Children's home run by Teen-Works Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2503574 1 Registered provider: Teen-Works Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of three homes owned by a private company. The home provides care and support for three young people who are no longer able to live at home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since October 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

Date of last inspection: 18 September 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2503574 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2503574 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive a good standard of care. They are looked after by a staff team that wants the best for them. When young people come to this home, their education and health outcomes improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have high expectations for children’s academic progress. Education is prioritised. All young people have a school place. Staff go to great lengths to ensure that they are helped to succeed, regardless of previous experiences of education. When young people become older, practical support is provided to ensure that independence skills are gained. For example, one young person has attended training about how to self-administer their own medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are safe, and they feel safe. They know that staff will help them to navigate any challenges that arise. When there are concerns about young people’s safety and welfare, good communication with agencies means that these concerns are often dealt with quickly and effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are helped to become decision-makers. Staff take their views, wishes and feelings seriously. Young people have been integral in redecorating the home, including further personalising their bedrooms. Activities are tailored to individual needs and interests. For example, one young person enjoys museums, and others enjoy going to theme parks. These opportunities ensure a feeling of shared responsibility.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a family-oriented setting. The environment is very well kept and is warm and welcoming. Staff create a calming atmosphere. Young people are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. This means that when young people come to live at this home, they are more likely to settle quicker.

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

Staff are confident in their ability to safeguard young people. They understand the home’s procedures. They undertake regular safeguarding training.

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

Staff develop strong relationships with young people based on trust, kindness and appropriate challenge. Positive reinforcement is used effectively. Young people can receive additional pocket money, and gifts. This practice is effective in reducing negative behaviours.

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

There has been no use of physical restraint for this group of young people. This is because staff know the triggers and can pre-empt behaviours. When restraints have been used previously, procedures were followed, including hearing young people’s views. Staff were provided with time to reflect. Records of restraints are clear, and managers provide an effective overview. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503574 4 Episodes of young people going missing from care have reduced. Staff follow procedures to ensure that young people are located quickly and safely. They work effectively with the police. However, records following incidents of missing from home are not always sufficiently detailed.

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

Stakeholders have no concerns regarding the care of the young people. They said that progress is made in many areas and that information is shared appropriately. This means that stakeholders are kept informed of progress and any challenges.

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

Managers ensure that new staff are employed through a safer recruitment process. Young people are involved in this. They are asked what they want from a new member of staff. This is good and ensures that young people are involved in deciding who will be looking after them. However, managers have not ensured that they have always adequately checked gaps in employment for new staff.

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

Young people know how to make a complaint. They have easy access to a complaints form. There have been no complaints from young people. This is because staff are proactive in identifying emerging concerns. As a result, these concerns are resolved informally.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2021. They are supported by a deputy manager. Together, they lead a consistent team of staff. The manager has now produced a workforce development plan and has begun to make progress to further develop the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff usually have regular supervision. As part of this, young people are always spoken about in detail. When concerns are raised by staff, these are addressed by a manager. However, staff who work on a relief basis are not always afforded this level of supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy working at this home. They say managers provide a good level of support. Staff are encouraged to bring existing skills and interests to share with the young people. For example, two staff have substantial experience in education. This has had a positive impact on the young people’s educational progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Full-time staff are provided with mandatory training, and development opportunities. When young people with specific care needs are accommodated, additional staff training is provided. Recently, staff have had training in autism spectrum disorder and caring for young people with health conditions. However, staff who work infrequently do not have access to all training opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers do not have a robust quality-assurance system. When there are changes in young people’s lives, these changes are not always reflected in their plans. One Inspection report for children’s home: 2503574 5 young person’s placement plan has not been reviewed. This means that staff do not have the most up-to-date information about all the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Four recommendations have been made at this inspection. Two recommendations from a previous inspection have been met, and one has been restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2503574 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the records as outlined in Regulations 35-39are kept in a children’s home. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should support staff to be ambitious for every child in the home and to gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. To ensure that staff can understand and meet each child’s needs, in line with their responsibilities, the registered person themselves will need to have a high level of understanding of the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risk to them. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and the placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risk on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2503574 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Teen-Works Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lonsdale & Marsh Ltd, Cotton House, Old Hall Street, Liverpool, Liverpool L3 9TX

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Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2503574 8 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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