Children's Home run by Lytham Care Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report children’s home: SC454035 1 SC454035 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

This privately-owned children’s home provides care for up to five children and young people who have social and emotional difficulties. There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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Inspection date: 11 February 2020

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 11 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC454035 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has not had a registered manager since May 2017. A manager was appointed in October 2018 and resigned in June 2019. A new acting manager started work at the home on 5 February 2020 and is expected to apply to Ofsted for registration. In the absence of a manager, the responsible individual has been managing the home alongside her other responsibilities. She is an experienced and suitably qualified leader. She knows the home, staff and children extremely well. The responsible individual has provided effective leadership and management. She has worked with staff to improve the quality of children’s risk assessments and management plans, and the recording and evaluation of direct work with children. Children’s records are now kept up to date and contain the information that staff need to understand how to care for each child. The use of sanctions to deal with poor behaviour no longer imposes inappropriate restrictions on children seeing their

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

family. Sanctions are restorative and help children to understand the impact of their actions on themselves and other people. However, there are some weaknesses in the management of the home. The responsible individual has not reviewed the quality of the care provided at least every six months. The independent person’s monthly monitoring reports have not always been sent to Ofsted. Also, not every member of staff, including new staff, have received practice-related supervision as frequently as is set out in the home’s statement of purpose. Therefore, staff do not have the opportunity to reflect regularly on their practice, their work with children and their learning and development. Children like living at the home and have positive relationship with staff. They feel that staff care about them, want them to be safe and to do well. Staff make every effort to help children to have a sense of belonging.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Over time, staff have helped children to have better outcomes. Staff have supported a child to return to live with his family permanently. They helped the child make significant progress in his health, emotional and social development, and education. He engaged positively with staff and his therapist to understand and manage his feelings and behaviour appropriately. He was happier, calmer and resilient. He made friends locally, enjoyed positive activities and rebuilt his relationship with his family. However, some children’s progress and experiences are being compromised by them going missing from the home frequently. Risks to these children’s safety have increased. They find it difficult to accept guidance and support from staff and other Inspection report children’s home: SC454035 3 professionals. They are struggling to take part in education, to attend important health appointments and make the right choices about their welfare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are doing their best to engage with the children. They spend time with children to help them see the dangers involved in going missing from home. Staff try to help children recognise the risks of exploitation and harmful relationships, and help them to have the skills to keep themselves safe and how to get help. The responsible individual and staff continually assess the risks to each child and the arrangements to protect them. They have a good understanding of the risks and the reasons why children go missing. Staff are concerned about children’s safety and welfare. When children are missing, staff follow the safeguarding procedures correctly. They try to find the child and report their concerns appropriately to parents, the local authority and the police. After children return home, the responsible individual makes sure that the child has the opportunity to talk to an independent person about what had happened and any

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

worries that they have. The responsible individual challenges local authorities when these independent interviews are not being offered to children. The responsible individual has strong links with social workers, the police and safeguarding agencies. When children are missing from home persistently, regular risk management meetings take place to share information and develop strategies for managing the risks to the children. The responsible individual has worked with the other agencies to disrupt children from meeting up with inappropriate adults and going to unsuitable places. Inspection report children’s home: SC454035 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC454035 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(viii) & (x)) 29/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well-being needs of children are met; (b) children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to— achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 29/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC454035 6 and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(f)(h)) In particular, the registered person must review the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children at least once every six

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Requirement Due date

months; and a report must be sent to Ofsted within 28 days and the placing local authority of all children in the home who are children looked after. The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) In particular, every member of staff, including new members of staff, and the manager receive practice-related supervision within the timescales set out in the statement of purpose. 29/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44(7)(a)) 11/02/2020

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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: SC454035 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

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC454035 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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