Children's Home run by Lytham Care Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 1 Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to two children. The provider indicates in its statement of purpose that the home provides care for children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since August 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 18 January 2022 to carry out a monitoring visit. The focus of that visit was to monitor and review the actions taken by the registered person since the previous full inspection, and to check compliance with the suspension notice that was issued on 7 September 2021. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor and review the actions taken by the provider since the previous monitoring visit on 18 January 2022. In addition, it was to check the registered person’s compliance with the further suspension notice served on 29 November 2021.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the registered person had continued to comply with the notice to suspend its registration and there were no children living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Some progress has been made with the refurbishment of the home. The building work has been completed and the house is being decorated. In its current condition, however, the house is not yet habitable. The registered person indicated that the house would not be ready to accommodate children for another three to four weeks. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 2 The registered person is putting in place a plan for improvement. However, the registered person was unable to demonstrate that improvements have been put into practice to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection on 7 September 2021.

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This monitoring visit

Stable and sustainable leadership and management of the home are currently not in place. The registered person informed the inspector that a new responsible individual has been appointed and started work on 14 February 2022. This is the third such appointment in the last six months. The registered provider is yet to formally notify Ofsted of this appointment; however, they confirmed that they would be doing so.

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This monitoring visit

A new manager has been appointed, but was absent from work due to ill health on the day of the monitoring visit. The new manager has not yet made an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit five staff have been employed to work at the home and there is a vacancy for one care worker. The registered person was not able to provide the names of the staff team or information about their experience, qualifications or training. Therefore, the registered provider is not able to demonstrate that the staff have the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to protect children from harm and meet their assessed needs.

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This monitoring visit

It is Ofsted’s view that any children moving to live at the home in its current state would be placed at risk of harm. Therefore, another notice of suspension has been served. Ofsted will continue to monitor the actions taken by the registered person and keep the notice under review as new information is received. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/09/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 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, 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The provider needs to ensure that all staff know the children’s individual needs and how to meet these needs. 1 December 2021

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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

that staff— 1 December 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 5 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 each child 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;

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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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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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 in the 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; 1 December 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 6 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 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 home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 1 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

An organisation may only carry on a home if—

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Requirement Due date

each director of the organisation, except for a director who is the responsible individual, who is involved in the carrying on of a home by that organisation satisfies the requirements in paragraph (6); and

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Requirement Due date

the organisation has notified HMCI of the name, address and position in the organisation of the responsible individual.

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of good integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit to carry on the home; and

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Requirement Due date

the individual is financially fit to carry on the home. 1 December 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 7 The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of the matters in paragraphs 1 and 3 to 6 of Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (4)(i)(ii) (5)(a)(b)(c)(d) (6)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purpose of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 1 December 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 8 This is particularly in relation to reference checks. The provider needs to ensure that these checks address any safeguarding and disciplinary issues.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b)) 1 December 2021

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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 to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 1 December 2021

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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

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The provider needs to demonstrate all hours that all staff have worked on rosters, including the registered manager. 1 December 2021

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 9

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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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Inspector

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2585541 10 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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