Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039248 1 SC039248

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Lancashire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of several operated by a local authority. The home offers care and accommodation for up to six children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home also has two self-contained flats to give young people an experience of independence. These young people are included in the registered numbers for the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since November 2019. An application for registration has been received.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection, in July 2019. An interim inspection in March 2020 judged it to have improved in effectiveness. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 8 July 2020 following concerns raised by notifications to Ofsted about the safeguarding of children in the home. Two compliance notices were served, in relation to regulation 40 (notifications) and regulation 14 (care planning). A monitoring visit on 13 August 2020 to look at the actions taken by the provider on the notices found that the compliance notice under regulation 14 had not been met and it was reissued. A visit on 29 September 2020 found this notice had been met.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted then received a notification on 25 November 2020 relating to a serious incident in the home. This concern prompted a monitoring inspection which resulted in two compliance notices being served, in relation to regulation 12 (safeguarding) and regulation 14 (care planning). The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the actions taken by the provider to meet these two compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual and manager were clear in their decision-making that it was not safe to accommodate the child who was linked to the serious incident above, knowing the risks that the admission would have on the home. However, the Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039248 2 decision of senior managers within the organisation was that the child was to be admitted to the home despite the identified risks.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has not had any admissions to or discharges from the home since the last visit and four children remain in placement. Two significant incidents had been referred to Ofsted during the period of the notice and the staff had acted appropriately to safeguard children. Feedback from social workers and from a school placement was very positive about the home and staff. Two parents also provided a positive review of the home and the work staff were doing to look after their children.

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This monitoring visit

One young person is moving on to a foster placement and the manager and staff have planed a good transition to the new placement with the young person. She has met the foster carers and spent time getting to know them, while having support from staff in the home. Staff are planning a celebration meal on the eve of her leaving and will provide her with gifts.

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This monitoring visit

Care plans and risk assessments are kept up to date and direct work is carried out in line with children’s plans. Staff have recently spoken to the children about cannabis after finding cannabis in the home. Children confirmed that they had smoked the cannabis and staff worked with them to help them to understand the impact on their health of using illegal substances and the wider potential consequences of taking illegal substances.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, Ofsted held a case review to consider the findings. The review concluded that the home had met all the steps in the compliance notices and there will be no further action.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/02/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/06/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039248 3

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 78, County Hall, Fishergate, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspector

Elaine Clare, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC039248 4 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

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

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