Children's home run by Lifetime Opportunities Limited in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 1 SC060750 Registered provider: Lifetime Opportunities Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. This home can provide care for up to three children irrespective of gender. The statement of purpose states that those cared for in this home may have learning disabilities, physical disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorders.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since January 2023.

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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 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/06/2021 Full Good 03/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed trusting and secure relationships with the staff who care for them. The staff know the children well. They invest time in them, listen to them, and are passionate about the progress that they are making. Children can identify trusted adults who they can talk to about any worries they may have. As a result, children have developed an appropriate sense of permanence and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with opportunities to develop their independence according to their individual needs. Staff complete direct work that is individualised to each child. One child is currently managing their own money and working towards travelling alone on the bus. As a result, their confidence and social independence are developing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make records when direct work is completed with children. These records are detailed and provide a great insight into the work that is carried out. Children’s day- to-day events are recorded in daily records. However, the content of these records often lack detail.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child said that they would like to become a chef when they are older. The manager arranged for the children to regularly attend a cooking workshop. During the workshop, children are supported to bake and prepare food. This helps children to learn new skills, such as counting, measuring and patience. This also provides children with opportunities to socialise with other children and make new friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend school or college, and their attendance is exceptionally high. Children are learning and making 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.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health and their health needs are promoted. One child had been supported to access funds that enabled him to purchase a costly, specialist wheelchair. The wheelchair is bespoke and supports the child to be able to stand straight. It also boasts a multitude of additional physical benefits. Having access to the wheelchair has significantly improved the child’s quality of life. The child told the inspector, ‘Just because I have a disability, does not mean I am disabled.’

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

Safe recruitment and health and safety practice at the home mean that only the most-suitable staff work at the home and 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. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 4 Holding a child to keep them safe is used as a last resort in conjunction with the home’s policies and procedures. Documents are detailed and contain the relevant information. Appropriate debriefs are completed with children, taking into consideration their views, wishes and feelings. Incidents are reviewed by the manager and learning outcomes are identified. However, the use of the measure has not always been individually reviewed.

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

When children have displayed behaviours of concern, the manager has responded proactively. A child experienced a difficult period when they struggled to manage feelings and emotions, resulting in an increase of incidents. The manager reviewed all individual support plans and incorporated new strategies. Staff were able to successfully follow the plans in place and support the child. As a result, incidents have significantly reduced.

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

The manager ensures that there are risk management plans in place to support children and to help to keep them safe. Prior to the inspection, the manager had begun to update children’s risk management plans. One child’s risk management plan had been updated; the plan was individualised and contained relevant strategies. However, another child’s plans had not been updated for some time and the manager was in the process of updating them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads by example. He is passionate, inspirational and ambitious for children. As a result, he is influential in changing the lives of the children who live in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that the home is well maintained, clean and tidy. Damage, or any wear and tear, is quickly and regularly repaired. However, there are several notice boards fitted in the home that are not homely. As a result, this prevents the home from feeling like a family home for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that there are clear and individual plans in place to support children. The plans are detailed, child friendly and contain relevant information from children’s education plans, including their local authority’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have established excellent working relationships with a range of agencies, schools, social workers and health professionals. Feedback from stakeholders is positive, praising the communication, support and relationships between staff and children. One social worker commented, ‘The home provides a caring, nurturing home environment for children with complex needs. They are keen to support children to develop their life and social skills.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been occasions when supervisions with staff have not regularly been completed. As a result, staff have not always been provided with opportunities to reflect on their practice and the care that they provide to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 5 There is a safe area report in place, which is detailed and up to date. It takes into consideration the local risks and hazards. The manager has consulted with relevant agencies, such as the local police in the community, to obtain their views. Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 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

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive regular supervision. 7 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are able to experience living in a home that is homely, and that notice boards are removed from the living areas. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is reasonable, necessary and proportionate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Specifically, that risk assessments are clear, directive and up to date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s

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Recommendations

policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Specifically, that daily records are detailed and provide a clear picture of each child’s day-to-day events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 7

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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: SC060750 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lifetime Opportunities Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Shona Wands Alderson

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Inspector

Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC060750 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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