Children's Home run by Progressive Futures Care Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 1 SC066242

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Progressive Futures Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a small private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The former registered manager has recently cancelled his registration, following an extended period of absence since May 2019. A new manager was appointed but failed to apply for registration with Ofsted. The provider is now in the process of recruiting another manager for the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 9 and 10 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit to the home on 9 March 2021. A number of shortfalls were identified at this visit. The decision was made to issue compliance notices, relating to the protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. A further five requirements were also made. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the actions taken by the provider to meet the two compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, two children were living in the home. Following the last visit, the manager decided not to proceed with her application for registration. The organisation is now seeking to recruit an experienced registered manager, although a suitable candidate has yet to be identified. The responsible individual is managing the home in the interim. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 2 At the time of the last monitoring visit, senior managers were reliant on feedback from the manager and had not visited the home for many months. This is no longer a concern. The provider has introduced systems to improve the oversight and review of the home. The responsible individual is in the process of completing her own audit of the home, demonstrating that the provider is working to address the shortfalls that were identified during the previous visit. Health and safety monitoring

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This monitoring visit

forms and daily check lists for staff are also helping to ensure that routine checks are not missed.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made to the impact risk assessment format, which is used when making decisions regarding the placement of new children into the home. This now includes relevant historical information, details of the child’s previous placement, discussion with stakeholders and the child’s known risks, as well as strategies for staff to manage the child’s behaviour. However, no children have moved into the home since the last monitoring visit, so it is too soon to be able to monitor the effectiveness of this document.

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This monitoring visit

Although some improvements have been made to risk management plans, concerns remain regarding missing information. Information relating to the key risks for children are still not fully captured in their plans. One child’s plan lacked information relating to a recent incident of self-harm using a ligature. The risk assessment did not identify strategies for staff to follow or modifications to the environment needed, to protect the child from further incidents. Additionally, when follow-up action has been taken, such as contacting other professionals, this is not recorded.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, it is not clear how staff are aware of the strategies they should use in order to manage these risks and keep children safe. Although risk management plans have been signed by the child, they are not signed by the author or members of staff. Consequently, children’s care is compromised. A further compliance notice is to be served relating to risk management, to ensure that these shortfalls are addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit, the young person’s handbook has been updated and now includes the arrangements to manage the risks associated with children who smoke. This is now clear for staff and children.

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This monitoring visit

There are now individual lone-working risk assessments for all staff working in the home, detailing actions to support lone working. A procedure for on-call staff is now in place, with the duty staff member clearly recorded on the staff rota.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed a range of online training since the last monitoring visit. T his includes de-escalation and the use of physical intervention. The organisation acknowledged the need for supplementary face-to-face training, which will be sourced when COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions are lifted. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 3 Improvements have been made to the physical environment. New furniture has been purchased, the shower cubicle re-grouted and broken electrical sockets fixed. Although improvements need to continue, the environment for children living at the home is safer and more welcoming. Children confirmed that these changes have improved their home environment.

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This monitoring visit

There has been one independent visit to the home since the last monitoring visit. This did include a visit to the home and discussion with children living here, as well as a review of some documents. However, reports provide limited review and feedback to the provider, limiting their effectiveness. These reports do not support the development of practice in the home.

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This monitoring visit

One previous requirement relating to obtaining up-to-date records from the local authority was not explored as part of this monitoring visit. Similarly, a number of recommendations are repeated and will be reviewed as part of the home’s next routine inspection. An additional requirement is made that relates to the appointment of a new manager for the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/02/2020 Full Good 22/01/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/07/2017 Full Outstanding 12/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 4

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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, The 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(b)) 04 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider—

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. 25 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 5 (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation for each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children’s case records must contain up-to-date plans and reports relating to each child, including: personal education plans; a copy of any plan for the care of the child prepared by the child’s placing authority; and the date and result of any review of the placing authority’s plan for the care of the child, or of the child’s placement plan. 25 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)(b)(7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the content and quality of these reports is improved to help drive forward improvement in the home. 25 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition to adult life is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 57, paragraph 11.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 6 practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. The record of supervision should provide evidence that staff have reflected critically on children’s progress, their work with children and their training and professional development. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to understanding children’s needs, experiences and outcomes. Ensure that records of direct work with children are detailed and show clearly the outcome that the work is trying to achieve; how it fits in with the child’s plan; the child’s views, wishes and feelings; an evaluation of the effectiveness of the work; and set out what needs to happen next to support the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the review of the quality of care (under regulation 45) should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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: Progressive Futures Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 22 Hoghton Street, Southport Merseyside, PR9 0PG

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post vacant Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 7

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Inspectors

Mandy Williams, Social Care Inspector Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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