Children's Home run by Bay View Child Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 1 SC416318 Registered provider: Bay View Child Care Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately operated children’s home. It provides care for up to four children, up to the age of 18, who have a variety of complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager at this home. The current manager started working in the home in October 2021, and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2019 Full Good 19/07/2018 Full Outstanding 25/09/2017 Full Good 21/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved out of the home. This was a well-planned move and was in line with his wishes and feelings. Four children live in this home. One child has lived here for nearly a year and three children have lived here for more than a year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff try their best to support all children to attend education. Staff listen to the child’s wishes while trying to ensure that their educational needs are met. Although some children have struggled to attend education, there are ongoing partnership meetings to help support children. One child is excelling in education. A social worker told the inspector: ‘[Child’s name] is struggling at present in school attendance; however, the home are constantly looking at proactive approaches to support, encourage and enable him to attend school.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped by staff to build new and existing relationships with loved ones. For one child, this has meant developing a new relationship with family members who he was not in touch with previously. This has widened his support network for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to develop their independence skills. For example, they are helped to understand how to use the washing machine and how you should keep your bank PIN number private. When children are ready, they are supported to start to shop and cook for themselves. This gives children the necessary skills required to meet their goal of living independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been investment into the home’s environment. It has benefited from redecoration and soft furnishings. Children have personalised their bedrooms. As a result, this is a home that children can feel safe and comfortable in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children told the inspector that they liked living in the home and that staff are fun. They enjoy doing activities together. Children take part in a range of activities, including going trampolining, running for charity and enjoying a weekend away on holiday.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the individual needs of children. However, children’s written records do not consistently reflect this knowledge. For example, a child’s cultural background is not detailed in his care plan. This is a missed opportunity to fully celebrate diversity in the home. Furthermore, many of the child’s statutory documents were not available in the home for the child to access. This has not been challenged by the manager. However, staff keep their own records of all meetings, so the impact of this is minimalised. Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 4

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

Children are supported to take age-appropriate risks. Staff support children in how to stay safe while in the community and how to make positive choices. For example, one child was upset with a peer outside of the home. Staff supported the child and consequently a potential physical altercation with this peer did not take place. Furthermore, there are good protective measures to help children to stay safe while in the home. For example, children are helped to keep safe when using the internet on their own devices. There are clear rules and boundaries, and checks are completed to maintain children’s safety.

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

Staff respond to children’s needs in a positive way. Staff use a solution-focused approach to their care. Consequently, the use of children being held to keep them safe is minimal and decreases over time. Children receive praise for their positive behaviours. There have been times when staff have put in place sanctions to help children to change their behaviours. These are carefully reviewed by the manager. He has challenged these if he feels that they are not helpful for the child.

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

There have been times when children have been unkind to each other. Staff have challenged this behaviour to help send a clear message about what is, and what is not, acceptable.

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

When children raise complaints, their concerns are listened to and addressed. Children are kept updated with the actions being taken and mediation work between children takes place. Children confirmed that they know how to make a complaint. The children’s guide helps to make this process clear, and gives information on who children can talk to outside of the home. However, the Children’s Commissioner’s details are missing from the guide and a recommendation has been made as a result.

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

Staff receive safeguarding training. They are clear about their responsibilities to raise practice concerns, either regarding colleagues or in relation to allegations raised by children. However, not all training in relation to the current children’s needs has taken place. For example, not all staff have completed training on understanding autism spectrum disorder or what to do if a child goes missing from care. However, there are clear procedures for staff to follow should this happen. The manager is aware of this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post for nearly six months, and has applied to register with Ofsted. He is highly passionate about driving development in the home. He has a clear vision for the service. This is supported by the responsible individual, who has a clear plan in place to support ongoing improvements in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager creates an environment for learning that enables and supports the staff’s professional development. One member of staff commented that they feel supported both personally and professionally. A new member of staff reflected on Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 5 how she has been supported in the role, and how she is really enjoying this new role in residential childcare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and annual appraisal. This gives staff the opportunity to reflect on their practice, and to set personal goals to drive improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite some staff shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff morale is good. Staff have covered shifts to ensure that there is consistency in care and routines for children. As a result, no agency staff have been used. This helps to support the positive relationships that children and staff enjoy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a range of systems to help him drive the service forward. The independent visitor’s report is detailed and helps to promote ongoing development in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All professionals have commented positively about the levels of communication and feedback that they receive regarding the ongoing care of their children. A social worker told the inspector that communication is excellent, and said: ‘I get weekly update reports, and additional emails/calls if there are any issues.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although, on the whole, children’s records are well written, there are occasions when they could be improved. It is not always clear what behaviours the child is demonstrating when an incident occurs. This is not helpful to the child, as it could make the record difficult for them to understand when they read through it. Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation (5)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that managers escalate concerns about a child’s statutory plans not being sent in a timely manner. 29 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

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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. (Regulation (13)(1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff have the necessary training to meet the current children’s needs. 29 April 2022

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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; 29 April 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 7 are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that care plans are up to date and reflect the child’s cultural needs. It is also about making sure that the children and staff have access to the children’s statutory documents.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that the children’s guide details how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)  The registered person must ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 children’s home: SC416318 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bay View Child Care

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3–5 Dalton Square, Lancaster LA1 1PP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Thompson

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC416318 9 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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