Children's Home run by XYP Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 1 Registered provider: XYP Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is managed by a private provider. Care is provided at this home for one child regardless of gender.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is overseen by an experienced manager. He was registered with Ofsted on 26 March 2021.

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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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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in this home has received high levels of supervision, care and support in line with their identified needs and statutory plans. This has increased the child’s safety and helped her to make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home holds strong beliefs and connections in respect of her cultural identity and community. These are understood and recognised by staff and managers. The care and support provided in the home have been adapted to complement the child’s beliefs. As a result, the child is engaging and achieving.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since living in the home, the child’s attendance in education has improved. She has gained many certificates and awards for education-related activities such as road safety, writing, budgeting and problem-solving. While completing these, the child is working towards gaining qualifications in Mathematics and English. This is a significant improvement for this child and will provide her with increased opportunities for employment and further education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since moving into the home, there has been progress made in respect of the child’s health. Dental and optical appointments have been attended, and the child has also engaged in sessions which support her emotional and mental well-being. Unfortunately, the child has poor sleep and eating routines. These are not indicated on the child’s health plan. Subsequently, sufficient action hasn’t been taken to support improvement in this area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Reward systems in the home support the child to engage in positive activities and gain a sense of achievement. Some of these incentivised activities also help the child to gain independence skills. This provides the child with the necessary knowledge and skills to support and care for herself in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Where there are associated risks, staff have worked in partnership with parents and the local authority to create robust safety plans to ensure that the child can spend time with family and significant others. This includes staff staying overnight in hotels and completing regular welfare checks. This helps the child to maintain and improve the key relationships which are important to her.

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

Risk assessments in place to protect the child are comprehensive. Protocols included to respond to unsafe behaviours provide staff with clear, detailed and effective guidance. Staff have a good understanding of these procedures and follow them. This reduces the risk of harm to the child and ensures consistent behaviour management. Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 4 On the occasions where this child has been missing from care, staff communicate well with the child and significant others to support her safe return to the home. Staff maintain contact with the child and can check her welfare throughout these episodes. Subsequently, missing-from-care incidents have reduced.

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

It has not been necessary to use restrictive physical intervention in this home. During times where the child has been in crisis, staff have responded positively to the child, demonstrating genuine care and affection. The nurturing responses given have allowed the child to express herself and have helped to de-escalate emotional and volatile situations in the home.

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

Staff have not demonstrated that they are completing a good level of direct safety work with the child. This does not support the child to recognise or understand risk- taking behaviours and does not provide her with the information and education needed to help her manage risk in the future. Missed opportunities to educate the child around risk-taking behaviours could lead to increased harm in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager oversees two homes within the organisation. He has good oversight of this home and is available to staff and children. He has the required experience to fulfil his role and is undertaking the necessary qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been difficulties in recruiting new staff to work within the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, staff work flexibly across both the registered manager’s homes and have been supported by several regular agency staff. This has not yet had an impact on the child. Rotas indicate that the child is supported daily by at least one key team member of staff who knows the child well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

To provide continuity of care in the home, staff who are in their probationary period have worked alongside agency staff to support the child. The manager has remained on call during this time. However, this means that the child has been cared for by staff who have not been fully assessed as competent to do so. This has the potential to reduce the quality of care for children and is not safe practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are shortfalls in terms of recording and reporting in the home. Records do not always hold the required information, and some records are not available. For example, there is not a clear record of individuals who have entered the home. Furthermore, documents are missing key information such as times, dates and signatures from staff. As a result, record-keeping in the home is not reflective of safe practice, monitoring and transparency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has demonstrated that he is a strong advocate for the child. He is confident in challenging professionals and ensuring that children receive the attention and support from external services that they require and deserve. Because of this, the child feels listened to and valued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 5 There have been several improvements made to the service since its registration in March 2021. Leaders and the manager have implemented a new induction programme for staff. A new training programme has also been devised. As a result, staff are gaining increased knowledge and are improving their skills, which supports them to provide good-quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, record the child’s individual needs, which relate to sleep and eating routines, within the health plan. Take sufficient steps to address these needs and help the child to understand them. 2 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, provide the child with relevant, meaningful, direct work to help them understand how to keep themselves 2 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 7 safe. Sessions should be focused on, but not limited to, the specific and current risks posed to the child.

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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 the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that those in charge of each shift have had their performance and practice assessed as being fully competent to do so through the successful completion of a probationary period. 2 April 2022

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that all the required records are held in the home. Furthermore, relevant records should be signed and dated by staff. 2 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person is to ensure that children are given a choice about how their personal space is decorated in accordance with regulation 7(2)(a)(i). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.19) Specifically, provide children with increased help and support to create a homely, comfortable and personalised bedroom with all necessary furniture, fixtures and fittings. Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 8

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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: 2634397 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: XYP Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 89 Church Road, Uppermill, Oldham OL3 6DY

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Philip Hogan-Birse

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Inspector

Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2634397 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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