Children's home run by Lytham Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 1 Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private company. It provides care for two children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Inspection date: 26 January 2022

Date of last inspection: 19 October 2021

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Inspection date: 26 January 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 January 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home are potentially compromising children’s welfare and progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, children feel happy and well-supported by staff. They are making progress in their health and education. Staff have encouraged and support a child to get an apprenticeship. However, the children’s records do not always provide a clear picture of children’s experiences and progress. This detracts from the good work that staff have completed to support children in all areas of their lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

An interim manager has been in place since the registered manager went on maternity leave on 4 October 2021. The interim manager has failed to make an application to Ofsted for registration.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interim manager is not spending sufficient time at the home and, as a result, is not able to provide effective leadership and management oversight. This means that she does not have a detailed understanding of the quality of the care and protection that children receive daily. Staff rosters are not accurate and do not always show the actual hours the manager and staff worked at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interim manager has failed to manage an allegation made by a child on 11 November 2021 about a member of staff appropriately. The allegation was not reported to the placing authority or local designated officer in line with the safeguarding procedures. This meant that the child’s concerns and potential risks of harm could not be assessed by relevant people independent of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interim manager’s evaluation of the incident failed to identify shortfalls in staff’s approach to helping the child manage her feelings or recognise that the child’s concerns should be reported to the safeguarding agencies for consideration. The local designated officer was unaware of the allegation until the inspector spoke to them on the day of the inspection. This considerable delay means that the risks to the children living at the home have not been assessed, and appropriate support has not been put in place.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interim manager and staff have failed to respond appropriately to both children’s concerns about being cared for overnight by two male members of staff. A child told staff on 21 December 2021 that she did not feel safe when two men worked together. However, the interim manager and staff did not use their professional curiosity to explore or understand the child’s concerns. The interim Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 3 manager failed to address the issue. After the child told staff how she was feeling, two male members of staff worked together on at least nine occasions. This left the child feeling vulnerable, so much so that she started to use her phone to record when she was being cared for by only male staff. Again, the interim manager and staff have not explored with the child her reasons for needing to record what is happening.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The interim manager has failed to show that steps have been taken to address the weaknesses in the effectiveness of the monitoring children’s risk assessments and plans, and records of sanctions and serious incidents. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are not kept up to date or relevant to current risks for each child. Plans are not individualised to each child’s needs and do not consistently show effective strategies to minimise risk or support children to manage their feelings safely.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

External monitoring by independent people is taking place every month and identifies areas for improvement for the care of the children. However, the interim manager does not always take action to make these improvements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although the home’s location risk assessment has been reviewed, it lacks evaluation of the impact of risks identified on child’s safety. In addition, the review of the risk assessment did not consider the views of relevant people, including children living at the home, about the suitability of the local area.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge through training. However, some staff have not completed training in autism spectrum disorders identified at the last inspection. Staff are not receiving regular practice-related supervision. The quality of supervision is variable and does not always evaluate staff’s practice, skills or knowledge.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children now live in a pleasant and comfortable home with a new kitchen. Their bedrooms are tidy and decorated to reflect their tastes. Staff make sure that children understand what they need to do in case of a fire, and new staff have taken part in fire evacuation drills as part of their induction to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been significant improvements in the recruitment process. This means that only adults who are safe to work with children are appointed to work in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following the inspection, two compliance notices were issue under Regulation 12, the protection of children, and Regulation 13, leadership and management. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 5

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)) 03 April 2022

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and 03 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 6 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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is repeated.

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is repeated. 03 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 03 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 7 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, keep a record of the actual hours worked by staff and managers. 03 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2)) 03 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 for children’s home: 1256658 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 400 Longmoor Lane, Fazakerly, Liverpool L9 9DB

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Inspectors

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Michelle Edge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256658 9 regulates and inspects 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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