Children's Home run by Safety and Focused Care in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 1 Registered provider: Safety and Focused Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for one child. The provider specialises in caring for children who may have social, emotional and mental health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2021.

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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

Date of last inspection: 22 February 2022

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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: 2631136 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Only one child has lived at the home alone since the last inspection. This has allowed the manager and staff to support the child to make measurable progress in all areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is encouraged and supported to be involved in all aspects of their care. Staff consult with the child regularly, which makes the child feel empowered. As a result, they are able to advocate for themselves actively and successfully.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is currently enrolled on an apprenticeship after completing a traineeship with the company and being supported by the staff to sit their GCSEs. The child is excelling in their role and is thoroughly enjoying their work. As a result, they are growing in confidence and developing friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s physical health needs are well met and reviewed. The manager has actively escalated the need for appropriate assessments and therapy for the child to support their emotional well-being and work through past trauma.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been supported to set up their own business venture. This has proved very successful and their practical independence skills are developing. However, the child requires further support with their emotional regulation and resilience as they approach independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has high aspirations for their future, which are encouraged by the staff. The child says they feel well supported by the team and is able to speak to them if anything is worrying them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys spending time with the staff and has built strong and positive relationships with them. The staff understand the child’s behaviours and needs well and respond to these appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child’s time with family and encourage positive friendships. They work with others to ensure that the child can have experiences like that of their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is nicely decorated and welcoming. There are photos around the home, which promotes a sense of belonging for the child and a celebration of their achievements.

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

There has been one incident of restraint since the last inspection. This was well documented and appropriately followed up in debriefs and a team meeting. Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 4 Incidents are rare and the staff have a good understanding of the child’s behaviours and the strategies that are successful in de-escalating situations. However, when incidents do occur, risk assessments are not always reviewed and updated to ensure that risk is minimised in the future.

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

The child is well supported following incidents and they are encouraged to reflect on the situation and identify what could be done in the future.

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

There has been one allegation. Although this was appropriately investigated there was a delay in this allegation being shared with other professionals. The staff member involved had already left the home, so there was no impact on the child. However, safeguarding procedures were not correctly followed.

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

Safer recruitment processes are followed by the manager. However, consideration of the staffing dynamics in the home are not always assessed and reviewed to minimise potential risks to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is appropriately experienced and qualified. The manager ensures that there are sufficient staff and does not use agency staff. This means that the child is supported by a consistent staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported and say that they receive regular and productive supervisions, where they have the opportunity to discuss the child. Team meetings are detailed, child-centred and informative. This means that staff have the information needed to support the child in all areas of their life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager sources training for her team which is beneficial in supporting the child. The staff report that these training sessions have been useful in encouraging them to think about underlying reasons for behaviours and ways to support the child effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual spends time with the child to obtain their views, wishes and feelings. They have a good oversight of the home and support the manager and staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses systems to monitor the progress of the child and staff team. However, their evaluation of incident reports does not always identify areas of staff practice that need addressing, or information that needs to be shared with others. Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 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, the 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 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))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that their evaluations of incident reports identify poor staff practice. Also, to the updating of risk assessments following incidents. 20 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should seek to involve the local authority and other relevant persons whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. They are also required by regulation 40 to notify placing authorities, Ofsted and other relevant persons about serious events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.4)  The registered person should maintain good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that staff support children to develop emotional and mental resilience, so they are able to cope without their support. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’,

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Recommendations

page 17, paragraph 3.27) Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 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: 2631136 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Safety and Focused Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 54 Wood Street, Lytham St Annes FY8 1QG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Tereasa Denby-Wallis

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Inspector

Kerri Lynch-Mahoney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 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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