Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 1 SC039676 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides short-break provision for children who have severe learning disabilities and associated complex needs. The service provides overnight short- break care for up to six children at a time.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by Lancashire County Council. The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2004 and has a level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. The registered person has not worked in the home since December 2021. A new manager has been appointed on a temporary arrangement and intends to submit an application to Ofsted to become registered.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 18 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/02/2020 Full Outstanding 29/01/2019 Full Outstanding 08/11/2017 Full Outstanding 28/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The service currently supports 16 children. Before accessing the service, children and people who are important to them can visit the home to help them to decide about whether to take up the support offered. Managers visit children and families at their home to gather information about the child. This ensures that children receive individual care that incorporates the routine the child has at home. During the inspection, three children were enjoying their short break.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by managers and staff to access adult short-break services when the child turns 18. Staff arrange celebrations for children who are leaving the service. Children receive a memory book created by staff of their time at the setting. As a result, children have positive experiences of leaving the short-break service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive relationships with managers and staff who know them well. Staff’s interactions with children are exceptional. Staff prepare activities they know the children like. They promote children’s wishes by allowing children to explore the environment and choose activities they want to participate in. Children have fun and really enjoy their short breaks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good use of Picture Exchange Communication System and Makaton means that children who cannot communicate verbally can make their needs and wishes known to staff. Managers are developing communication systems to help children to give feedback about the care they receive. Staff respond appropriately and are able to use different communication tools to ensure that children understand daily routines and boundaries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents speak positively about the care that children receive. They feel that staff communicate well and feel involved in plans for their child. One parent wrote to the inspector explaining that their son is very happy and likes to see all the staff. The parent compares their child’s visits to a sleepover with friends. This provides children with opportunities that may not be possible at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the children receive support to develop their independence skills in line with their age and development. For example, one child has progressed from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeds to a liquidised diet. This practice helps children to achieve milestones in their development and promotes their confidence and self-esteem as they feel a sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On two occasions, the manager or child’s key worker has not been able to attend children’s review meetings. Despite the manager having access to the child’s records, they have not reviewed the actions agreed. As a result, the number of agreed days for children who access the service has been incorrectly recorded and not challenged. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 4 Managers do not always access children’s education, health and care plans available on the electronic record system. This is a missed opportunity to support staff to understand the assessed needs of children and strategies that are consistent with those used at home and school.

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

Managers and staff have a good understanding of children’s behaviours. They can recognise early warning signs of children becoming anxious or distressed. This helps staff to redirect behaviours and prevents potentially challenging situations from escalating. Positive behaviours are consistently encouraged by staff. This good practice reduces the number of incidents and helps to keep children safe.

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

Medication is managed well. Staff are trained in administrating medication safely. They ensure that medication is stored securely, and children are administered medication in line with the prescriber’s directions.

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

Children do not go missing and there have been no incidents of bullying. Staff support children to enjoy activities that promote their independence and provide opportunities for them to develop skills in keeping themselves safe.

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

Staff support children to use electronic devices. Children are supervised when accessing the internet. This reduces the risk of online exploitation and abuse.

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

Managers and staff identify potential risks. Measures are put in place to reduce risk. However, children’s plans do not clearly record decisions that can restrict a child’s movement. For example, some children sleep in safe space beds; however, there is no assessment in place to support why children need these.

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

On the rare occasions that physical intervention has been used by staff, it has been done so to prevent harm to the child. However, records do not contain a clear description of the hold used and a clear record of debriefs with children and staff. This is a missed opportunity to learn from practice.

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good

The managers do not ensure that the physical environment is kept to a high standard. For example, a large piece of card is used to block sunlight from a window so that children can watch television programmes. Projectors in the sensory room are not working, meaning that children cannot get the full benefit of the sensory area. Staff do not always take action to improve the environment for children. One child was seen sitting on a torn chair while being supported by staff to have a drink. This affects children’s experiences.

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good

Managers do not ensure that staff receive regular supervision and yearly appraisals. This limits opportunities for staff to reflect and learn from practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 5 Children are cared for by a consistent and experienced staff team. However, managers do not ensure that all staff receive training to meet the individual needs of children who access the short-break service. For example, some staff have not completed training in autism spectrum disorder and global developmental delay. This has the potential for children’s needs to be misunderstood.

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good

Managers seek feedback about the service. This helps them to understand what the service does well. Monitoring systems are not effective in identifying areas that need to be developed. As a result, there has been a decline in the quality of care provided to children.

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good

Managers and staff work well with parents. This helps children to settle and enjoy their stay.

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good

Staff feel supported by managers who are approachable. They value visits from the responsible individual, who visits regularly. Team meetings provide a safe space for staff to discuss children and topics to support the day-to-day arrangements of the service. Managers and staff have a clear vision for the service; this includes relocating the service to a new purpose-built facility. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 6

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Recommendations

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

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

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that the home is maintained and furnished to a good standard and that specialist equipment is kept in good working order. 28 April 2022

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

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. 28 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 7 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that staff receive training specific to the needs of children who use the service.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that monitoring systems are used to review the quality of care children receive and support the development of the service. 28 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development.

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

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Requirement Due date

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

a description of the measure and its duration.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 28 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 8 In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the description of restraint techniques is sufficiently detailed to provide a clear explanation to the reader of the record.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: SC039676 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 78, County Hall, Fishergate, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC039676 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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