Children's Home run by GS Social Care Solutions Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 1271222 1 Registered provider: GS Social Care Solutions Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have a learning and/or physical disability. The home is operated by a private organisation.

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Inspection date: 3 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1271222 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged 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

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left the home and an acting manager has replaced her. The acting manager has not received a comprehensive induction prior to working in the home. This means that he is not familiar with organisational policies and procedures and has had to complete online training while managing the home. Recruitment of a permanent replacement has been carried out and an appointment has been made.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one new placement since the last inspection. The young person has settled well into their new home and he is making good progress. One young person has left the home since the last inspection. This was a positive move for the young person, who moved to a different home to be closer to his family.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the young people have complex needs and some are non-verbal. The staff work well with families and professionals to establish each young person’s preferred method of communication.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff provide a warm, nurturing environment for young people. Staff are skilled at building up a rapport with young people quickly, which means that positive relationships exist between young people and staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff support the educational needs of the young people. All the young people attend special education provisions that require routine daily engagement from the staff. The staff ensure that young people make it safely to school by means of their designated transport and attend regular meetings to review young people’s progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff know the young people well. Young people have positive and trusting relationships with staff, and they feel safe. Staff are acutely aware of each young person’s vulnerabilities and provide close, nurturing support to them. Staff are trained in safeguarding and child protection. They know what to do and who to inform if there are concerns about a young person’s welfare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most staff have received regular supervision. However, the deputy manager has not received supervision in line with the organisation’s statement of purpose. This means that the deputy manager is not receiving appropriate levels of management oversight. Furthermore, it means that there is no evidence that she is provided with the opportunity to reflect on her practice. Inspection report children’s home: 1271222 3 The manager’s six-monthly report does not meet the regulations with respect to providing for consultations with staff, parents and professionals. Furthermore, the report lacks evaluation and does not promote improvements in service delivery.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are good links with a range of partner agencies. This includes young people’s placing authorities, health professionals and school. This promotes a collaborative approach to meeting the needs of the young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In response to the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection, recruitment of staff is now completed safely, staff are now familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping, staff have received input around the recording of physical interventions and staff are aware of whether a young person has an education, health and care plan. The recommendation around staff supervision has not been met and is now a requirement. Inspection report children’s home: 1271222 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/06/2019 Full Good 19/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1271222 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 ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 09/04/2020

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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 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and 09/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1271222 6 make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(5))

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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: 1271222 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: GS Social Care Solutions Limited

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1271222 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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