Children's home run by Wigan Council

Inspection report children’s home: 1244946 1 Registered provider: Wigan Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2020.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/03/2022 Full Good 16/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/01/2020 Full Good 12/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child currently living in the home, and one child has recently moved out of the home. Children receive individualised care from a child-centred staff team. This helps children to make progress from their individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by a consistent and nurturing staff team. The staff are skilled in developing trusting relationships. Children are encouraged to talk openly about their feelings, and they know how to complain. Managers and staff encourage children to contribute to their care planning. Children are consulted about decisions that affect their lives. This supports children to feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff support children to access education and endorse its value. Children attend education and have made some progress. There is clear communication with headteachers and virtual heads to ensure that children are receiving education that meets their individual needs. When a child has been excluded from school, the manager has been proactive planning alternative arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are supported. Children are registered with relevant health practitioners and attend their health reviews. The manager and staff demonstrate a good knowledge of children’s individual health needs and treat children with dignity and respect. Children have access to therapeutic sessions and, as a result, their emotional well-being is effectively monitored.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Planned and unplanned activities are available for children. For example, children enjoy trampolining, air soft and playing computer games. One child was supported to join a community football inclusion team. The child enjoyed playing in matches and training sessions. Where children are reluctant to participate, there are clear and consistent strategies identified to encourage children to engage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves in and out of the home are planned and positive for children. Prior to moving in, the manager assesses each child’s individual needs and identifies how these needs will be met. However, the manager has not ensured that admission details are accurately recorded. A requirement has been made to reflect this shortfall.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is effective consultation with children already living in the home. Children have been supported to move on positively, and have had an opportunity to enjoy meals out with staff to say goodbye.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with people who are important to them. One child was provided with a football season ticket so that he could attend games regularly with family. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 4

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

Children benefit from care that is well planned. Individual risk assessments are consistently followed and identify actions for staff to take. The registered manager regularly monitors and reviews risk management plans and completes an evaluation to ensure that all risks are identified and effectively managed.

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

Staff are proactive when children go missing from their home. Staff will search for children alongside liaising with other agencies to ensure that children are located safe and well. Managers and staff review and reflect on incidents. Children are supported to understand risk and staff help them to develop strategies to keep themselves safe. This has led to a reduction in incidents.

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

Staff encourage children to take age-appropriate risks. These risks are well considered, and appropriate responses are identified in line with children’s age and understanding.

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

Physical intervention is infrequent and used as a last resort. Interventions are recorded; however, records do not demonstrate that leaders and managers have ensured that appropriate detail has been logged. Leaders and managers have not provided an appropriate person to speak to both the user and child about the measure.

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

Leaders, managers and staff respond to allegations or suspicion of harm efficiently. Managers and staff show professional curiosity and are proactive in dealing with safeguarding incidents. Managers attend a daily online ‘safety huddle’ with the local authority, whereby any concerns are quickly shared and responded to.

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

The manager has completed a location risk assessment. This would be improved by including consultation with local services and consideration to individual children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a registered manager, who is child centred. The manager is supportive and ensures that staff work consistently and understand their roles and responsibilities. One staff member said, ‘It is nice to have managers who are approachable; it is an emotional job but there are constant check-ins and support.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has high aspirations for children, and he knows them well. The registered manager advocates for children and endeavours to provide high standards of care. A member of staff said, ‘we try and do the extras here’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are effective monitoring and review systems in place. The registered manager has submitted safeguarding notifications in line with regulation and completed an evaluative review of care. Incidents are reviewed and are discussed in team meetings and within supervisions to ensure consistency. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 5 Staff reflect on their practice; this helps staff to continually review the quality of care that they provide for children. Staff are positive about managers, and staff spoken to describe a supportive management team. Supervision records demonstrate that supervision includes reflection and evaluation. One member of staff said, ‘Our opinion counts. The managers are appreciative of everyone’s different skills and they pull these together.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team complete a range of training and development opportunities that are focused on meeting children’s individual needs. Training records are kept up to date and are monitored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers regularly review children’s plans and work closely with placing authorities. The manager works well with professionals and is proactive in requesting information and accessing appropriate services in the child’s best interests. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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 11 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 7 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 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that there is an appropriate record of the measure and that an appropriate person speaks to both the user and child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the admission and discharge details for each child should be accurate and up to date. 11 January 2023

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Recommendations

 Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 8

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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: 1244946 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, Town Hall, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1YN

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Inspector

Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1244946 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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