Children's Home run by Fairfield Residential Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Assurance visit report: SC397987 1 SC397987

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to two children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since November 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 10 October 2019

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC397987 2

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The care of children

The young person at the home continues to be supported by a stable and highly committed team. The staff have a deep understanding of her needs and vulnerabilities, and provide her with the consistency that allows her to flourish and develop.

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The care of children

The COVID-19 pandemic has not interrupted the young person’s education as she learns mainly from home. However, since restrictions relaxed, she has been able to attend more sessions at the provider’s educational facility. This promotes the young person’s ability to make significant progress in her social interaction skills. She was very pleased to tell the inspector that she has made three friends there.

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The care of children

The staff continue to encourage the young person to keep active by going for walks, as well as by using online fitness and yoga programmes. Prior to the lockdown, not only had the young person learned the valuable life skill of swimming unaided, but she had joined a gym. These new experiences had been carefully planned in stages to reduce any anxieties the young person may have had about going to new settings. Although she was unable to attend the gym due to the onset of COVID-19 restrictions, she nevertheless enjoys wearing her new gym clothes for her online sessions.

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The care of children

The young person remains in good general health and continues to attend necessary appointments. She has been able to tolerate procedures to improve her dental health. Support from specialist services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), continues via email and online meetings. There is a clear understanding of the ethical need to be aware of the young person’s wishes and feelings prior to medication changes.

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The care of children

The young person continues to keep in touch with family members. The provider facilitates safe face-to-face meetings at their own facilities when restrictions allow, in line with government guidelines.

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The care of children

The home now has a new kitchen and has been completely redecorated. The young person was fully consulted and chose paint colours and accessories. She says she likes her home.

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The care of children

The young person will shortly be making the transition to her adult placement. The manager and staff have robustly advocated for the young person’s wishes and feelings to be heard. The home is integral to the multi-agency plan in place to minimise the young person’s worries during the transition, and to ensure new agencies understand her needs.

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The safety of children

The young person says she feels safe in the home. Her sense of safety is evident by changes in her behaviour that show she feels more comfortable and relaxed in her surroundings. Assurance visit report: SC397987 3 The staff support the young person well to help her understand how to keep herself and others safe during the pandemic, while carefully considering any impact on her emotional well-being.

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The safety of children

The staff team continues to provide a high level of support and understands the young person’s needs and behaviours well. There have been no safeguarding concerns, due to the positive relationships staff have with the young person.

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The safety of children

The young person is learning more about the consequences of her behaviours. In consultation with CAMHS, the staff team has successfully implemented an incentive system to help her improve her self-awareness. This means she can now better identify and reflect on her own behaviours.

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The safety of children

The staff understand risk and how to keep the young person safe. Although there have been no concerns, they are clear about any actions they need to take, for example if the young person went missing from the home.

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The safety of children

The young person expressed some worries about going shopping for treats during the lockdown. The home responded by creating a ‘shop’ in the home which was stocked with the young person’s favourite items. The manager ensures that magazines available for the young person to buy are in line with her emotional maturity, and do not contain negative articles that might raise the young person’s concerns about COVID-19.

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Leaders and managers

The experienced registered manager has shown strong leadership throughout the pandemic. Robust COVID-19 risk assessments and protocols are in place that consider the individual needs of the staff and the young person. All visitors are expected to comply with these protocols.

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Leaders and managers

The manager regularly reviews the young person’s plans. The staff clearly understand these plans and follow them accordingly. The staff team continues to provide consistent care so that there has been no need for the home to use agency staff. The commitment to the young person’s well-being and transition to her adult placement is evident. Both the manager and a member of staff are postponing start dates for new jobs until after the young person leaves the home.

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Leaders and managers

Effective multi-agency working has continued throughout the pandemic and remains a strength of the home. This enables the staff to respond confidently to any changes in plans to support the young person’s development and progress. The social worker provided highly positive feedback about how the team continues to care for the young person and responds to her needs. She praised the home for its child-focused approach and the quality of communication to keep her updated about the young person’s progress.

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Leaders and managers

The staff continue to receive regular, reflective supervision and meet online for team meetings, to ensure they access the leadership and support to provide good-quality Assurance visit report: SC397987 4 care. They continue to maintain and improve their practice through their training, although through necessity, much has taken place online.

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Leaders and managers

The independent person continues to monitor the young person’s progress and well- being. Virtual visits have involved telephone consultations and remote scrutiny of documents. However, as restrictions have relaxed, these are now taking place in the home. The manager responds to findings from both internal and external monitoring to drive forward improvements.

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Leaders and managers

Previous requirements and recommendations have been met.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fairfield Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 59 Warburton Lane, Partington, Manchester, Lancashire M31 4NL

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Inspectors

Karen Willson, Social Care Inspector Tracy Mese, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC397987 5 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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