Children's home run by Next Stage 4Life Limited in Bolton

Inspection report children’s home: 1185828 1 Registered provider: Next Stage 4 Life 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 children’s home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It offers care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who may be experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is currently operating without a registered manager. A new manager has been appointed to the home and is preparing to submit an application to Ofsted for registration.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 November 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1185828 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/07/2018 Full Good 10/07/2017 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1185828 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

Care Standards Act 2000 A person seeking to be registered under this Part shall make an application to the registration authority. (Care Standards Act 2000(1)) 13/12/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people build excellent relationships with staff. There is a safe and secure bond between the young person who is living in the home and the staff. This is reflected in the care and affection that are readily given to the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Residential care planning is outstanding. This exceptionally caring and nurturing service provides young people with a safe and happy place to live. Strong collaborative partnerships ensure that young people’s needs are thoroughly assessed. This means that they receive the most effective and consistent care and support. From their initial starting points, young people gain emotional stability that strengthens their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Specialist help is available to young people at the point of admission. Young people engage extremely well with the company psychologist, who provides weekly individual counselling sessions. In addition, staff receive consistent guidance from the psychologist. This ensures that if young people experience heightened emotions, staff can respond to them in the most positive and supportive

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Educational attendance and attainment are prioritised in the home. Staff are in tune with young people. They understand their barriers to learning. This is because they take into account young people’s individual life experiences and how these have impacted on their educational careers. Staff work consistently with educational providers to create bespoke educational packages. As a result, learning becomes less frightening and a more enjoyable experience. Young people make exceptional progress after becoming resident in this home. The young person currently living in the home is on track to undertake GCSE examinations and has secured a college placement to undertake training in motor sport and motor mechanics. Inspection report children’s home: 1185828 4 Young people living in this home live happy and healthy lives. Many concerns highlighted prior to the current young person’s placement, such as particular behaviours,

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

sleep patterns and diet, are no longer a concern. This is because young people receive a wealth of individualised healthcare and genuine affection from staff. Consequently, young people are happy and settled. A young person said, ‘I love the staff, they look after me really well. I feel safe and happy here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Recreational activities are exceptionally well supported. Weekly activity plans are developed with young people. They are encouraged and supported to try out a range of unique and exciting experiences, for example go-karting, quad biking, going to a driving range, trampolining and going to Laser Quest. Likewise, young people are a part of the community in which they live. They regularly help at the local dog kennels and have developed positive friendships which serve to enhance their social lives and social experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work extremely hard to enable young people to develop concentration and comprehension skills. For one young person, this comes in the shape of building complex Lego structures. The home is a member of a Lego consortium which provides this young person with monthly complex Lego projects. The completion of each of these tasks provides the young person with a huge sense of achievement and accomplishment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Contact with family members is exceptionally well supported. Family members are regularly invited to have dinner at the home or to attend an activity with their child. In addition, staff accompany young people on family holidays to amazing destinations such as Greece and Prague. This enables young people to be part of their family holiday experience and helps them to retain their sense of identity. A young person said, ‘My holidays are sick, I have the best time.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people know how to make a complaint. Information is included in the children’s guide and helpline telephone numbers are discreetly displayed in the home. There have been no complaints made by young people since the last full inspection in July 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Consultation with young people is at the forefront of the home’s practice. Young people work with staff to develop each stage of their individual plan and set targets in order to reach their goals. This means that young people are included and that their views and opinions are respected. Furthermore, young people provide regular feedback on the service and the care they receive. One young person commented, ‘This is the best place to be.’

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

Highly comprehensive safeguarding arrangements are in place. Young people’s risks are routinely assessed, and effective measures are in place should a concern arise.

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

Although the current young person has a history of displaying significant risk-taking Inspection report children’s home: 1185828 5 behaviours, since they have been living in this home these risks have diminished. . In the past 18 months, there have been no incidents of young people being missing or absent, no situations requiring the use of a physical intervention, and no behaviours being exhibited that would adversely impact on their well-being. Young people are happy, settled and looking forward to a positive future.

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

Behaviour management is both supportive and effective. This is because staff have built strong and compassionate relationships with young people. Staff understand how particular life experiences impact on young people’s emotions and how, in turn, this can be displayed through young people’s behaviour. Clear and consistent guidance is provided by the home’s psychologist and this enables staff to help young people express their emotions in a positive and safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager left the service in September 2019. She worked alongside the newly appointed manager to provide a full handover, prior to her departure. The new manager has over 19 years’ experience as a registered manager for another children’s home. It is her intention to make an application to Ofsted for registration, in order to become the home’s registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people live in a home that is managed in their best interests. The home meets the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose, and young people, social workers and families are clear about the service and support that the home provides.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Clear and detailed records outline the progress young people make. Records are securely stored and regularly updated in accordance with the needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal monitoring systems provide the home with a consistent approach to the overall monitoring of care. Detailed information highlights areas for development, and the manager’s action plan details the methods used to enhance the service. Staff receive a high level of support from the manager. Supervision takes place regularly and serves to identify training needs and personal development targets.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External monitoring also takes place, and provides a positive insight into the progress young people make. This detailed analysis of care practice serves to recognise areas that require ongoing/continuous development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people live in a modern, spacious and exceptionally well-maintained property. Each young person has their own private bathroom and private play area, as well as access to communal areas in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with a consistent annual training package. Mandatory training is regularly refreshed, while additional training based around the theoretical framework for attachment and mindfulness is the basis for all planned work with young people. Inspection report children’s home: 1185828 6 The manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering a high standard of child-centred practice that is tailored to the individual and personal needs of young people. The effectiveness of this approach is measurable in the fabulous progress young people make, particularly in their education, self-esteem and positive social integration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home employs a strong and committed staff team, with the majority of residential staff being qualified at NVQ level 3. The training of staff at this level ensures that they are suitably qualified in the care and management of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that all referrals to the home are suitably assessed for compatibility. Evidence of thorough impact assessments, leading to decisions to place or not to place, demonstrates a clear commitment to the young people already placed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One requirement is made at this inspection in order to ensure that the newly appointed manager makes an application to Ofsted for registration.

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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: 1185828 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Next Stage 4 Life Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Regency House, 45–53 Chorley New Road, Bolton, Lancashire BL1 4QR

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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1185828 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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