Children's home run by Lancashire County Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 1278968 1 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 is operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide short-stay care for up to four children who are at risk of family breakdown. Outreach support is also provided to families by staff from the home.

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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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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in place who has been registered with Ofsted since August 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 18 November 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1278968 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/11/2019 Full Good 27/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1278968 3

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outstanding

Children’s relationships with staff are very positive. Staff know children well and have a good understanding of their needs. Children express confidence in staff and say that they feel safe and comfortable when they stay at the home. One child said, ‘I feel that I can just be me when I am here.’

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outstanding

Children have made excellent progress and some have experienced highly positive outcomes. For example, children have developed confidence, returned to education after significant periods of absence, and developed their independence skills.

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outstanding

Children’s families speak extremely highly of the service. Parents clearly value the support provided and several described positive outcomes experienced by their children. One parent said that support from the service had prevented her family from breaking down.

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outstanding

Staff have high aspirations for children and work creatively to ensure that their care is individualised. Children are encouraged to express their views about their own care and the service.

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outstanding

Children are enabled to enjoy a variety of experiences. As well as activities to support their learning and develop independence, children are provided with opportunities to have fun and socialise. Children’s talents and interests are encouraged. For example, one child was provided with a camera to support his interest in photography.

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outstanding

Staff understand children and why they might behave in certain ways. Staff are skilled in providing positive and consistent behaviour support. As a result, serious incidents are rare, physical interventions do not occur and children do not go missing from care.

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outstanding

There has been one sanction. This was a well-planned, restorative measure which helped the child to understand the impact of their behaviour. The child commented that staff had helped them to do the right thing and that this made them feel good.

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outstanding

Risk management is effective. Staff work well with external professionals to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to keep children safe. Children’s risk management plans are well detailed and regularly reviewed. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278968 4 Staff work positively with parents. Parents are provided with the opportunity to engage in parenting courses and workshops which help them develop their parenting skills. Supporting parents in this way also promotes children’s safety and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a manager in place who registered with Ofsted in August 2018. The manager was involved in developing the service and maintains a clear vision and high expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals from other services speak very highly of the manager and staff and express high levels of satisfaction with the service. A social worker said, ‘It has been an absolutely brilliant source of support for some of the children I work with.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are well motivated and passionate about the service. They speak extremely highly of the home’s leadership and describe good levels of support and training. All the staff team hold nationally recognised qualifications and have access to specialist training, including research-based learning to support trauma-informed care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

During periods of lockdown due to the pandemic, the manager expanded the service, in part with a view to providing an extra layer of safety for children. Furthermore, additional resources were provided for families, including food and activity packs. Creative planning helped to ensure that direct work continued with families and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager makes effective use of monitoring so that areas for development are identified and addressed. All stakeholders are regularly encouraged to provide feedback, which is carefully reviewed. Recently, managers have reviewed feedback processes to make them more accessible to children. However, consultation with children and other stakeholders during monthly visits by the independent visitor is inconsistent. Inspection report for children’s home: 1278968 5

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person actively seeks independent scrutiny of the home and makes best use of information from independent and internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 1278968 6

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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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Inspectors

Marie Cordingley, Social Care Inspector Chris Scully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1278968 7 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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