Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Manchester

Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 1 SC472680 Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states in its statement of purpose that this home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 24 November 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/07/2019 Full Good 19/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are welcomed to the home when they move in. Efforts are made to help each child settle in, including helping them to personalise their bedroom. Staff recognise the importance of building positive memories. Children experience a range of activities and are encouraged to explore their own likes and dislikes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make further efforts when children move out. Personal photos are saved as video presentations and given to children to take with them. Several children have returned to see staff since moving out. Staff also continue to provide support when children go back to live with their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment is well maintained. Locks have been removed from the internal doors, which allows children free access to the communal areas. This meets a previous requirement. Staff take time to decorate the home in line with different celebrations. At the time of the inspection, Christmas decorations were displayed around the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to engage in their individual education placements. One child was supported to receive tutoring through the summer holidays after missing long periods of school prior to moving in. Regular contact has been made with virtual schools to help identify a suitable school for one child. The manager has raised her concerns around the delays. However, as escalation processes were not used initially, the child continued with a tutor.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their health needs. Referrals to substance misuse services have been effective in helping children to reduce cannabis use and smoking. However, due to the number of children who have moved out and moved in, there have been some delays in the care planning for children. For example, one child has not yet started to receive therapy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with the children’s families and try to include them when possible. However, an independent visitor or advocate has not been requested for one child who has not seen his family. This reduces his opportunities to have his views and wishes heard or spend time with someone outside of the home.

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

Risk management plans identify the steps for staff to take to keep children safe. This meets a previous requirement. Staff are confident in risk management and work consistently. On one occasion, staff have not acted in line with expectations, although there was no effect on the child. Managers have addressed this through reflection and identifying further training needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 4 Staff work hard to ensure that children do not go missing from home. Staff educate children on the risks in the community through a range of resources, including training courses. Staff take action to ensure that children are located quickly. Return home interviews are carried out by an independent service to ensure that children can express their views. However, managers do not always evaluate the staff’s actions when reviewing the documents. This is a missed opportunity for further reflection and learning.

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

Appropriate plans are in place to safeguard children online. Children agree to having regular checks on their devices to ensure that they are safe. Children also feel comfortable in raising concerns with staff. Any allegations have been reported in line with procedure. This meets a previous requirement.

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

The manager understands the importance of working together to safeguard children. One social worker said, ‘There has been regular multi-agency communication throughout the placement to support his needs.’ Children are also encouraged to take an active part in their meetings. One child said, ‘I am a completely better, safer person living here.’

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

Positive behaviour is regularly reinforced. When a sanction is used, the manager now seeks the views of the child and staff before reviewing whether it is suitable. Several of the sanctions used are restorative and help to educate children. This meets a previous recommendation.

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

Fire drills take place regularly. All children who move into the home, and new staff, are shown the fire procedures. Training has been completed with children to ensure that they understand the risks of fire-setting. Further appropriate and time-limited steps are taken when necessary to reduce risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. She works closely with the deputy manager to ensure that children and staff receive the support they need. Managers invest in the staff and encourage them to complete the leadership and management qualification. As a result of good staff retention, children receive care from a consistent staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager spoke about the change in the dynamics throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She has found it more difficult to build relationships with professionals without meeting face to face. However, professionals spoken to are happy about the level of communication. One social worker said: ‘Staff are experienced and always come prepared for meetings. I have nothing negative to say. [Name of child] has a clear routine and goes to school every day now. He has made a lot of progress.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received a range of training to meet the needs of the children. However, not all staff have completed harmful sexual behaviour training. This is necessary to ensure that staff are aware of any signs, particularly as five children are living Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 5 together. As several children have recently moved into the home, the managers have recognised that it is essential for staff presence and proactive planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff meet regularly as a team for positive, child-focused team meetings. Plans are in place to review the children’s requests during the meetings. Children also engage in meetings with staff and contribute their views and wishes. However, it is not always clear that responses have been given to children. This feedback is important to show children that they have been heard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that they value. This is an opportunity for staff to reflect and seek support. New staff members also receive a warm welcome and a range of training during their induction period. One new staff member said, ‘I loved it here the minute I walked in.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 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, 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 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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that each child’s needs are met without delay, including education and mental health support. Managers must consider the staff’s ability to meet each child’s needs before other children move in.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to staff receiving training in harmful sexual behaviour. 10 February 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children have access to appropriate advocacy support and, where possible, this should be provided by a person who the child chooses. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  The registered person should ensure that there is appropriate challenge to the placing authority to meet the child’s needs under regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met). The registered person should use escalation processes if no education place is identified by the placing authority in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15) Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 7  The registered person should ensure that children are able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that evaluation is undertaken for all incidents to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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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: SC472680 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 154 Buxton Road, High Lane, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 8EA

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Inspector

Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC472680 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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