Children's home run by Invigor Adolescent Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 1 Registered provider: Invigor Adolescent Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company and cares for up to three children who may have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in September 2022

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 3

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improvement to be good

Children have good plans for moving into the home. Both children are quite new to the home and are still getting to know the staff. Children said that the home is good and that they were able to choose their own room. One child said that they felt safe living here. Both children said that they can talk to the staff if they are worried about anything.

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improvement to be good

Generally, the children’s information is in good order and is accessible to the children. However, there is little information about the steps staff have taken to secure good progress and outcomes for the children in health, education, relationships, behaviour and keeping themselves safe. In addition, healthcare plans are not sufficiently detailed. This means there are inconsistencies in the support provided to children.

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improvement to be good

Staff work in partnership with schools and professionals to support children’s education. Despite efforts by staff, not all children are in full-time education. On the days when children are not in school, they are encouraged to carry out tasks such as doing their laundry, shopping and developing their independence skills. However, this is not consistently applied as there is no clear plan in place. This means children are left to their own devices, which is not helping prepare them for full-time education.

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improvement to be good

Children are consulted on all aspects of their care, for example choosing the meals and activities provided. Currently, children are choosing to go out with their friends rather than go on activities with staff.

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improvement to be good

Children have different arrangements for keeping in touch with people who are important to them. Individual plans give staff clear information and guidance when supporting any visits. This focus on positive time with family means that important relationships are maintained and built on.

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improvement to be good

Staff are trained in keeping children safe. They demonstrate a sound understanding of safeguarding practice and who to report concerns to. Assessments that consider risk lack detail of the actual risk and the steps being taken to minimise this. This means staff do not always take the necessary action to protect children from harm, especially when they return home under the influence of substances or alcohol. Furthermore, staff do not record when items, such as alcohol or drugs paraphernalia, have been removed from a child’s bedroom. This does not promote transparency. Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 4 Being missing from care remains a risk for children. Staff take decisive action when children are missing from the home and liaise with the appropriate agencies, updating them accordingly. This means children are usually located quickly. While the incidents of children being involved in criminality have decreased, this remains a

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improvement to be good

concern. Professionals said that the staff are working with them to support the children and this remains ‘a work in progress’.

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improvement to be good

When children make poor choices, staff are not always consistent in their response or actions. This does not help children to learn better choices. Children receive direct work, but these sessions are in response to incidents rather than proactive opportunities to prepare children for challenges they may face.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a welcoming and homely environment. Children’s bedrooms reflect their personalities and interests. Recruitment and vetting procedures are sound. However, on some occasions, records do not demonstrate why a person has been deemed suitable. This is a recording issue and does not affect the safety of children.

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good

This is the home’s first inspection since registration. The home is led by a qualified and experienced manager. However, this is a relatively new and inexperienced staff team.

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good

Apart from the manager, only one other member of staff holds a recognised childcare qualification. Therefore, a large amount of the manager’s time is spent mentoring staff. Furthermore, there is no deputy manager in post. This means some managerial tasks are not given sufficient oversight, for example reviewing staff training and checking the quality of records and other documentation. External monitoring of the home is supportive and provides clear information as to any areas of development.

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good

Some of the staff have not undertaken specific training to meet children’s additional needs. This affects their ability to provide good-quality care.

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good

Records are in good order and are updated regularly. However, records do not tell the story of the child’s time here, or demonstrate the action staff have taken to keep children safe, such as key person records and incident records.

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good

The manager and staff work collaboratively with a range of agencies and professionals who are involved in the children’s care. This is a strength of the setting. When services have been slow to respond or are not available, the manager has challenged the shortfalls effectively. This means that the children receive the services that they need in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)) 24 March 2023

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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 24 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 6 promotes their welfare.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; 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)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; 24 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 7 help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services, and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 24 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; 24 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 8 help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(viii))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history and tells the child’s story of their time in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)  The registered person should ensure that a record is made of any room searches, which includes the items that have been removed and how they have been disposed of. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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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: 2680860 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Invigor Adolescent Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Warren Bruce Court, Warren Bruce Road, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 1LB

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Inspector

Chris Scully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2680860 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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