Children's home run by Outbound Care

Inspection report for children’s home: 2507889 1 Registered provider: Outbound Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private organisation. The provider states in its statement of purpose that care is provided for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2020. The manager is also registered for another home owned by the organisation.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2507889 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2022 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2507889 3

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outstanding

The child is provided with exceptional care and support from a stable and established staff team. The staff have an excellent understanding of the child’s needs. As a result, the child is flourishing and has made excellent progress in all areas of their life.

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outstanding

Staff provide exceptionally well-planned therapeutic care to the child. Staff are enthusiastic and committed. They use training and learning opportunities to meet all the child’s needs. Bespoke training from the child’s therapist means that staff can provide care to the child in accordance with their individual needs. The care provided helps the child to feel safe and secure.

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outstanding

Staff always provide an empathetic and non-judgemental approach to the child and maintain consistent boundaries. As a result, the child has been able to develop strong and trusting relationships with the staff team. One professional said, ‘The manager and the team are demonstrating to her that safe adults can make decisions that are in her best interests. They provide a safe, consistent and predictable environment for her.’

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outstanding

Staff go above and beyond to ensure that the child is listened to and is involved in all aspects of their care. The introduction of weekly feedback sheets supports the child to express their views on a regular basis, in addition to the monthly ‘have your say’ meetings.

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outstanding

In relation to their starting point, the child has made excellent progress in their education. Staff understand the barriers to learning for the child. They work hard to overcome these. One social work professional said, ‘It has been a real labour of love for staff to get her into education. I am really proud of how far she has progressed.’ Another professional commented, ‘I would say that the fact [name of child] has remained so long where she is and she is engaging in education is indicative of the safety and support she has in the home.’

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outstanding

The child is provided with excellent opportunities to engage in new activities and experiences, such as going to the theatre, having holidays abroad and going to laser tag games. The child’s musical talents and passions are supported through recording studio sessions. The child’s friends and family are welcomed to celebrate and share special occasions with them.

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outstanding

Staff are proactive in supporting the child to safely spend time with people who are important to them. They advocate on the child’s behalf to ensure that the child can maintain relationships with their family, despite them living some distance from the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2507889 4

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outstanding

Staff have an excellent knowledge of the child’s needs. They understand the child’s risks and can identify triggers which may cause the child to become dysregulated. Consultations with the child’s therapeutic team provide staff with clear and individualised plans to follow. These are embedded in staff practice and their daily interactions with the child. As a result, there has been a reduction in incidents and risks for the child.

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outstanding

The child is supported to have open and honest discussions with the staff. This provides staff with the opportunity to sensitively address areas of concern. The approach from staff enables the child to develop resilience, manage their emotions more effectively and make informed decisions. This means the child is more able to make sensible and safe decisions when faced with difficulties or challenge .

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outstanding

The planning around risk management is excellent. Risk and behaviour management plans are detailed and provide clear guidance for staff to follow. The team works together to develop robust therapeutic strategies which help them to manage and minimise the risks for the child. However, formal written consent was not obtained from the local authority in respect of the child’s use of e-cigarettes. This is something the manager has taken swift action to address.

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outstanding

Staff are proactive in accessing additional training and learning opportunities for themselves. This ensures that they have the skills and knowledge to support children’s individual therapeutic needs. Consistent reflection within the team ensures that strategies are put in place to mitigate emotional distress for children.

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outstanding

Risks of the child going missing from the home have significantly reduced. When such incidents do occur, staff manage the situation well and actively look for the child. The strong relationships the manager has developed with partnership agencies support staff to be able to locate the child quickly. Reflective work is undertaken following any incidents and the child’s emotional needs are prioritised. Guidance for staff to follow is detailed, however, this did not include all relevant information to support staff during incidents. This was addressed by the manager during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a qualified and experienced manager. He is dual registered and manages his time effectively between the two homes. The manager is motivational and inspirational. He aspires to provide the best outcomes for the child living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager supports his team exceptionally well to be ambitious for the child. However, the bathroom is in need of refurbishment and detracts from the warm and homely environment that the manager strives for. Inspection report for children’s home: 2507889 5 The manager is a strong advocate for the child. He has developed excellent relationships with external professionals involved with the child and works hard to ensure that the child receives the best care and support in all aspects of their life. The manager challenges decisions effectively when they are not in the child’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The child is cared for by a stable and established staff team. Staff say they feel valued and supported in their roles. They are provided with excellent training opportunities and benefit from regular supervision and appraisals. Safer recruitment practices are in place. The child is actively involved in the recruitment process and attends the panel for interviewing potential staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from monthly team meetings that are inclusive and where all staff participate. Staff feel listened to and involved in the care planning process for the child. The bespoke training and workshops delivered in team meetings are a key strength of this home. The delivery of training is inclusive of all staff and ensures that learning is embedded in daily practice. The delegation of research tasks to staff and the use of quizzes supports the development of their skills and knowledge. The use of incentives helps staff feel valued and appreciated for their hard work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of the care provided to the child. He uses internal and external monitoring systems effectively to continually develop practice in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2507889 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that for children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Specifically, the bathroom would benefit from refurbishment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should take reasonable precautions when deciding to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. Staff should discuss the decision with the child’s placing authority where appropriate. Specifically, consent forms should be obtained from the local authority in respect of the child’s use of e-cigarettes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 41, paragraph 9.7)

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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: 2507889 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Outbound Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Metropolitan Business Park, Preston New Road, Blackpool, Lancashire FY3 9LT

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Inspector

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2507889 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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