Children's Home run by Lifetime Opportunities Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC063103 1 SC063103 Registered provider: Lifetime Opportunities Limited Interim 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 private provider and provides care for up to five children, irrespective of gender. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living here may have learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorder and may display challenging behaviours.

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Inspection date: 21 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 21 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC063103 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are three children living at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, children’s engagement has noticeably improved. For one child, their confidence has improved. This has allowed them to increase their social engagement considerably, including attending the gym and going swimming. Staff support children to take part in a number of activities. These have included celebrating a birthday by having a meal in a restaurant and learning about fire safety at a fire and rescue museum. One child has also recently donated their hair to Superhairoes, a charity that provides wigs for children with cancer.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, children have improved their levels of communication. Even at times of frustration, children are able to use signs, or be supported to use signs, to express their feelings. One child is able to write on a magnetic wipe board to communicate with staff. Children have developed strong relationships with staff, so when their speech is still very limited, they are able to express their views and wishes in other ways, for example by being presented with choices and circling their preferences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Education continues to be mixed. Two children are receiving education and are doing well. Feedback about their progress is positive. One child currently has no placement and the managers have continually sought support from the placing authority on seeking a placement. Attempts at providing informal education have not been successful.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s health needs are being met. Progress has been made in children attending health appointments. For one child, this has been significant progress. The child has attended the dentist and optician and is waiting for a follow-up appointment with the doctor. Personal emergency evacuation plans have been reviewed, but these are still not unique to each child. Two of the three plans refer to children needing to be physically held to exit the home, which is not necessary. One child has been reluctant to engage routinely with fire drills, although there has been some improvement recently.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children do not go missing from the home and there are no known concerns relating to exploitation. Risk assessments are up to date and include known risks and strategies for staff to follow. When concerns that children may harm themselves increase, staff implement additional checks and then gradually decrease these as risks reduce. One child has use of a mobile phone. Professionals have agreed the use of a phone for contact arrangements. However, the type of phone also allows Inspection report children’s home: SC063103 3 access to the internet, apps and social media that is not monitored by the home and so risks cannot be fully considered.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A manager has been appointed to manage the home. This is a new appointment and the home is currently being managed by other managers in the organisation. The provider has recruited to vacancies across the staff team. Recruitment continues as there are still a number of vacancies. These are currently being filled by consistent agency workers, which provides children with familiar adults to care for them who know their routines well.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The report on the review of the quality of care for the previous six-month period has not been received by Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Five requirements and one recommendation were raised at the last inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 The provider has demonstrated that challenge has been made to the placing authority in relation to securing an education placement for one of the children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 Although the managers have challenged the authority, the child still has no education placement and so one previous requirement has not been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 Risks assessments and a safe plan have been prepared, which staff understand and follow. This includes ensuring that staff follow advice given by medical professionals and the local authority.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 A number of staff have been recruited to the home, including a manager. There are some vacancies, which are being covered by consistent agency staff until they are filled permanently.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 A new independent visitor has been appointed and reports have been received in time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 In relation to the recommendation, the manager felt that the noticeboard was an effective way of ensuring that children know where information is kept but acknowledged that it could be made more child-friendly and easy to read. Some staff-specific items were removed from the noticeboard during the inspection. The stair carpet has plastic nosing (visible front of the tread) which aids children who have mobility difficulties. Inspection report children’s home: SC063103 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/12/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC063103 5

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Statutory requirement

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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; and

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)) 31 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the personal emergency evacuation plans are reviewed so that they reflect each child’s needs and the steps staff need to take to ensure that children can leave the home safely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that consultation takes place with the placing authority so that the provider can be assured that day-to-day risks can be assessed and managed in relation to access to the internet, apps and social media. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that the report on the review of the quality of care is generated at least every six months and submitted to Ofsted by the end Inspection report children’s home: SC063103 6 of the following month. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the

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Recommendations

quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.3)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC063103 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lifetime Opportunities Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3AT

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Inspector

Mark Broomhead, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC063103 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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