Children's home run by Warrington Borough Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC444792 1 SC444792 Registered provider: Warrington Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in March 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

The child was seen as part of this inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: 10 September 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC444792 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2018 Full Good 12/12/2017 Full Good 15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC444792 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff at this children’s home provide nurturing care to one child who lives at the home. This care is individualised and is helping the child to progress from her starting point. The staff provide consistent and child-focused care. This helps the child to have trusted relationships with staff. The inspector observed close relationships between the child and staff. This helps the child to have a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have effective relationships with other professionals, for example education providers and the child’s independent reviewing officer. Staff also work proactively with the child’s parents to provide meaningful contact between the child and her parents. This ensures that the child maintains a relationship with her parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child attends school. The staff communicate frequently with school and advocate for the child’s return to mainstream education. The staff are proactive and work with school staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have a good knowledge of the child’s health needs, including her emotional and psychological health. The staff involve external professionals to support the child, for example child and adolescent mental health services and an educational psychologist. The educational psychologist advises the child’s key worker about therapeutic techniques to help the child, for example about the child’s bedtime routine. These techniques are working because the child’s bedtime routine has settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff listen to what the child has to say. They take her away from the home to spend time with her to find out how she feels and to talk about her behaviour. The staff complete work with the child on a variety of topics, for example internet safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to have contact with her family in line with her care plan. The staff are involved in her long-term plan to return home. The staff communicate regularly with the child’s family.

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

Staff know the risks in respect of the child. There are clear risk management plans in place, and staff have a good understanding of risk.

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

There have been incidents of going missing since the last inspection. Staff manage these incidents well and follow children’s risk management plans. Incidents of going missing have decreased. This means that the child is becoming increasingly safe.

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

The staff are consistent in managing the child’s behaviour. This approach alongside the staff’s knowledge of the child means that the child feels secure. The inspector observed the staff managing an incident on the inspection. The staff managed this Inspection report children’s home: SC444792 4 incident well. They provided the child with a calm and firm approach in line with her behaviour support plan.

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

Staff use advice from other professionals and include this in the child’s behaviour support plan, for example advice from an educational psychologist in respect of helping the child at bedtime. This helps the child to feel secure.

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

There have been incidents of physical restraint in school. The assistant manager is a team teach trainer. He evaluates incidents to ensure that they are appropriate. This means that the staff ensure that school staff are using restraint as a last resort. This helps the child to feel valued.

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

Staff understand the risks that the internet can pose for children. They work with children to help them understand these risks. They use information from a variety of sources to educate the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a registered manager in post and she is supported by a competent assistant manager. They have high expectations for the child and they are proud of her achievements. The registered manager has a clear understanding of the progress that the child is making, and she is a good advocate for her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff say that they enjoy working in the home. Staff say that the registered and assistant managers are supportive. Staff meetings are regular and well attended by the staff team. Staff discuss a variety of topics. These meetings include reflective practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She knows that the child benefits from living alone, and she is committed to ensuring that this happens. Some of the records in the home require improvement, for example evaluating sanctions. These records need to be consistent to ensure that managers learn from incidents to make improvements in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are care planning processes in place. The registered manager completes impact assessments in respect of children moving in. However, these processes do not always work because some children are not well matched. This has impacted on their overall progress and experiences. A requirement has been made to reflect this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have good relationships with other professionals involved with the child. The inspector spoke to the head of student services at the child’s school. She was positive about the care that the staff provide. Staff work positively with education providers. This includes staff attending at school to support the child in her lessons. Staff attend frequent multi-agency meetings to discuss plans for the child’s education. This ensures that the child is receiving care specific to her needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC444792 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 29/05/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 29/05/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC444792 6

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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: SC444792 7

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Children’s home details

Registered Provider: Warrington local authority

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Children’s Services Directorate, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA1 2NJ

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Inspector

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC444792 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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