Children's home run by New Horizons NW Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1270802 1 Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private organisation. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2022.

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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

Date of last inspection: 10 November 2021

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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: 1270802 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/11/2021 Full Outstanding 01/07/2019 Full Good 26/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 05/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1270802 3

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outstanding

The three children living in the home are thriving. One child has moved in since the last inspection. Staff and the other children ensured that the child had a warm welcome into the home. Staff spent time with the child prior to them moving in, to develop positive relationships with them. The children already living in the home wrote to the child to introduce themselves, to help alleviate any potential anxieties that the child may have had prior to coming to the home.

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outstanding

Plans for children moving on from the home are thorough. Staff provide extensive support to children when they are transitioning back to family. Children are listened to, and staff advocate for them with social work professionals to ensure that their wishes and feelings are respected.

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outstanding

Children living in the home are supported to develop strong and trusting relationships with the staff. Children benefit from the staff’s emotional warmth and affection. One social work professional reported that ‘the emotional warmth from the staff is striking’.

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outstanding

Staff advocate for children to access local schools in line with their wishes. This supports children to feel settled in the local community and helps them to develop new friendships locally. Staff have high aspirations for children to achieve in education. One child is planning to start an apprenticeship after their GCSEs. Given their starting point, this is excellent progress. Another child is now attending school on a full-time basis having not been in education prior to moving into the home. One education professional commented that, ‘[Name of child] is now able to engage in learning in a classroom environment, which had not been previously possible.’

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outstanding

Staff support children to be positive members of the community and to help others. Children regularly engage in charity events alongside staff. They have visited their charity of choice to see how their fundraising has helped those in need of help. This teaches children empathy and compassion.

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outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of, and respect for, children’s relationships with family and those important to them. Staff support children to re-establish relationships with extended family members. This promotes children’s sense of identity and enhances their support networks in preparation for independence. Staff recognise the emotional distress for children when they are not able to see family as much as they wish. They advocate for them to safely spend time with their family in line with their wishes and feelings. Positive relationships are developed with children’s families. The manager completed specialist training specific to one parent’s needs to overcome barriers in communication. Inspection report for children’s home: 1270802 4

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outstanding

Staff manage incidents of challenging behaviour exceptionally well. The strong and trusting relationships they develop with children enable staff to de-escalate heightened behaviours. Staff have a thorough understanding of children’s backgrounds and previous lived experiences. Staff are empathic and caring. Children are supported well to recognise and regulate their own emotions. As a result, incidents of challenging behaviour have significantly reduced for children.

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outstanding

Staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of children’s risks. They see beyond behaviour. They are professionally curious and identify children’s underlying needs and emotions. Staff know children extremely well. This means they are able to recognise even subtle changes in children’s behaviours. They understand children’s vulnerabilities and difficulties in requesting support. As a result, staff are responsive to children’s needs and provide emotional support at times of distress.

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outstanding

Positive behaviour is promoted consistently through activities such as ‘acts of kindness week’ and ‘group living month’. Staff listen to children and are creative in how they obtain children’s views.

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outstanding

Risk-management plans are clear and detailed. They include thorough guidance for staff to follow. Reflective and meaningful work is undertaken with children to manage and mitigate children’s risks. Staff are proactive in managing new or emerging risks. Children are involved in the development and review of behaviour- management plans. Their views and preferences are evident throughout records. This means that staff support children in line with their wishes and feelings.

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outstanding

Incidents of staff needing to physically hold children to keep them safe are rare. When incidents do occur, staff manage these exceptionally well. Staff use research- informed strategies and resources to support children following incidents of being physically held. Restorative work is undertaken to support children to understand the impact of their behaviour. This means that children can manage and regulate their emotions in more effective ways.

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outstanding

There have not been any incidents of children going missing from the home. However, children’s records include clear guidance for staff to follow in the event of this occurring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is inspirational and motivational. She has high aspirations for the children and the staff team. She knows the children well and is involved in their daily care and routines. The manager is supported by an experienced and committed deputy. Inspection report for children’s home: 1270802 5 The home is comfortable and welcoming. However, some communal areas need redecoration and damage to a door frame is awaiting repair. This is something that the manager had identified and planned to rectify prior to the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff said that there is clear leadership in the home. There are high expectations to provide outstanding care to the children at all times. Team-building events and incentive schemes help the staff to feel valued. One member of staff commented, ‘I have found my love for the job again since working in the home under the manager.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The delivery of team meetings is a strength in the home. Managers and staff deliver workshops and bespoke training. These are specific to the children’s needs. Guest speakers attend to deliver training on how to support children with their individual needs and diagnoses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

High-quality support is provided to staff in line with their individual needs. Staff benefit from regular and reflective supervision. The manager and deputy manager have undertaken additional training on staff learning styles. Staff are provided with learning style questionnaires, which are evaluated by the manager. Professional development is strongly promoted. The manager has implemented comprehensive personal development plans for staff, which are reviewed in supervision and yearly appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working with professionals involved in the children’s care is excellent. Professionals said that staff work with them as a team to ensure that children are provided with consistent care. Local police community support officers are invited to the home to develop positive relationships with children and educate them on emerging areas of concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The external and internal monitoring of the home is highly effective. The manager has developed thorough development plans that provide her with the opportunity to consistently evaluate the care being provided to the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1270802 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any damage to the home is rectified promptly, and that the home’s decor is maintained to a high standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 1270802 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 12, Riversway Business Village, Navigation Way, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

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Inspector

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1270802 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 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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