Children's Home run by Considerate Care Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 1 SC059261 Registered provider: Considerate 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

The home is owned by a private company and it is registered to care for up to five young people. As outlined in the home’s statement of purpose, the service provides care for young people, aged 11 to 17 years, with emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2016.

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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 2018

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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: SC059261 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/12/2018 Full Good 23/08/2017 Full Good 13/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should build a strong safeguarding culture in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 43, paragraph 9.8) In particular, strengthening safer recruitment practice and developing strategies for keeping in touch with young people when they are out in the community.  Young people 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 reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.9) In particular, ensuring that the home’s records reflect any changes to young people’s care plans and include young people’s wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people live in a nurturing and homely environment, benefiting from clear boundaries and routines. A caring and stable staff team develops trusting relationships with the young people, helping them to feel safe and secure in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the young people attend full-time education and are making noticeable progress. The manager and team seek support from local careers services to help and guide young people when they leave school. Despite staff’s unwavering support, one young person is struggling to find suitable training or employment that meets his needs and interests. The barriers to securing suitable options for this young person are potentially compromising his future success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are well prepared for moving on from the home. Staff equip them with the essential skills for independent living, such as managing a budget and cooking. Additionally, staff’s diligent partnership working with a parent enabled a young person to move back to the care of her family. This is a significant achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of maintaining and when necessary repairing young people’s relationships with their parents. Effective partnership working between the staff, social workers, parents and carers enables young people to spend more time with their family members in a planned and safe way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage young people to pursue their own interests and find out about different cultures and histories. With staff’s support, the young people organise different events in the home, for example an Indian feast and a 1980s dinner party. These activities are enhancing young people’s knowledge, understanding and acceptance of difference and Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 4 diversity in a fun way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite staff demonstrating a good understanding of each young person’s needs and background, the home’s placement plans do not always accurately reflect young people’s care plans, such as changes in their legal status. Furthermore, statutory care plans, review minutes and health assessments are missing from some young people’s records. Additionally, young people’s voices are not evident in the home’s placement plans or risk assessments. The manager acknowledges that these records are an area for development.

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

Young people feel safe in their home and trust those who care for them. They know how to make a complaint and are confident that the registered manager will listen to their concerns and seek independent advocacy when necessary.

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

A suitably trained and vigilant staff team continuously assesses the risks associated with each young person. Partnership working is a key strength of this home. This is reflected in a police officer’s comments, ‘This is one of the better homes that I work with. The manager is excellent. The manager and staff make it feel like a home, so the young people always return when they go missing. Communication is good, staff keep us updated and they are on top of things. I cannot fault this home.’

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

When a young person does not return home on time, staff follow clear procedures and in the main, the young person returns home quickly and safely. For one young person, going missing from the home and criminal exploitation constitute a significant concern. The manager and team are working collaboratively with the social worker, police and child exploitation services to determine the level of risk and appropriate protective plans. However, the team can improve how they monitor young people’s whereabouts and safety when they are out in the community with their friends.

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

The manager is not risk-averse. When assessing young people’s use of the internet, she balances the benefits and potential dangers well. There are clear safety plans in place, which staff consistently follow, to enable young people to use their mobile phones and social media safely. Staff undertake regular direct work sessions with the young people, including internet safety. These valuable sessions are helping the young people to understand risk and keep themselves safe.

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

The home’s location is assessed annually. This assessment provides a detailed and well- informed overview of the local area, including young people’s views and strategies for managing any identified risk.

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

Although the manager has made some improvements in recruitment practice, this can be further developed, for example by ensuring that any gaps in an applicant’s employment history are thoroughly explored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 5 The registered manager is suitably qualified, experienced and a child-centred leader. She is a good advocate for young people and will challenge the local authority’s decision- making if it is not in the young person’s best interest.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Suitable staffing arrangements make sure that there are always enough experienced and qualified staff available to meet each young person’s needs. The staff carefully plan the day-to-day care to ensure that the young people are provided with the best possible help and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the ethos of the home and the support that they receive from the manager. Staff are provided with regular supervision and an annual performance appraisal. All of this is providing staff with opportunities to reflect and improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a wide range of relevant training courses, which the manager evaluates to make sure that they are meeting each team member’s learning and development needs. As a result, young people are being cared for by a knowledgeable, competent and confident staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal and external monitoring of the home is strong. The manager regularly seeks the views of the young people, parents and other professionals to inform her development plan and priorities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents and professionals speak highly of the staff team and the care provided to young people. One professional commented, ’The staff are very warm and caring. They are committed to enabling the children in their care to reach their full potential.’

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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: SC059261 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Considerate Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Millers Accountants, 69 Windsor Road, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0DB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: William Aspinall

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Inspector

Marina Tully, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC059261 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 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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