Children's Home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 1 SC042652 Registered provider: After Care NW Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides accommodation for up to three children. The home specialises in caring for children who are experiencing social and emotional difficulties, as well as supporting children with mental health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager for this home.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 27 September 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/09/2021 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Good 12/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. There are pictures of the children having fun and certificates showing their achievements displayed throughout the house. The children have also personalised their bedrooms. This helps children to feel at home and gives them a sense of belonging. One child commented, ‘This is the best home I’ve had, even better than my actual home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a wide range of activities. They have a meeting each Friday to discuss what they would like to do the following week. Their wishes are used to plan their activity schedule. The inspector noted that one child had asked to do multiple expensive things in the same week and so was not able to go go-karting on the planned day. This led to tensions between the child and the staff as they were understandably disappointed. There needs to be more adult input and oversight of activity planning, to ensure that the timetable is reasonable and achievable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make a complaint. There is a good system in place for recording complaints, however, this is not being properly used. In particular, the outcome of complaints is not clear. Children should feel listened to and be supported to understand the response to any issues they raise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in education. When children are out of education, staff think creatively about ways to overcome the barriers that children are facing. One child has recently completed his exams, and staff celebrated his achievements. Children are encouraged to feel a sense of accomplishment and are supported to meet their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s general health and well-being are promoted. Each child has a clear health plan and adults caring for them understand their individual health needs. Children with more complicated health needs are supported to ensure they are receiving the care they need. Children’s health needs are consistently met, ensuring they can live healthy, happy lives.

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

Children’s safety is prioritised and improved when they move into this home. Staff get to know the children well and understand the risks they are facing. Staff respond to children’s vulnerabilities in a caring and empathetic way. One child returned from an episode of going missing during the inspection and staff welcomed him home warmly. Staff understand their responsibilities in a range of safeguarding scenarios and know how to keep children safe.

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

Children have caring and nurturing relationships with staff. When safeguarding incidents arise or there are tensions between children in the home, staff work hard to reassure children and mediate in conflicts. Staff also develop good working Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 4 relationships with children’s social networks, which they use to disrupt risky behaviour. As a result, children feel safe and have trusted adults they feel they can rely on.

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

Children have been reported missing from this home. There is a well-written missing-from-home protocol in place for each child. This provides an easy-to-follow guide for staff to use when children go missing. Staff understand this protocol and take all steps to ensure children are returned home safely.

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

The local area risk assessment outlines all relevant risks related to the home’s location. The assessment contains valuable shared intelligence from the police and other local professionals. This is a useful tool for safely matching children to the home.

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

Staff use consequences inconsistently. Staff should use a proportionate and consistent approach to rewards and consequences. This will help children to better understand and respect boundaries.

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good

There has been no registered manager in post since 20 July 2022. The vacancy has been filled and the new manager was expected to start in September 2022. The registered manager from another home in the company is overseeing this home in the interim.

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good

Management oversight and evaluation of records are poor. There are mistakes in children’s records and children’s files are not personalised. Information has frequently been copied and pasted from one file to another. This will prevent staff from developing a clear understanding of the needs of each child and children may not receive the individualised care and support they need.

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good

The home is visited by an independent person each month. Feedback does not highlight all relevant issues, for example, concerns about record-keeping. The independent person has not always spoken with children, staff and other professionals to gather their insight. This is a missed opportunity to improve the quality of care provided.

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good

The registered person does not always notify Ofsted of all serious incidents. This causes delay in regulatory oversight of safeguarding practice and outcomes for children.

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good

The leadership team does not know about the local authority local offer. Therefore, this has not been considered in risk assessments or care planning. As a result, children with additional needs could be missing out on vital resources to support their progress. Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 5 Staff feel supported and attend supervision regularly. This is child-focused and reflective. As a result, staff can make valuable improvements to the quality of care for children.

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good

The staff team has undertaken a range of training specific to the needs of the children living in the home. Staff are supported to reflect on their learning in team meetings. This allows children to receive safe and consistent care. One child said, ‘They’re good. I know where I stand with them, they’re fair.’ Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 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 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

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 1 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3)) 1 November 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; 1 November 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 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. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the leadership and management team must have good oversight of the home. 1 November 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that managers and staff are aware of the local offer setting out the support available for children with special education needs or disabilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.4)  The registered person should make sure that the home’s behaviour management policy ensures that staff are treating each child with understanding, dignity, kindness and respect; building, protecting and preserving positive relationships between each child and the adults caring for them. The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the above principles are respected. In particular, staff should be using consequences consistently, so that children can understand the likely result of their behaviour. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.35 and 9.36) Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 8  The registered person should ensure that staff seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plan for their care. Each child’s talents and interests should be understood and nurtured, with children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. Staff should also support children to try activities that are new for them, where appropriate. Specifically, staff should ensure that there is a clear plan of activities for the children, scheduled in advance. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4)

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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 for children's home: SC042652 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: After Care NW Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 45 Kensington Road, Southport, Lancashire PR9 0RT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Timothy Blundell

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC042652 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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