Children's Home run by Liverpool City Council in Liverpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 1 SC035969 Registered provider: Liverpool City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides short breaks for up to seven children at any one time. The manager has been registered since 2013.

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2018 Full Outstanding 10/05/2017 Full Good 23/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; and children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)) Specifically, that advice is sought promptly from health professionals when a child is unwell. 17/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) In particular, that all staff, including the registered manager, receive regular supervision in line with the provider’s policy, as reflected in the home’s statement of purpose. 17/01/2020

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, visitors to the home should be advised of procedures to follow in the event of a fire.  When the person who is in day-to-day charge of the home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, they must notify Ofsted in writing (Regulation 48). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 12.5) When the absence is unforeseen, Ofsted should be notified at the earliest

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Recommendations

opportunity when it becomes evident that the absence will exceed 28 days.  The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 4 report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of Regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should: - detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications

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Recommendations

of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s Statement of Purpose; - detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); - detail the process for managing and improving poor performance; - detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see Regulation 33 (4)(b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Disabled children benefit from short breaks that enable them to enjoy experiences and opportunities that enhance their lives. The staff provide highly individualised care to meet children’s complex needs and health conditions. They support them to participate in activities they may not be able to access at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities that help them to build confidence in themselves and to participate in the wider community. For some, this might mean going out for a meal in a restaurant for the first time or to go to an amusement park, the zoo or the seaside. The service also makes good use of specialist offerings in the community such as autism- friendly cinema events. The staff use their observations of the children to improve the home environment. For example, they have put up lots of mirrors in the home and the garden after noticing that children liked to look at themselves in the mirror of the lift.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents say their children are more independent and tolerant of others due to their stays Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 5 at the home. They welcome the communication with the staff about their child’s stay and feel confident that the short breaks help their children to prepare for later life. Children make progress in their communication, social skills, self-care and overall well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are skilful in helping children to express themselves, so that they can make choices and show their preferences for activities that they enjoy. For children who cannot express themselves verbally, the staff use a range of visual aids, symbols and observations of children’s gestures. This means that all children are able to participate and contribute their views. The team always tries to accommodate children’s preferences, for example if they prefer one of the bedrooms over others. They will ensure that bedrooms are prepared with familiar items that offer comfort to children when they are staying away from home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to try new foods and enjoy home-cooked, nutritious meals. The staff also encourage them to be active to help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight, which may be affected by medication. Their achievements and milestones, however small, are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regular and effective communication with parents and other professionals involved in children’s lives means that the staff support their progress holistically. The service has introduced coffee mornings for parents, offering advice and access to information. Parents have been able to meet with professionals from other services, such as the child and adolescent mental health services, in a more informal way. This has been well- received. The staff attended a recent awareness-raising event for families with children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, hosted by the local authority. This has generated further interest in the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Other professionals confirm that the staff regularly provide reports and attend meetings to review children’s progress and implement guidance and strategies so that children experience consistency. For example, the staff replicate and support work being done in schools. This helps children to develop skills, in line with their education, health and care plans. This means that children receive a service that aligns with the wider package of care, to support their development and fulfil their potential.

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

High levels of staffing and supervision mean that children are protected from harm during their stays at the home. A parent spoke of how she could ‘totally trust all the staff and not worry’ about her child going to stay, because she knows he will be cared for safely.

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

Managers and leaders take care in considering the needs and vulnerabilities of all children when planning their stays, so that there are enough staff on shift to look after them. Any risks are continuously assessed and reviewed to make sure that children can enjoy their time at the home, and in the community, safely. The staff are knowledgeable about their safeguarding responsibilities and the processes that they must follow. For example, they liaised closely with the police and kept parents and other professionals Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 6 informed when a child went missing for a short time. If any incidents occur, thorough debriefs and reviews of risk management plans take place to minimise any reoccurrence.

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

The staff have a clear understanding about risks to children’s health associated with their disabilities and long-term medical conditions. They are trained to be competent in meeting children’s personal care and health needs and are sensitive in their practice to maintain children’s dignity. There are effective plans in place to manage and support children with epilepsy or severe allergies. Robust systems are in place to ensure that medication is administered properly, and parents are consulted to check if there have been any changes since the child’s last visit. Confirmation of any changes is required from medical professionals prior to their next stay.

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

The team is knowledgeable about the potential impact of medication on children’s presentation and monitors any changes carefully. However, the staff team members have not always sought advice from health professionals promptly when they have had concerns about children’s well-being. This means that on one occasion there was a delay in a child receiving the medical treatment required. Steps have been taken to ensure that, under similar circumstances, the staff take immediate action.

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

The staff know children extremely well, so that they can identify subtle changes in their mood and behaviours. This means that they quickly recognise that children may be communicating upset or distress and can respond to support them. The staff use excellent de-escalation skills to reassure and help children to become calmer. This means that physical intervention is rarely needed to manage children’s behaviour. When it is required, thorough debriefs and clear recording show that the staff reflect on how to make further improvements in managing situations, to reduce the risks to children and others around them.

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

Social workers noted that they are made aware of any concerns raised by the staff at the home. Social workers did say they would welcome some further clarity regarding information shared via computerised records, to highlight concerns that may require further investigation.

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

Managers ensure that recruitment processes are robust and ensure that only suitable individuals are employed to work in the home. They monitor all health and safety aspects of the home so that it is a safe environment for children to visit. However, the fire evacuation procedure was not explained to the inspector on arrival at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In the current absence of the registered manager, the home is led by two highly experienced senior practitioners. The well-motivated, skilled and knowledgeable team shares its ambition and passion to provide disabled children with an excellent quality of care. There is a clear commitment from leaders and the staff to provide disabled children with a range of opportunities to broaden their experiences and support their development. The absence of the manager has not negatively affected the quality of care provided by the home. However, Ofsted had not been informed of the manager’s Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 7 absence being likely to exceed 28 days, prior to the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers, leaders and the staff team carefully monitor and record the progress that children make against targets which support them to develop their skills, however small. Effective oversight by leaders and managers, alongside reflective discussions after any incidents, assists the staff to adapt and improve practice to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings, and comprehensively recorded supervision, enable the staff to reflect on practice, both collectively and individually. This ensures that children receive a consistent care approach during their stays, which promotes their development. However, more recently, supervision has not taken place in line with the provider’s policy, particularly for the registered manager, due to the sickness absence of the responsible individual. A new responsible individual is to apply to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team attends all mandatory training, as well as specialist training required to meet the specific needs of children who come to stay at the home. Some training was delivered as part of a three-day development event for the whole team. However, the home does not currently have a workforce development plan that identifies and records ongoing professional development, to ensure that the home continues to fulfil its statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are strong links with social workers, schools and specialist health professionals so that there is a consistent approach to meeting children’s assessed needs and goals during their stays. The staff provide regular feedback to parents and other professionals, communicating regularly and by attending meetings to review children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are effective monitoring systems that drive forward improvements to the home, such as the new sensory garden and outdoor equipment for children to use, which enhance children’s experiences during their stays. Independent external monitoring supports managers’ understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The registered manager’s review of care provides a good analysis of how the service supports children but does not capture the plans for improvement over the next six months. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate the forward-looking development of the home.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 8 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC035969 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Liverpool City Council, Municipal Buildings, Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Angela D’Annunzio

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Inspector

Karen Willson: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035969 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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