Children's Home run by Lioncare Ltd Operating as The Lioncare Group in Brighton and Hove

Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 1 SC482548 Registered provider: Lioncare Ltd Operating as The Lioncare Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. There was one child living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since 16 June 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was undertaken on 2 July 2021 following an inspection judgement of inadequate. Compliance notices issued in respect of regulation 12, The protection of children standard, and regulation 13, Leadership and Management standard, were both met. Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/04/2021 Full Inadequate 22/01/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 04/06/2019 Full Good 12/12/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been an improvement in the quality of care provided to children because of improvements to the staffing arrangements, which means that there is now a stable core staff team. This has helped improve the consistency of care provided to children. Staff are positive about their role, and relationships between staff and children have improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The support for one child moving on from the home has been good. The transition plan was individualised to reflect the child’s communication needs. This helped the child to have a detailed understanding of what was happening and when. The staff team developed a better understanding of the child’s specific needs. The staff worked with the professionals involved and this helped the child to move on positively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with the wider professional network to effectively support children to develop their skills for independence in an age-appropriate way. A child is learning good life skills through the help staff provide. This is helping the child to prepare for their planned move to supported living arrangements. Although there is a clear plan in place, there is no written record of this for staff to refer to or for the child to have sight of. Staff have provided positive support for this child in gaining part-time employment. The child has progressed well in their learning. Staff support them to continue in their college studies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children understand how to make a complaint. One child was appropriately supported by staff through the complaints process. Staff use restorative approaches to resolving concerns by speaking to the individuals involved, to help them understand the impact of behaviours and how to put things right in order to mend relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with their family and friends. This includes supporting visits to the home where this is appropriate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is undergoing redecoration and new furniture has been ordered. There is an ongoing home improvement plan that is making the home more ‘homely’ and welcoming. This is a tangible and positive change since the last inspection.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the individual vulnerabilities for each child. They have effective strategies in place to help keep children safe and these are clearly set out in the children’s individual risk assessment records. However, for one child, there has been a delay in staff updating the risk management plan. Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 4 Further training provided to staff in relation to assessing risks to children has helped to improve the practice within the team. There are effective discussions within team meetings with regard to the vulnerabilities and identified risks for each child. This helps to strengthen staff understanding and ensures a consistent response to caring for children.

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

There are appropriate fire safety measures in place. Children are supported to take part in regular fire drills. Staff help children to develop an understanding of potential fire risks and how to effectively respond to these.

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

The response to allegations against staff is managed well. This includes independent investigations being undertaken in response to significant concerns about staff practice. These investigations result in detailed action plans in order to identify any steps that need to be taken to provide support to those involved and to ensure safe practice. Staff consult and work effectively in partnership with the designated officer for safeguarding in response to concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has taken positive steps to address the shortfalls identified at the last full inspection. This has had a positive impact on the experience and progress of children because they have a more consistent experience of care from staff who understand their needs. Staff morale is much improved and the core staff team caring for children is well supported, trained and well managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager has worked well with the new deputy manager to provide effective leadership to the staff team. Together, they provide staff with clear guidance and have high expectations in relation to care practice. Through effective discussions in team meetings, staff have the opportunity to reflect on practice. This helps staff to work well as a team and to take a consistent approach to the care of children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safe recruitment practice ensures that only staff who are of suitable character and have suitable experience are employed in the home. There are detailed induction plans for new staff, with effective management oversight of these. New staff receive regular support and relevant training to enable them to undertake their role competently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision which provides them with space to reflect on their own individual practice. Through the enabling approach of the management team, staff are supported to share any worries. As a result, staff feel confident to raise concerns regarding staff practice. This contributes to the healthy safeguarding culture in the home. Managers take prompt steps to resolve any concerns raised by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel positive about the support provided by the manager and the senior leadership team. The responsible individual has maintained effective oversight of the home through regular visits and supervision provided to the interim manager. The Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 5 responsible individual has identified a development plan for the home, based on the learning from the findings of the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 6

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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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that individual risk assessment records are kept up to date. 30 September

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Recommendations

In particular, to ensure that a written transition plan is agreed with the child.

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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) Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 7 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lioncare Ltd Operating as The Lioncare Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 58a Livingstone Road, Hove, Sussex BN3 3WL

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Inspectors

Maria Lonergan, Social Care Inspector Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC482548 9 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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