Children's home run by Lancashire County Council in Preston

Inspection report for children's home: SC035459 1 SC035459 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 local authority children’s home provides short breaks for children with learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose states that the care offered to children and young people is based around humanistic values, emphasising human dignity, mutual respect, trust and unconditional appreciation. It is supported by a culture that regards children and young people as equal human beings with abundant potential.

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Full Outstanding 17/12/2019 Full Outstanding 05/12/2018 Full Outstanding 27/09/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 3

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outstanding

Each individual short break is meticulously planned to focus on the needs, skills and aspirations of the children. The registered manager and staff ensure that each short break provides children with unique and enjoyable experiences. Children have also made new friends. One social worker said, ‘I have a number of children who access the service, and the excellent standard and quality of service continue to be really clear to me.’

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outstanding

Managers ensure that each child has a detailed transition package. This package is developed at the pace of the child and their family to ensure that, when the time is right, children are ready and happy to experience a short-break stay. This supports successful transitions for all children.

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outstanding

Care planning is exceptional. Managers ensure that staff, family members and professionals are involved in the care of the children. They work together to build aspirational and targeted care. Because of this, children exceed expectations and develop in areas such as confidence and self-esteem.

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outstanding

Children’s health is prioritised. Each child’s dedicated health professional provides staff with a training event before the child starts their visits to the service. This session explores the specific challenges for the child and how these can be safely managed. One parent said, ‘They make sure that everything is personalised to [name of child]’s needs. I mean everything. It is so unique. I can’t think of anything they need to change or develop.’

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outstanding

Children are encouraged and supported to try new and exciting activities. Activities include opportunities to try skydiving, visiting wind tunnels, trips to ice skating rings and local water parks. The staff work closely with recreational centres to ensure that adaptations and additional support are in place to enable children to take part in activities of their choice. The children participate in many community activities, for example youth clubs, mental health support groups and the children’s council. In addition, children are active participants in the annual community fundraiser.

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outstanding

Consultation with children is prioritised in the service. All staff are trained in British Sign Language and are undertaking further training in eye-gaze technology. This helps the staff to communicate with each child. Children are also provided with a Picture Exchange Communication System, including story boards that detail the staff on duty, their daily routines during their stay and their menu choices.

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outstanding

Children are provided with spacious accommodation that has been adapted to meet their individual needs. Children can access a wide variety of toys, games, music and craft equipment, as well as a safe outdoor play area with a trampoline. This means Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 4

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outstanding

for that children have a variety of options for stimulating play available to them during their short break.

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outstanding

There are risk assessments in place. These outline the risks in respect of the children and the strategies to manage these risks. Staff know the risks in respect of the children because they know the children exceptionally well. This means that the children are safe when they are staying at the home.

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outstanding

Staff can identify the signs that children are feeling unwell or becoming dysregulated. They consistently prioritise children’s safety and use the agreed strategies in the risk assessments to keep children safe.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that children’s health is consistently monitored to ensure that a decline in children’s health is prioritised. Managers advocate for children to ensure that they receive the medical attention that they require. This means that children with additional, complex health needs are well supported.

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outstanding

Medication is meticulously managed and administered. Children who arrive without the correct medication or prescribed dosage are not allowed to undertake the short break without this being resolved. As a result, children receive continuity in their medical care while on the short break.

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outstanding

Holding children to keep them safe is rarely used in this service. Since the last inspection in March 2022, there have been two occasions when a child has needed to be held. Although the records are detailed, one record did not fully describe how the child was held. The manager did, however, speak to both staff involved in the incident to clarify the actions taken and explored this further in individual supervision sessions.

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outstanding

Children are not involved in risk-taking behaviours. Therefore, there are no incidents of children going missing from this service. Staff are aware of the actions to take should a child go missing, and there are clear policies in place to support this.

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outstanding

Parents and professionals hold the service in extremely high regard. They confirmed that children who access the service are safe, and the registered manager and staff have a comprehensive understanding of each child’s needs and care plan. One parent said, ‘Everything is tailored to [name of child]’s needs. It’s like he is the only child there with the level of detail they go to, to make it right for us and for [name of child].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff have a clear understanding of the individual needs and aspirations of the children receiving a short break. They are passionate about Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

for the service that they provide and consistently push the boundaries of stereotypes to ensure that all the children are not limited in their experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive both bespoke and mandatory training to equip them for their role. Specialist training packages are provided by each child’s dedicated health professional and linked to each child’s plan. In addition, a new training programme has commenced to explore social pedagogy and children’s participation. This immersive training ensures that staff are provided with new and unique opportunities to further develop their skills and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Contracted staff and bank staff are provided with consistent supervision and equal opportunities to undertake a variety of training. One staff member said, ‘The manager is incredibly supportive and is always on hand for advice. He pushes us all the time to learn new skills.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External monitoring reports are consistently provided to the regulatory body. The reports provide a detailed account of the service being provided to children and their families. However, the registered manager has recognised and addressed the need for the external monitoring to be further developed, specifically around consultation and analysis. The registered manager has held a meeting with the independent person to ensure that this is addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that the service is operated using theoretical, research- informed frameworks. The frameworks are threaded throughout all of the systems and work undertaken with children during their short-break stay. As a result, children are empowered and encouraged to safely have the same opportunities and experiences as able-bodied children, without being restricted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

One social worker said, ‘They are a fantastic, supportive, flexible, child- and family- focused service and are instrumental in supporting us to meet the needs of our children and young people. They are skilled and experienced practitioners who approach everything from a strengths-based perspective.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager ensures that children’s happiness and safety are central to their short-break stay. In addition, the manager has worked closely with the children’s families to help them accept the support available. Because of this, parents report that their children are excited and happy to attend the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Internal monitoring systems are detailed. The management team members work together to assess the service provision and develop specific programmes for individual children. The registered manager and staff provide opportunities for regular consultation with children, parents and professionals. Feedback is outstanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s bi-annual review of the service provided in the home is consistently undertaken. However, this report does not include a detailed development plan or feedback from parents, children and stakeholders. Feedback is, however, regularly sourced and acted on in other ways. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

for One area for development is noted, and this relates to parking facilities for staff, parents and professionals. The local authority is currently reviewing larger premises, and it is anticipated that this will also resolve the parking issue. However, a recommendation is made to address the current difficulties. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the design of the home and its surroundings provide suitable arrangements for visitors, including parents and professionals, to park. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.24)  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint include the type of intervention used to safeguard the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, Page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that the bi-annual review of the home clearly identifies any actions required for the next six months and how those actions will be addressed. Feedback from a variety of sources should be used to identify any shortfalls or areas for development. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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: SC035459 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 9

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Inspector

for 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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