Children's Home run by Trax MX Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 1 Registered provider: Trax MX Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to six children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Accommodation is provided in individual, staffed lodges on a large site, which also includes a school and supported accommodation provision operated by the same provider. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home. Two children spoke to the inspectors about their experiences of living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There are two newly appointed managers who are not yet registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.2

The care of children

Significant improvements have been made since the last full inspection. The children are happy and say they like living in the home. They are supported to develop stable relationships with staff, who provide patient, nurturing care. As a result, most children make good progress in comparison to their individual starting points. One child said, ‘They help me so much. They have made such a difference. It really is great here. They have your back, that’s the difference.’

p.2

The care of children

Children’s health needs are well met. All children are supported and encouraged to attend routine and specialist health care. The team proactively sourced a specialist dentist to enable a child who had not previously visited a dentist to access dental care. All children have annual health assessments, and any actions are reflected in their health plans.

p.2

The care of children

Education is well promoted. Children are encouraged to attend on-site education. They also have opportunities to access courses and employment in the local community, including art classes and apprenticeships. Communication with education providers has significantly improved. The team has oversight of children’s education and supports their learning. Children’s social networks and independence are promoted through opportunities to attend leisure and recreational events, such as ice skating, attending football matches and going to the cinema.

p.2

The care of children

Children’s family relationships are well supported and encouraged. The team creatively enables children to safely spend time with their families.

p.2

The care of children

The implementation of a psychological model enables managers to have oversight of children’s individual progress. Children are included in these plans, enabling them to develop an understanding of the progress they are making.

p.2

The care of children

The lodges are personalised to reflect children’s individual tastes. Changes to staff sleeping arrangements mean that staff no longer sleep in communal areas. Door alarms are no longer used in the lodges. This ensures children’s privacy is maintained.

p.2

The safety of children

Safeguarding practices have improved. Children’s risk and behaviour management plans are detailed but could be strengthened to clearly identify children’s current risks, as well as strategies for staff to follow to keep children safe. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 3 Staff are professionally curious and are better able to prevent incidents from occurring. One social worker said, ‘I have been impressed with the care staff demonstrated. They have sought to build positive relationships with [name of child]. They were able to quickly gain a good understanding of his complex needs and develop effective ways to try to manage his behaviours when dysregulated.’

p.2

The safety of children

There has been a reduction in safeguarding incidents for children living in the home. Managers have clear oversight of incidents and ensure that any learning is used to improve practice across the service. Managers ensure information is shared with relevant professionals. However, some notifications submitted to Ofsted have not included sufficient detail. This reduces the regulator’s oversight of safeguarding practices in the home.

p.3

The safety of children

Incidents of staff needing to physically hold children to keep them safe have reduced. When they do occur, records are detailed and reflect opportunities for children and staff to debrief. All incidents are evaluated by managers to ensure that they are appropriate. When consequences for negative behaviours are used, they are proportionate and provide children with opportunities to reflect and learn.

p.3

The safety of children

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. The needs of children moving in are considered alongside the needs of children already living in the home. Due to concerns about one child’s behaviours, a decision has been made together with his placing authority to end his placement. Following a serious incident, managers acted swiftly to safeguard everyone by enabling him to spend time away from the home with staff. The child’s social worker said, ‘Whilst it is disappointing that [name of child’s] placement has not been able to continue, it is certainly not due to a lack of commitment from staff, and [name of child] had been positive about the placement.’

p.3

The safety of children

Safeguarding measures have been implemented around public events taking place on the site. This reduces risks to children and ensures that their privacy is not compromised.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since the last inspection, the provider has taken action to significantly strengthen the management team, ensuring there is effective oversight of practice. Two newly appointed managers work collaboratively with the responsible individual to continually develop the service. They are committed to improving outcomes and experiences for children. The leadership team is anticipating changes to the management team and is taking action to ensure that these changes do not impact on the care provided to children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff report feeling supported and say that morale is continuing to improve. They credit these changes to the new management team. Staff benefit from regular, quality supervision and team meetings to reflect on practice and the progress children make. Staff have access to a range of training opportunities specific to the needs of the children in their care. This strengthens their understanding of children’s Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 4 experiences and ensures that they are appropriately trained to meet children’s needs.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The transition to a robust online recording system means that the quality of records has improved. However, this work is ongoing and is not yet fully embedded across the team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Seven requirements and four recommendations made at the last full inspection and monitoring visit have been met. One recommendation, in relation to records, has been restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 5

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/02/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40 (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 9 May 2023

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and ensure that their plans clearly reflect current risks and strategies for staff to follow to keep children safe. (‘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 policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. This was a recommendation at the previous inspection and has been restated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.6

Recommendations

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 7

p.7

Inspectors

Caroline Bertram, Regulatory Inspection Manager Paul Scott, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2635351 8 inspects 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8