Children's Home run by Partners in Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children's home: SC441717 1 SC441717 Registered provider: Partners in Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. In this home, care is provided for up to four children of either gender.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is overseen by an experienced manager who gained registration in September 2018.

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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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC441717 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2019 Full Good 08/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 19/04/2018 Full Good 09/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: SC441717 3

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improvement to be good

Children living in this home are making positive progress. They have strong, positive relationships with staff, who support and encourage them to achieve. The effect of shortfalls in leadership and management and in the protection of children has led to a decline in children’s overall experiences.

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improvement to be good

Not all children living in the home are suitably placed together. The impact assessment for one child lacks detail and information. Because of this, potential risks to those already living in the home have not been fully considered. This has led to occasions when children living in the home have felt unsafe and uncomfortable.

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improvement to be good

Children have been supported by staff to engage in appointments which they have previously been reluctant to attend. For example, children are having their orthodontic, dental and health assessment needs met. They are referred to the relevant services for external support and treatment when needed. This means that children benefit from improved physical health and well-being.

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improvement to be good

Some children are excelling in education. One child is working well above average for his age in mathematics. Two children have excellent attendance levels. Another child is not currently engaging. The manager has worked closely with the local authority to support him with this and continues to offer various opportunities for formal and informal learning.

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improvement to be good

Children are given the opportunity to engage in a range of activities. They have enjoyed visiting places such as a seaside amusement park, the golf driving-range and go-karting. One child enjoys practising his electric guitar; another says he enjoys spending time in the home with staff. Children are also looking forward to their planned, upcoming holiday in Scotland.

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improvement to be good

Children spend time with their friends in the community. Children have been helped to build their peer relationships and to increase their social skills. This means that children are benefiting from positive social relationships and are expanding their support networks outside the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff are good at praising children for their positive behaviours and achievements. The manager has implemented a daily journal for children to record their achievements and progress. This also helps them to reflect on their day, their progress and their positive contributions to others. This promotes children’s self- worth and confidence, and helps them to understand their behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Children live in the home for long periods of time. Because of this, children have solid, strong, positive relationships with core staff in the home. Children enjoy living here, and they have strong connections to the home and want to stay. Inspection report children's home: SC441717 4

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improvement to be good

There have been some improvements to the home’s physical environment since the last inspection. Unfortunately, some aspects of the environment still pose a risk to children’s safety and are not of the required standard. This includes an unsecure fence in the garden and an exposed manhole. This means that children do not have a safe outdoor space at their home. At the time of the inspection, the manager arranged for the necessary works to be completed following the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Occasions when children have been missing from home have been minimal. Incidents that have occurred generally relate to children staying out later than the agreed time with friends in the local community. At the time of the inspection, one child had been missing for a significant amount of time. On this occasion, sufficient action had not been taken to respond to this incident and ascertain this child’s whereabouts. This effects children’s safety and does not reflect good safeguarding practice.

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improvement to be good

One child is at risk of criminal exploitation and substance misuse and is vulnerable in the community. Risk assessments accurately evaluate the risks posed to the child’s safety. However, procedures in place to manage associated behaviours do not provide staff with comprehensive guidance to follow in the event of an incident. This has resulted in shortfalls in responding to children’s unsafe behaviours and subsequently hinders their safety and welfare.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of physical intervention used in the home are minimal. Staff know children well and use their positive relationships with children to de-escalate incidents in which children may display unsafe behaviours towards themselves or others. Physical interventions that have occurred are well documented. Staff and children involved are supported to reflect on incidents and learn from them. This promotes positive behaviour management and serves to reduce further incidents.

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good

The home has a stable and consistent registered manager who is dedicated to the home and children. Due to the pandemic, she has been unable to fully complete the qualification necessary for her role. She is close to completion and is dedicated to achieving this.

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good

The manager is supported by a small core team and is currently recruiting for several positions in the home. Unfortunately, agency staff have been used in excess due to shortfalls in staffing. Staffing ratios required in the home dictate that generally half of those working in the home with children each day are not employed by the organisation. This does not provide children with the necessary continuity of care. Children do not have enough core staff with whom to build a good range of Inspection report children's home: SC441717 5 strong, consistent relationships with. Shortfalls in staffing have also led to delays in staff receiving required training.

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good

There are shortfalls in the monitoring and review of the home. The manager has not updated and reviewed children’s risk assessments and procedures so that they adequately account for children’s increased risks. Furthermore, not all the requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection have been met. This reduces the quality of care provided to children.

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good

Independent person reports have not been received by the regulator within an appropriate timescale, which prevents timely review by the regulator. Additionally, shortfalls identified from independent visits have not always been quickly rectified. A lack of timely review by the regulator and action to identified areas of improvement has the potential to impact on children’s welfare, well-being and overall safety.

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good

The registered manager has high expectations of her team and its practice. She demonstrates integrity and transparency. Despite significant shortfalls in staffing, the manager has not accepted poor practice or those who have not shown commitment to their role supporting children. Any practice issues identified are quickly and effectively resolved. This ensures that all those working in the home have the necessary qualities and skills to do so.

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good

The manager is keen to learn from and address the shortfalls highlighted within the inspection. There have been some recent changes within the organisation’s structure. Because of this, the manager believes she has increased help and support from her line manager to make the necessary changes to ensure children are receiving improved help, protection and quality of care. Inspection report children's home: SC441717 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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure protocols and procedures in place to protect children are reflective of the current risks posed. Managers and staff should make sufficient efforts to locate children when they are missing from home. Ensure staff are clear of the expectations to respond to incidents of missing from home and other unsafe behaviours presented by children. 30 September

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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. 26 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC441717 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure the home and grounds are safe and free from potential hazards. Ensure that children’s bedrooms are free from damaged items and represent a safe, nurturing and homely environment.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that systems are in place to regularly monitor and review plans to manage and assess children’s unsafe behaviours. Ensure that the home has adequate core staffing levels so that children can build and enjoy a variety 30 September Inspection report children's home: SC441717 8 of strong, consistent relationships with those who care for them. Ensure that recommendations from independent monitoring are responded to within an appropriate timescale and that reports produced by independent persons are sent to the regulator without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that impact assessments are complete and that they fully consider how children’s needs can be met and how unsafe behaviours can be managed and/or mitigated where necessary. Consider the potential impact to children already living in the home when making decisions about children moving in. 30 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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Recommendations

This recommendation was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support. Children must be Inspection report children's home: SC441717 9 aware of the complaints procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. In particular, that complaints procedures support children to make written and verbal complaints where they are unhappy. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13)

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. Specifically, ensure references are requested from all previous employers where potential employees have worked with children and/or vulnerable adults. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children's home: SC441717 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Partners in Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC441717 11 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

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