Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 1 SC039683 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council Full 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 local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to six children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, there were five children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2007.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/05/2021 Full Good 10/02/2020 Full Good 19/07/2018 Full Good 04/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their starting points. This is because effective care planning meets their individual needs. Children speak positively about living in the home and have developed positive relationships with staff. Inspectors observed staff to be authentic and nurturing in their approach to children, which has created positive, trusting relationships between staff and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive help from specialist health services. This has been particularly important for one child who was diagnosed with a chronic health condition. Because of the intense help and support provided by staff, children have good physical and mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s pathway and independence plans support the development of independent living skills, such as budgeting, meal planning and cooking. One child was attending their driving theory test at the time of the inspection and has started driving lessons. Because of good planning, children have wider life skills, increased confidence and are well prepared to move out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s cultural needs are met. A child seeking asylum has received help with this process. Staff ensured that this child received advocacy and support from interpreters when necessary. Children whose first language is not English have also been helped to integrate into the community. They have been taught how to use public transport independently and access local services. As a result of this support, a child has made significant progress.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been a significant change in one child’s behaviours. This was unforeseen but led to a period of unsettlement for children living in the home during which time the number of incidents increased. Throughout this time, staff have generally responded to incidents well, and relationships with children have been maintained. As a result, the home is again a calm and settled environment for children.

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

The manager ensures that a detailed assessment and matching process is completed prior to children moving into the home. Assessments that consider whether children’s needs can be met are also updated as children’s needs and behaviours change. This means that leaders and managers continue to review the risks that arise from children living together. This ensures that risks to and from children are closely monitored and action is taken to reduce any new risks that arise.

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

Staff have a clear and detailed understanding in relation to the policies and procedures in place to respond to children’s behaviours. This means that staff take appropriate action when incidents occur. For example, staff follow procedures when Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 4 children are missing from care. Staff have also completed the necessary room searches when there may be unsafe or illegal items in the home and have removed any items that may pose a risk to children’s safety. Furthermore, staff have promptly accessed medical attention for children when this has been required. This means that staff are proactive and take the appropriate steps to maintain children’s safety and well-being.

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

While the home is welcoming, some health and safety issues have been identified. Broken window restrictors have been overlooked by staff and there is damage to some furniture and paintwork in children’s bedrooms. Shortfalls in the monitoring and assessment of restrictors has resulted in one occasion when a child was at risk of harm. During the inspection, leaders and managers took immediate action to rectify this.

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good

During the period of disruption in the home, most children became unsettled and required additional support. This resulted in children having time away from the home with the support of staff. Because of the requirements to support children under these circumstances, staffing levels in the home were strained. As a result, on one occasion, staff did not have the capacity to manage behaviours as well as they usually would. Inspectors also observed that staff were on shift for excessive lengths of time. This is not consistent with the good-quality care normally delivered in this home.

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good

Incidents when children have been held are proportionate and necessary. However, records do not include comprehensive detail in respect of the strategies utilised prior to holding children. This is necessary to demonstrate that all restrictions on children are used as a last resort. Furthermore, inspectors were unable to view evidence that the necessary discussions have taken place with children following all incidents when children have been subject to being held.

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good

The manager has oversight of all serious and significant incidents in the home. Records do not demonstrate that reflective practice is utilised to establish lessons learned or to review records and staff’s practice effectively. This means that there are missed opportunities for staff to learn from incidents and to improve practice. Furthermore, not all significant incidents have been notified appropriately to the regulator.

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good

The manager has challenged external agencies effectively where support for children or the home has not been sufficient. This demonstrates that the manager holds high expectations for children in respect of the services around them. This leads to improved support and care for children living in the home.

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good

Excellent multi-agency working ensures that children are supported to access a variety of services. Staff and managers recognise when children need additional Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 5 support from specialist services and make prompt referrals. This means that children have extensive support networks outside of the home and their needs are met.

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good

The staff are well trained, confident and benefit from the strong leadership provided by the manager. As a result, they are happy, confident in their roles and provide children with good-quality care. Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d)) 23 October 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, review incident records to ensure compliance with regulations and to establish lessons learned. Use this 23 October 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 7 monitoring and review to improve staff practice and record- keeping.

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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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)) 23 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 23 October 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 8 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records include all information required by regulation.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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)(i)(ii)(e)) 23 October 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 9

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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: SC039683 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 78, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspectors

Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Nicola Clements, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC039683 11 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

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