Children's Home run by Contemporary Concept Care Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 1 Registered provider: Contemporary Concept Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private home provides care for up to two children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022. She is currently working towards the appropriate management qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Since the last full inspection, one chid has moved out of the home. This is because the staff team could no longer meet his needs due to the complexities of his behaviour and increasing risks. The child moved to a secure provision with the support of the staff, who have continued to remain in contact with him.

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The care of children

One child has recently moved into the home. However, as staff were preparing to go on an activity with the child in the community, he left the home without permission and is currently missing from care.

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The care of children

One professional said that prior to this, the child had been settling in well and had started to build relationships with the staff team. The child has engaged positively in key-work sessions with staff, which has provided him with the opportunity to talk about his past experiences, share his views, feelings and goals for the future.

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The care of children

Children living at the home have been supported by the staff team to engage in structured alternative education, such as tutors coming into the home and going on educational activities, while a permanent education placement has been sought for them. One child has been supported to visit a local college and explore courses associated with his interests. The manager is working closely with educational professionals to help the child to obtain a suitable college placement.

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The care of children

The provider has commissioned a therapeutic service to provide regular support to the staff to help them to work effectively with children to meet their needs. Children’s internal care plans have improved in quality. They now provide clear and up-to-date information about how the placement objectives are to be met.

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The care of children

The home environment, including children’s bedrooms, is more welcoming. The home has been redecorated and personalised throughout. The kitchen is kept clean and tidy. Staff ensure that fridges are now monitored daily and food is stored in line with safe food hygiene procedures.

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The safety of children

The child who currently lives at the home has done so for a significant length of time. Prior to the child going missing, the staff team worked in line with the placing authority’s safety plan to keep the child occupied and to try to reduce the opportunities of him placing himself at risk by going missing from home. Additionally, records evidence that the staff acted promptly to try to prevent the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 3 child from going missing from the home’s locality, including notifying the police and relevant professionals immediately.

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The safety of children

The staff team is proactive in its communication with safeguarding professionals, such as exploitation and missing-from-home coordinators. Effective partnership working with key agencies means that there is a clear plan in place in relation to the staff’s roles and responsibilities. This includes staff trying to contact the child daily, the manager attending regular strategy meetings and sharing key information with the relevant professionals without delay.

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The safety of children

Detailed matching risk assessments show that consideration has been given to children’s risks shared by their placing authority at referral stage. They identify control measures and strategies to reduce the risks for children and to determine the suitability of children living in the local area.

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The safety of children

Children’s risk assessments and missing-from-home protocols provide the staff team with clear and accurate guidance about the action to take to keep children safe. Consequently, the staff team understands how to protect children from risks such as exploitation.

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The safety of children

Staff have an improved understanding of the use of restraint, including when and how it should be recorded. Reflective debriefs now take place with children and staff following all incidents of restraint. However, the manager does not always evaluate whether the restraint has been effective. This is important so that she can make recommendations about changes to staff practice and alternative support that can be provided to children.

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The safety of children

Managers follow safe allegation management procedures and ensure that appropriate action is taken to protect children and staff involved. Suitable action has been taken to ensure that whistle-blowing concerns have been dealt with formally. Staff have an improved understanding and confidence about how to raise and escalate any concerns relating to the safety of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has now registered with Ofsted. This has brought confidence and stability to the team of staff, who feel more secure in their roles and report that they are well supported by the manager. The manager recognises the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She has a clear plan of the development areas to be focused on in the next few months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Some staff have left their roles and new staff have started working in the home since the last inspection. Although this has involved lots of change, the manager has now secured a full staff team. This means that agency staff are no longer required to cover the rota and staff are no longer working long hours. Consequently, this has had a positive impact on staff morale and team consistency. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 4 Not all staff have received training that is specific to children’s high-risk behaviour. This specifically relates to missing-from-home training. Two members of staff are yet to attend behaviour management training. However, they are both booked on to attend this training within the next two weeks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

On one occasion, there has been a delay in the manager notifying Ofsted about a referral made to the designated officer when a child alleged that they had been assaulted by staff. This has not had an effect on the child’s safety; however, it was a requirement at the last inspection and so it has been restated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager’s review of the quality of care report does not include feedback from children and staff, to provide a full evaluation of the care provided to children. This was a requirement from the last inspection and so it has also been restated. Additionally, the independent visitor reports do not obtain regular feedback from children, families or staff. This means that the reports are not effective in providing a clear overview of the quality of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager’s oversight of records and significant incidents has improved. Her evaluation of records is more reflective and child focused. This has enabled her to look at lessons learned and, when required, address any concerns with staff to improve their practice and the quality of care provided to children. She also uses team meetings to reflect on team practice and experiences, to support the staff in their work with children.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 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, 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 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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 15 December

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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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)) 12 January 2023

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 12 January 2023

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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 (2)(a)) 12 January 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 6 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 feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (2)(b)) 12 January 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Contemporary Concept Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Wyndham Close, Eastham, Wirral CH62 0DH

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Inspector

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 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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Inspector

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