Children's home run by Family Care Associates Limited in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 1 SC063380 Registered provider: Family Care Associates 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 an independent provider. The home provides care for up to four children who present with complex behaviours following adverse childhood experiences and trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in January 2023. She is in the process of completing her level 5 qualification.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/06/2021 Full Outstanding 18/02/2020 Full Good 19/02/2019 Full Good 19/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Four children currently live in the home. Three children have lived in the home for over six months. Another child recently moved into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy secure and trusted relationships with staff. Children often seek out and enjoy spending time with them. Children take part in activities. Friendships and family time are well supported by staff. Children told the inspector that they ‘like living in the home’. Staff encourage children who have left the home to stay in touch and visit, and staff continue to celebrate their birthdays by providing presents and cards.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care informed by the therapeutic model. Staff work with the home’s therapist to build an understanding of children’s needs. This helps to identify strategies to support any complex behaviours that children may need extra support with. This was evident with one child, who has a pet rabbit to support animal therapy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to develop their independence skills. Children help to cook and have independent time out of the home. One child told the inspector, ‘The independence plan is the best thing for me’ and is ‘helping me to learn skills I need for when I leave’. This means children are well supported to live on their own in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not always ensure that children attend school. Two children are attending education and making progress, but other children aren’t. Staff have worked with education providers and professionals to improve the attendance for one child. This has not been effective, meaning children are not always receiving enough support to help them to progress educationally.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not always promote healthy relationships between children. For example, when one child shared that they find it difficult living with another child, staff do not take enough action to address this and attempt to improve the relationship. As a result, children are not provided with opportunities to resolve conflicts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children usually have positive experiences when they move in and out of the home. However, on one occasion, a child’s experience was not well managed. The registered manager did not assess important information known about the child’s needs. This impacted on the child, who didn’t have a positive experience and moved from the home after a short time. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 4

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

Staff follow procedures to ensure that important information is recorded and shared with relevant professionals when incidents have occurred. This means effective decisions are made regarding the safety arrangements for children.

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

The home’s therapist provides ongoing support to staff and the registered manager to help them understand children’s behaviours. This ensures that staff have the skills to de-escalate behaviours without the use of physical restraint.

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

There have been two incidents where children have gone missing since the last inspection. Staff search for children to ensure they are found safe. Staff follow protocols and risk assessments for each child and follow these appropriately . Staff ensure that children are welcomed back positively. Staff help children to share their views, both with them and with someone independent.

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

Staff support children to take age-appropriate risks to increase their independence. This was evident with one child, who travelled by himself on the train to visit friends. Staff supported the child to plan each stage of the journey to ensure it was a positive and safe experience. This supports the development of children’s social and life skills.

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

The registered manager has taken appropriate action to make the environment safe for children. The porch and doors have been replaced, following an accident where one child suffered an injury to their arm. This prevents further accidents and potential injury to children.

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good

The manager has recently registered with Ofsted. Prior to becoming the manager, they held the deputy manager post. The previous manager resigned on 1 July 2022 and became the responsible individual. The registered manager is supported by a suitably qualified and experienced staff team. While there have been changes in leadership and management, these people have remained consistent in children’s lives.

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good

Leaders and managers do not always monitor the quality of care effectively. The registered manager is not always identifying some areas for development in staff practice when she conducts her review of records, such as consequences. In addition, the registered manager fails to demonstrate that she can recognise and challenge poor cultures in the home. For example, the games room and lounge are routinely locked for no good reason, preventing children access to their home and creating an institutional feel.

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good

The registered manager has not taken appropriate action to challenge or escalate concerns to professionals. For example, the manager did not raise any concern when a professional did not share important information with them about a child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 5 The independent person does not regularly see or speak to children when they visit the home. Leaders and managers have not taken action to address this to ensure that children have the opportunity to share their views with the independent person.

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good

Staff feel supported by the registered manager. They receive regular supervision and appraisal. Supervisions are detailed and provide staff with opportunities to share their views. Staff are also supported to improve and develop their practice. This ensures that children are receiving good levels of care.

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good

The registered manager keeps professionals up to date and shares important information. One social worker told the inspector, ‘The registered manager communicates very well.’ The registered manager provides regular updates about children’s progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to challenging professionals when their performance or responses are deemed inadequate, and securing the involvement of appropriate services for children to meet their emotional well-being. 2 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

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 2 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises. (Regulation 21 (b)) 2 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 7 This specifically relates to ensuring that the lounge and games room doors are not locked so that children have access to all areas of the home.

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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: SC063380 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Family Care Associates Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Family Care Associates Ltd, Business Centre, 60 School Lane, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancashire PR5 6QE

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Inspectors

Carl Wilton, Social Care Inspector Nicola Lownds, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC063380 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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