Children's home run by Young Foundations Limited in Wirral

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 1 Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and managed. It provides care for up to 12 children with autism spectrum disorder or complex learning difficulties and/or behaviour that is difficult to manage. The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

There are 11 children currently living in the home. The inspectors observed and/or spoke to all the children during this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is located on the same site as a small, independent school that is owned and managed by this provider. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 21 November 2022

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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 inspectors 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: 1183911 2

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Findings from the inspection

This assurance inspection was carried out due to Ofsted receiving several regulation 40 safeguarding notifications.

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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

Children are happy living in this home. They have fun and are provided with a range of opportunities to develop their communication and social skills. As a result, children feel more confident and continue to make progress.

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The care of children

Children have positive relationships with staff. They can identify adults who they can call on if they are worried. The trusted relationships with staff allow the children to feel accepted, build on their self-esteem and enjoy their time at the home.

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The care of children

The health and well-being of children are promoted. Staff are attuned to changes in children’s emotional and physical presentation. This means that staff take swift action to reassure children should they become anxious. The staff actively seek assurance from health professionals. Therefore, children receive appropriate care and treatment.

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The care of children

Areas of the main home are showing signs of wear and tear. Some areas of the home are waiting to be repaired. The detached independent living flats are in poor condition. This should be a priority, as these areas are not maintained to the same standard as the rest of the home.

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The safety of children

Allegations are taken seriously and shared with the relevant safeguarding professionals without delay. However, managers have identified shortfalls in staff reporting concerns through the whistle-blowing procedure. Policies and procedures have been revisited in a team meeting and during staff supervision sessions. Consequently, staff have an improved understanding of the procedures they should follow in the event of a concern about a child’s safety.

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The safety of children

Staff spoken to during the inspection demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the children’s risks and vulnerabilities. However, the quality of written risk management plans is variable. Some risk management plans do not contain current information or the strategies staff should use to keep the children safe. Some plans would benefit from being streamlined for ease of understanding.

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The safety of children

Staff understand how to manage children’s behaviour effectively and can successfully de-escalate challenging situations. As a result, incidents of unwanted Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 3 behaviour have reduced. Physical intervention is used by staff as a last resort to keep children safe. However, the quality of physical intervention reports is inconsistent and the reports do not capture the required information. Insufficient scrutiny of this practice does not ensure that its use is proportionate and safe.

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The safety of children

Staff have failed to ensure that chemicals hazardous to health are appropriately stored. Furthermore, the standard of cleanliness in the home has declined, particularly in children’s bathrooms. The manager took steps to rectify this during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager in post. She provides child- centred leadership and management, which promotes positive outcomes for the children. The manager is supported by an equally dedicated qualified deputy manager. They work alongside the clinical and educational teams to provide consistent support to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has positive relationships with the children and knows them well. She advocates on their behalf to help them achieve positive outcomes. Social workers say that the manager is a positive figure in the home. She ensures that there is regular communication between the staff team and the children’s social workers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager is welcoming of external advice and scrutiny . She has taken robust action to address practice issues. During the visit, the inspectors found that managers are responsive and have taken immediate action to rectify shortfalls. This openness places the manager in a good position to further develop good practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders have not done enough to ensure that all staff working in the home have the necessary qualifications and up-to-date training to meet the children’s needs. This includes a high number of staff who have not completed the provider’s mandatory training, such as the provider’s identified method of physical intervention and first- aid training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager’s internal monitoring systems have not been consistently effective. For example, not all the shortfalls raised during the inspection had been identified by the manager. Ineffective monitoring impacts on the manager’s oversight of the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The previously issued requirement under regulation 33 was not fully reviewed during the visit and is therefore restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2022 Full Good 04/05/2021 Full Good 04/03/2020 Full Good 06/03/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 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 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)(d)) 17 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (2)(a)) 17 February 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

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; 15 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(c) (h))

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 15 March 2023

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(b)(c)(i)(ii)) 15 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 15 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 7 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children can access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that the workforce plan can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1. The plan should detail the agreed timescales for staff to achieve any core training and mandatory qualifications. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 2DD

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Inspectors

Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Rachel Ruth, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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