Children's home run by Outbound Care

Inspection report for children’s home: 2516349 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 home is privately owned and provides care for up to two children who experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2019.

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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: 2516349 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Full Good 25/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2516349 3

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outstanding

When children move into the home, the manager and staff ensure that the best possible planning takes place. Children are invited to visit the home and have overnight stays before moving in. This provides children with a positive experience and helps to ease any anxieties they may have.

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outstanding

Children have stable and secure relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff know the children well. They invest time in them, listen to them and promote their welfare. One child commented, ‘I like all of the staff, they care about me. It feels like a family, and this is really important to me.’ As a result, children can develop a sense of permanence and belonging.

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outstanding

All children attend school. They are learning and making excellent progress from their starting points. The manager and staff are ambitious and have high aspirations for children. They support children to attend and do well in their education. Children regularly take part in extra-curricular activities, which helps to maintain their positive experiences with school.

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outstanding

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are held in the highest regard, which is fully embedded in the care that they receive. Staff always place the well-being of each child at the centre of their practice. Children’s achievements are recognised and celebrated. They are supported to take part in a wide variety of experiences. Children have enjoyed a holiday to Tenerife where they got to stay in a private villa with a swimming pool. One child commented, ‘It was the best time ever, I had so much fun.’

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outstanding

Relationships between children and their families are promoted. The manager and staff recognise the importance of this and will regularly advocate on behalf of children. As a result, children now see their families regularly and their relationships have significantly improved. One parent commented, ‘[Name of child] now interacts with me much more positively. This has improved our relationship, this is thanks to the staff at the home.’

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outstanding

Some children have been missing from care. Staff are proactive in their response and do all that they can to locate children who are missing. Risk assessments are robust, individualised and link up with statutory guidance. When a child goes missing, the manager takes decisive action to address any concerns he may have. The manager involves external agencies and professionals to ensure that highly effective planning takes place to manage and minimise risks. As a result, risks are well understood and have significantly reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: 2516349 4 Staff are calm, nurturing and are positive role models to the children. Children respond to frequent praise and incentives that are in place to help them to achieve. As a result, children are thriving and can identify adults who they trust and can talk to about any worries or concerns they may have.

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outstanding

Room searches are carried out and are often linked to incidents when a concern has been identified. Room searches are suitably documented and detail what action has been taken. The records detail conversations that have taken place with children and include their views and feelings surrounding the room search.

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outstanding

Children receive excellent support to regulate their emotions and behaviour. The manager and staff carry out regular direct work with children to explore their feelings and to reflect on their behaviour. The manager also liaises effectively with the home’s linked therapist to seek additional guidance and strategies. As a result, incidents, including the need to safely hold children, have reduced.

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outstanding

Safer recruitment and health and safety practices at the home mean that only the most suitable staff work at the home and that it is a safe place to live. Children and staff regularly practise evacuating the building in case of a fire. Therefore, everyone knows how to respond in an emergency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a strong, consistent leadership team in the home. The manager leads by example and is passionate, inspirational and ambitious for children. As a result, the manager is influential in changing the lives of the children who live in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of the home and makes good use of the home’s resources and tools available to him. The home makes use of an online documenting and recording system, which allows the manager full access and notifies him when tasks have been completed or reports have been submitted. This allows the manager to easily monitor information submitted. This supports the manager to manage his time well, given that he is dual registered. The manager shares good practice models across both homes. As a result, the quality of care for children is of an exceptionally high standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff training programme is extensive. All staff receive ongoing training that includes mandatory training and relevant online focused training. The manager has also made good use of the team meetings, which occur monthly, to deliver some bespoke face-to-face training and workshops to support practice development. As a result, staff meet the specific needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive monthly supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. The supervision sessions are well planned and structured. Those who receive supervision do so with a suitably experienced, qualified manager or deputy manager. Supervisors make good use of research and resources to support individual learning and development. The supervision sessions are reflective and provide a safe Inspection report for children’s home: 2516349 5 environment for staff to reflect on their practice, development or performance. Reflection takes place individually or jointly. Staff speak highly about their supervision sessions. One staff member commented, ‘I feel supported, appreciated and receive lots of recognition for the work I do.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has developed effective working relationships with other professionals. The manager actively involves other professionals when creating plans for individual children, considering their views, knowledge and expertise. The manager is also confident and proactive in his approach to challenge or escalate any concerns he has with other professionals involved in the care of children. Notably, this has been most effective when seeking copies of relevant documents relating to children and their care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2516349 6

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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: 2516349 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

Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2516349 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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