Children's home run by Oaktree Childcare Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1277158 1 Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare 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 private company has two children’s homes. The home provides care for up to two children or young people who need short-, medium- or long-term care. The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 28 June 2018 and holds the relevant qualification.

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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 outstanding

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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: 11 January 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 1277158 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1277158 3

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Recommendations

 Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28 paragraph 5.15). In particular, ensure that children have access to statutory educational provision in a timely way.  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and make sure that the plans in place to manage these risks are clear (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5). In particular, ensure that identified risks to young people are not seen or assessed in isolation.  The registered person should develop and implement an internal quality

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Recommendations

assurance monitoring and reviewing system to ensure that practice is consistently good and ensure the continuous improvement of practice (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.54). In particular, evaluate practice and use this information to identify areas for development within the home.  Effective care planning and strong working relationships between the staff of the home and the placing authority are essential to the success of placements. The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that care plans are clear and understood by the child (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.2). In particular, the registered manager should ensure that the children have clear pathway plans and that these reflect their holistic needs, their wishes and their feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is currently a solo placement. The child who lives here is making very good progress. The child receives care and support that are consistent and child centred. The child responds well to this; they feel safe and secure living here. The child understands their needs and risks, and what is in place to support and help them with these.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm, calm and inviting. It is very much the child’s home and the child refers to it as ‘their home’. The ethos of the home is based on trust, honesty and respect for one another. Relationships between everyone in the home are excellent. There is a Inspection report children’s home: 1277158 4 real sense of family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is at the centre of all assessments, plans and records. These records support staff to continually learn about the child, and to identify ways to help them progress and keep them safe. The child is thriving while living at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child benefits from having clear routines and boundaries, which have a positive impact on their progress. This helps to support the child to have a healthier lifestyle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to identify individual interests. Staff support them to develop these further. The child spoke fondly about this and said that they enjoy playing football and other activities that they do. Accessing these activities is supporting them to grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has had an unsettled period of several months, due to the local authority deciding to move them to a new placement. There was considerable drift and delay as a placement could not be found. This had a negative impact on the child’s progress and heightened many risk-taking behaviours. The manager and staff managed this situation extremely well. They provided the child with the help and reassurance they needed, while also advocating on their behalf. Additional advocacy support was also found, to support the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been some challenges in securing a consistent and effective educational placement. The manager and staff have worked hard to resolve the issue, and have recently secured a full-time placement for the child. However, the child has been without formal education for several weeks. This has happened at a crucial time, as the child is in Year 11 at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A recent decision has been made that that the child will stay living at this home. Clear care planning is now required. This is to ensure that the child receives the specialist and holistic support and help that they need.

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

The safeguarding practice is good. In some instances, it is excellent, as managers and staff go above and beyond to explore ways to keep both the child and the staff safe. An example of this is where the manager worked closely with the fire and rescue service to develop a robust fire safety plan.

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

Staff encourage the child to meet new friends and develop positive relationships. When these relationships do not develop as hoped, staff are able to intervene, defuse situations and ensure that any issues are dealt with and resolved promptly. The child is learning from this, and is starting to understand some of the impact that their decisions and behaviours have on others.

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

Staff are not risk averse. Instead, they take an informed and measured approach to risk- Inspection report children’s home: 1277158 5 taking behaviour. This allows the child to take age-appropriate risks, while staff are aware of the necessary strategies to follow. The child is benefiting from this; they are learning about the importance of independence and developing their decision-making skills.

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

While staff manage the child’s risk-taking behaviours well, there are times when risks lack assessment and analysis and are risks are planned for in isolation. The manager recognises this and plans to explore ways in which they can develop this area of practice.

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

The child has access to support from partner agencies. The child is encouraged, in a sensitive way, to access the support on offer. Staff also seek support from external specialist agencies. This is to ensure that staff practice is safe and focused on outcomes. This has a positive impact on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leadership and management of the home are outstanding. Managers ensure that the child is at the centre of any decision-making. Managers are passionate and committed. They also act as proactive advocates for the child. Managers lead by example, and they ensure that the child has a positive experience living here.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Senior managers are visible in the home. They are very supportive of the children and the staff. Managers ensure that staff practice is always safe. When incidents arise that question whether practice is safe, managers respond with rigor and ensure that the right outcome is reached at the earliest opportunity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers support and empower staff to develop their knowledge and skills. As a result, staff grow in confidence and competence, and have high expectations of themselves and each other. Consequently, the standard of practice is consistently high. To strengthen this further, the home would benefit from having a quality assurance system in place. This would support the home to analyse and evaluate practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular, meaningful supervision. In addition day-to-day communication and support are excellent. Any shortfalls in practice are appropriately challenged, and staff and managers benefit from good reflective practice. Staff receive effective training that enhances their practice and improves the child’s experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Parents and professionals spoke highly of the home and of the progress that children make. A parent said, ‘[Name] has been made to feel safe and secure by the staff, which in turn has led to him forming stable relationships, based on trust and respect.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1277158 6

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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: 1277158 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ground Floor, Seneca House, Links Point, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 2FF

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Inspector

Lisa Gregoire-Parker: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1277158 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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