Children's Home run by Tressell Homes Ltd in Liverpool

Information about this children's home

This private children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person. The home provides support for children who may have been, or who are, experiencing social, communication, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered since 22 June 2020.

p.1

Information about this children's home

Previous inspection date: Not previously inspected

p.1

Information about this children's home

Previous inspection judgement: Not previously inspected

p.1

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).

p.1

Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

p.1

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.

p.1

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. Assurance visit report: 2585139 2

p.1

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.

p.2

The care of children

The young person lives in a stable and supportive environment. His parents and professionals feel that he is a lot more settled than he has been in the past, and is making significant progress.

p.2

The care of children

The young person enjoys positive relationships with staff and is developing a sense of belonging. The manager and staff listen to the young person’s wishes and feelings and respond to them appropriately. They take the young person’s concerns seriously and support him to understand expectations and boundaries.

p.2

The care of children

The young person keeps in touch with his family. He speaks to them on the telephone and he is seeing them more often. He visits them and stayed overnight on his birthday. Staff work closely with the young person and his parents to make sure that spending time together is a safe and positive experience for everyone.

p.2

The care of children

The young person has returned to school and is doing well. Staff understand his learning needs. They work well with his teachers to make sure that the young person gets the support and opportunities to reach his potential.

p.2

The care of children

The young person said that staff give him advice about COVID-19 and how to stay safe and healthy. Staff understand and monitor the young person’s health and emotional well-being. They make sure that the young person gets the advice, assessment, medication and treatment he needs to meet his health and emotional needs. Staff arranged for the young person’s mum to come along to support him when he had his immunisations.

p.2

The care of children

Some work is needed to make sure that the young person is living in a tidy, clean and well-maintained home. The carpets in the young person’s bedroom, stairs and landing, and office are stained, and walls throughout the house need redecorating. The young person would benefit from encouragement and support to keep his room tidy and to care for his clothes.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff understand how to manage risk and keep the young person safe. Risks to the young person’s welfare have reduced significantly since he came to live at the home. For example, the young person has not been missing from the home.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities for safeguarding young people. They identify any concerns about the young person’s safety and act appropriately to protect him from harm. Assurance visit report: 2585139 3 Staff are well-prepared, trained and supported to understand the young person’s diverse and complex needs. Staff are developing an understanding of why the young person may show challenging behaviours and how to respond.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff work alongside other partners to develop and put in to practice effective support plans, which are helping the young person to manage his feelings and behaviour safely. The young person now feels safe enough to engage with a therapist about his feelings and thoughts.

p.3

The safety of children

Weekly meetings between the young person, his parents, social worker and the manager have had a positive impact on how the young person manages his feelings, anxiety and behaviour. The meetings give the young person opportunities to talk about what is going well and his concerns, and to find solutions in a structured and constructive way.

p.3

The safety of children

The manager and staff are helping the young person to develop social skills, empathy and to understand how his actions may affect other people.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The manager is very experienced and suitably qualified. He has the necessary expertise to understand the young person’s needs and to provide staff with the support and guidance they require, to enable them to support the young person effectively.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The manager and staff place the well-being of the young person at the centre of their practice and the running of the home. They have supported the young person during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have managed restrictions appropriately to ensure the impact on the young person is minimised .

p.3

Leaders and managers

Thoughtful and effective care planning meant that the young person moved into the home smoothly. Strong working relationships between the staff, parents and professionals enabled staff to understand the young person’s assessed needs and plans. Before the young person arrived at the home, staff had the necessary training, knowledge and skills to respond to his needs effectively.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The manager and staff work collaboratively with the young person’s parents and partner agencies. They use monthly meetings to monitor the young person’s progress and review plans to make sure that they continue to meet his needs. Clear and effective communication between the adults means that the young person receives consistent information so that he knows what is going to happen. This reduces the chance for confusion which may cause the young person anxiety.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The young person is supported by a stable staff team who benefit from regular supervision and team meetings. The team work together well to provide the young person with consistent care and support. The manager and staff reflect on their own practice and the young person’s progress to make sure that he receives the help that he needs. Assurance visit report: 2585139 4 The responsible individual and manager do not always keep detailed records of staff recruitment checks. They do not always obtain proof of identity, including a recent photograph. When they have concerns, they do not complete a written assessment of the issues, what they have done in response and the reasons for the decision they have made about the person’s suitability.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The independent person carrying out the external monitoring of the home does not consult regularly with the young person and report his views about the home's care.

p.4

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.4

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the carpets in the child's bedroom, hall, stairs and landing, and staff office are clean; staff encourage and support the child to hang up their clothes and keep their bedroom tidy; and the walls are decorated to a good standard. 31/01/2021 Assurance visit report: 2585139 5 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children's home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.5

Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, registered person obtains proof of identity including a recent photograph; ensures that a record of the outcome of enquiries made to verify written references; and to follow up concerns identified in the recruitment process that may affect an applicant's suitability. When concerns have been identified a risk assessment should be completed of the applicant's suitability, including the reasons for the decision made about their suitability. 31/01/2021

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the independent person carrying out the regulation 44 visits consults regularly with children on their views about the home's care; and children's views are recorded in the independent person's report. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards page 22, paragraph 4.11) Assurance visit report: 2585139 6

p.5

Children's home details

Registered provider address: Unit 41, Price Street Business Centre, Price Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire CH41 4JQ

p.6

Inspectors

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Genevieve O' Reilly, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2585139 7 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.

p.6

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspectors

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7