Children's home run by Lytham Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1256658 1 Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned from the home in December 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1256658 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home required improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have left the home and one young person has been admitted to the home. Detailed planning means that the young person was able to visit the home, and staff visited her in her last placement. As a result, the young person has settled well and is making steady progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person has good access to a range of health services and she attends all appointments. She has a food allergy that requires close monitoring. Good information from healthcare professionals, risk assessments and care plans give staff all the information they require to protect her. However, a previous young person was given another young person’s pain medication. In addition, a previous young person who had fallen and banged his head was not sufficiently monitored throughout the night. This does not ensure that young people receive the treatment they require or that staff follow company procedure.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The acting manager works closely with education professionals. As a result, the young person attends school and she is doing well. She has good attendance and enjoys spending time with her friends after school. Some of her friends have visited her home and stayed overnight. Therefore, she can build on friendships and partake in school activities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of sanctions has helped to address the young person’s unacceptable behaviour. However, the acting manager has not always evaluated the effectiveness of the sanction. Therefore, it is difficult to see whether the sanction brought about any change in the young person’s behaviour. In contrast to this, the young person has received several rewards for her good behaviour, such as having beauty treatments.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Known or emerging risks are identified in the young person’s care plans. Therefore, staff have a clear understanding of the young person’s vulnerabilities, and clear strategies guide staff in supporting the young person in a safe way. This effective planning minimises the risks to the young person’s safety and well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been three occasions when the young person has been reported as missing to the police. Staff followed the local authority’s procedure, searched the local area and contacted family members. A return interview was completed, and the young person was able to share her views about seeing friends and family more. As a result, the acting manager was able to respond to the young person and put clear arrangements in place for the young person to have free time with her friends and more contact with her family. Inspection report children’s home: 1256658 3 The previous young people’s negative behaviour brought about several complaints from the neighbours. While these complaints were not addressed by the previous manager, the responsible individual has since contacted the neighbours and addressed the issues. In addition, suitable key-work activity was completed with both young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a relatively new staff team that provides a consistent approach to caring for the young person. There was a period when staff were not receiving regular supervision. The acting manager has made sure that all staff have received supervision from her. However, this was a requirement set at the last inspection and, therefore, it has been repeated. Further to this, the home was asked to provide bereavement training to all staff. This has not been done; therefore, the recommendation has been repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff attend training and discuss pertinent topics in staff meetings. This includes training on safeguarding, understanding child sexual exploitation and county lines. This ensures that the staff group’s skills and knowledge remain current.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

External monitoring remains robust. The independent visitor gives a critical view on how the home is progressing. The local authority has completed a compliance visit and is satisfied with the way in which the home is being managed. Careful overview by the responsible individual identified that the previous registered manager was not completing all the tasks required to keep the home running smoothly. The previous post-holder was not robustly monitoring practice to check for shortfalls. The responsible individual addressed this with the manager, and she subsequently resigned. A new acting manager is now overseeing the home and needs to reinstate internal monitoring procedures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager is experienced and qualified and has made significant improvements in the home. She has submitted her application to Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, the manager was asked to ensure that risk assessments identified emerging risks; that new admissions to the home took part in a fire evacuation; that staff support young people to manage their behaviour in and out of the home; that young people understand the risks that they place themselves in when missing from the home; that when young people refuse to attend education there is a timetable in the home to support them to re-engage in education; and that transition plans support a young person to leave or move into the home. These requirements have been met. Inspection report children’s home: 1256658 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/01/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1256658 5

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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 registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)) 31/03/2020

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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)) 31/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff’s competence is checked in relation to administering medication and providing first aid. 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1256658 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11). In particular, ensure that staff receive bereavement training to support young people.  The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34). In particular, ensure that the manager evaluates the effectiveness of sanctions.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 1256658 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lytham Care, 400 Longmoor Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 9DB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pamela Constance

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1256658 8 to 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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