to reflect this shortfall.

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

Staff are consistent in supporting young people to adhere to boundaries and routines. This has been challenging for staff because young people have fought against them. Staff are consistent with children and young people, and this is proving successful.

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

Most young people are attending education and are arriving home at the agreed time. This means that young people’s safety is increasing, and they are investing in their home.

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

Since the last inspection, staff have used physical interventions. These were of a low level and used to keep the young person, staff and other young people safe. The manager evaluates 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 are committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of the young people. Managers and staff review individual risk assessments. This ensures that any changes are recorded. This information is shared with the staff team, to ensure that young people receive consistent care.

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

Managers and staff consider the risks of child sexual exploitation and criminal exploitation. Staff research information on these subjects. They gain information from training sessions and from agencies, such as the police.

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

Staff teach young people how to keep safe. They ask that young people keep in touch with them when they are having free time in the community. Staff work with police and placing authorities, sharing information to safeguard young people. A young person commented, ‘Staff tell us how to keep safe and we phone them to let them know we’re OK.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a new manager in place who has the necessary experience and skills to lead the home. She has almost completed the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. She is supported by an experienced, enthusiastic deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child focused and prioritises the needs of the young people in the home. She has a good knowledge and understanding of the young people. She spends time with them and wants them to achieve good outcomes. A young person said of the manager, ‘I like the manager and all the staff.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides her staff with regular supervision that is of good quality. Monthly staff meetings provide a forum for staff to discuss young people’s progress and any practice issues. All new staff complete induction training. They familiarise themselves with policies, procedures and practice in the home. A member of staff said, ‘It’s much Inspection report children’s home: SC361129 6 better since the new manager came. She is supportive and approachable.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recording needs improvement. It does not show the amount of work that the staff do with the young people. On one occasion, a young person missed a dental appointment. This was because the wrong date was recorded in the staff diary. This shortfall did not have an impact on the young person’s dental health. The young person attended a later appointment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed mandatory training such as safeguarding and health and safety. Staff are due to enrol on childcare therapy training. This will give them an understanding of the reasons for the strategies being used. This will enhance staff practice and benefit young people. A positive behaviour consultant will be meeting with managers and staff. This will provide staff with strategies to support the young people to manage their feelings in a positive way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation’s therapist helps young people to learn about their lives. Staff know that this can be an emotional time for young people. Staff work alongside the therapist. This ensures that the young person is well supported. It provides ample opportunity for young people to talk about their feelings.

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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: SC361129 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cherry Cottage Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 28 Finch Mill Avenue, Appley Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire WN6 9DF

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Inspector

Jo Hornby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC361129 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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