Children's Home run by Exceptional Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2644925 1 Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately operated and provides care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2021. This is the home’s first inspection.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2644925 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are building positive and trusting relationships with staff. Four children have moved in since the home was registered in November 2021. Careful consideration and planning have taken place to ensure that each child has felt comfortable when moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a homely environment that they enjoy spending time in. Photos, soft furnishings and areas where children can be creative and relax all contribute to children feeling comfortable in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made some progress with their education. However, staff have not provided structured support for one child who is not currently attending education. The manager and staff are also not aware of the local offer setting out the support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is a missed opportunity to access additional resources for children and support them with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are helping children to build memories. Children enjoy a range of activities both in and out of the home. Memory books are being created for children to take with them when they leave.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have ambition and to develop aspirations for the future. The registered manager is passionate and motivates the team to help children reach their potential. The manager has fostered links with a local employer and arranged mock interviews, resulting in one child obtaining a traineeship. This ethos allows children to make progress and achieve good outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with their families. Staff seek solutions to ensure that children can maintain positive links. One parent said, ‘Staff speak to [name of child]. They comfort her and make her feel happier.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to attend health appointments, including counselling. Children value this time and can explore life- story work. This helps children to process their experiences and regulate their emotions.

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

Children are safer because of moving to the home. Multi-agency working and wraparound support is in place to ensure that children are safe. Information is shared when necessary. As a result, contextual safeguarding risks have reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: 2644925 3 Physical intervention is only used as a last resort. A largely experienced team use effective de-escalation to support children. However, not all incident records are sensitively written, recognising the fact that children may access them now or in the future.

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

Staff follow procedures if children leave the home without authorisation. However, the manager’s written oversight lacks detail of any weaknesses in the staff’s practice and actions taken to address them. This is a missed opportunity for reflection and learning.

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

Staff are recruited safely. Staff retention is high due to the levels of support provided by the manager and responsible individual. This means that children are cared for by consistent staff who know them well.

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

Risk management plans provide staff with clear guidance. Staff are aware of how to keep children safe and respond to risk. One independent reviewing officer said, ‘[Name of child] has consistent support and care, with appropriate routines and boundaries in place, which have supported her to increase her self-esteem and self- worth.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since the home was registered. The manager has completed the relevant qualification and is awaiting certification. The manager knows the children well and is passionate about ensuring they are provided with a homely and nurturing environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views are central to the decisions made in the home. Staff regularly use a creative range of both formal and informal methods to seek children’s wishes and feelings. When complaints are made by children, the manager follows a clear process of investigation and written feedback is provided. This ensures that children feel listened to and that their concerns are taken seriously.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers have a clear understanding of the children’s experiences and the progress they are making. Staff meetings take place monthly. Staff discussions are child-focused and reflective. The registered manager encourages staff to think creatively to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision takes place regularly and is reflective and of high quality. Concerns raised during supervision are swiftly addressed. Managers and leaders are supporting their staff to develop their skills base. Children are therefore provided with consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and leaders promote effective multi-agency working. Professionals are satisfied with the level of communication and information-sharing. The manager challenges other agencies when necessary and advocates on behalf of the children. As a result, children receive organised care and support. Inspection report for children’s home: 2644925 4 The home is visited by an independent person each month. The report provides scrutiny, which the manager acts on promptly. However, feedback has not been sought from parents. This is a missed opportunity for a more holistic view of the quality of care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed a range of mandatory and additional training. There is good management oversight of staff training. This ensures that staff have a good understanding of the experiences of the children and are equipped with the skills to meet their needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2644925 5

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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, the 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 registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)) 9 September 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that evaluation of incidents, including when children go missing from home, is undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)  The registered person should ensure that children who are not attending education full time are engaged in suitable structured activities relevant to their individual needs and interests. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording that is sensitive to the fact that children can access their records now and in the future. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should research the support available through the local offer and use this to improve outcomes for children with SEND. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 26, paragraph 5.4) Inspection report for children’s home: 2644925 6

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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: 2644925 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Exceptional Care Limited, Malthouse Business Centre, Southport Road, Ormskirk L39 1QR

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Inspectors

Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Inspector Nicola Shaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2644925 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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