Children's Home run by Brinscall Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 1 Registered provider: Brinscall Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to four children who can no longer live at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/07/2021 Full Good 17/12/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 3

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improvement to be good

Children have good transitions into and out of this home. The acting manager and staff visit the child and the child can visit the home before moving in. In addition to this, the acting manager makes sure that the staff team can confidently care for the child and that the area is safe for them to live in. However, the acting manager and staff are not aware of the local offer which sets out the support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is a missed opportunity to access additional resources for children.

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improvement to be good

Children have regular discussions with their key workers, other staff and the acting manager during children’s meetings, key-work sessions and reviews. Children say that they able to talk to staff and are confident that they are listened to and that their views, wishes and feelings are acted on whenever possible. A child said, ‘Staff are great. They are here for you no matter what.’

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improvement to be good

Children are at different stages of engaging with staff and this impacts on the progress they are making. Some children have made significant improvement and are ready to move into adulthood. A social worker said, ‘Staff have done their absolute best for the child and they should be proud of themselves.’ Another social worker said, ‘This is the best placement that I have had a child live in. Even though they have served notice, staff have tried their utmost to engage the child.’

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improvement to be good

Generally, the children’s information is in good order and is accessible to the children. However, there is little information about the steps staff have taken to secure good progress and outcomes for the children in health, education, relationships, behaviour and keeping themselves safe. For example, children who previously refused dental treatment and emotional support are now engaging. The acting manager and staff worked closely with a range of health professionals to ensure that children received the treatment that they needed. However, this information is not recorded in the children’s documents. As a result, there is little information on how this progress was achieved. Therefore, this does not show the child’s journey throughout their stay at the home.

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improvement to be good

The manager has been proactive in ensuring that children attend suitable educational settings that can meet the children’s needs. Children are supported to regularly attend and engage in education. The children know how important education is and respond well to the education incentives in place. Consequently, the children’s outcomes have improved. For example, several children have completed exams and some children have progressed on to college courses. One child said, ‘I am completing an additional college course throughout the summer holidays. This is because I want to be an engineer or go into the army to learn engineering.’ This shows that children have ambitions for their futures. Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 4 Several children are working towards independence. Part of their independence is to keep their bedrooms and living space clean and tidy. However, when children struggle to do this, staff need to offer additional support, as any good parent would.

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improvement to be good

Staff demonstrate that they understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. They say that they do their very best to safeguard children, including teaching them about risky or unsafe choices, such as risks associated with substance misuse and smoking. However, some children continue to place themselves at risk, whereas other children have embraced an incentive scheme and lowered their risks.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments identify all the children’s vulnerabilities. However, the risk assessments are not clear because the information is not in a clear order. Therefore, there is no clear guidance on the actions for staff to take if an incident were to occur. This does not ensure that staff are consistent in their approach.

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improvement to be good

Similarly, behaviour management plans have been incorporated within the risk assessments. This means that there is a lot of information for staff to read before knowing what the risk is and how to deal with the situation. Further to this, staff have been trying to use different tactics, incentives and sanctions to address concerning behaviour. However, these have not been recorded or evaluated. Some sanctions have been ineffective but have still been used and some unacceptable behaviour has not received a sanction. This does not ensure that staff are consistent in their approach or that children see that sanctions are fairly applied. In addition to this, staff have carried out some room searches when they have been concerned about children. These have not always been recorded.

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improvement to be good

Staff contact and speak with professionals and parents when children are missing from the home. Clear records are kept on the actions that the staff take. On their return, children receive an independent return home interview in line with statutory guidance. This means that the children can give the reasons why they went missing and express any concerns they have. The missing-from-home coordinator from the police said that when children go missing from this home, staff follow the missing-from-home protocol and search the local area. Children have trigger plans for when they go missing from the home, which staff follow. However, some plans need updating. This would ensure that the local authority, the police and staff all agree on reporting times and procedures.

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improvement to be good

There has been a high volume of calls to the police, mostly to report children missing from the home. However, there have been some instances where children have caused damage in the home, made threats to staff or have been involved in criminal activity within the community. Records show that staff have called the police when children have been at risk. Strategy meetings are held and risk assessments and behaviour management plans are updated. Good incentives have reduced some incidents and extra support has been sourced through external Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 5 agencies, such as the youth offending service and substance misuse workers. Some children are now accepting this support.

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improvement to be good

Safe recruitment and health and safety practices at the home ensure that only the most suitable staff work at the home and that it is a safe place to live. Records show that children, staff and visitors are taken through the emergency evacuation procedure. This means that everyone is kept as safe as possible.

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good

The manager resigned from this home in May 2022. The company quickly appointed a new manager and she has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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good

The acting manager challenges local authorities and other services effectively to provide children with the support that will meet their needs. Three social workers spoken to as part of this inspection were complimentary about the home and the progress that the children are making. A social worker said, ‘The progress she has made, is all down to the staff team and their investment in her. They never gave up.’ Another social worker said, ‘He is doing amazing and thriving. There are still some issues, such as being reported missing from home, but these are significantly less than in his last placement. I have nothing but praise for them.’

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good

There is a stable staff team. Staff have a range of life experiences and some staff have the National Vocational Qualification level 3. New staff are at different stages of completing a similar childcare qualification. The staff also benefit from a wealth of training and development opportunities to support their continuing professional development.

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good

The staff team receives regular supervision that is reflective and is underpinned by development and individual strengths. Personal development plans focus on the development of individual staff members. In addition to this, staff have monthly team meetings, and they share examples of good practice, training and development information to aid their learning. As a result, staff say that they are supported, valued and motivated.

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good

The acting manager has not always informed the regulator of incidents that have happened in and out of the home. Further to this, there has been a delay in informing Ofsted when children have been missing. This reduces the regulator’s oversight of the home.

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good

External monitoring of the home helps the acting manager to identify the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The acting manager is then able to alter her practice when necessary to make improvements that are in the best interests of the children. However, the acting manager has not taken these through to her internal monitoring report. As a result, the report lacks critical analysis and evaluation. Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff have clear information on what action to take if an incident occurs. 31 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that behaviour management plans identify the strategies taken to reduce risk. This should include the incentives offered and the agreed consequences. Further to this, the manager must evaluate any trends and patterns. 31 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 31 October 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 7 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 31 October 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 8 The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way a good parent would. Specifically, that staff support children when they are struggling to keep their bedrooms clean. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that all the necessary documentation is completed when children’s rooms are searched. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that managers and staff are aware of the local offer which sets out the support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.4)  The registered person should ensure that sanctions are fair and effective. (‘Guide

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Recommendations

to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that trigger plans are updated and agreed with the police and the local authority. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.40)  The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the steps taken by staff, to secure good progress and outcomes, are clearly recorded in the children’s records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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 children’s home: 2534436 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Brinscall Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 27, Barnfield House, Sandpits Lane, Accrington Road, Blackburn BB1 3NY

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2534436 10 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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