Children's Home run by GS Social Care Solutions Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 1 Registered provider: GS Social Care Solutions 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 and operated by a private company. The home can provide care for up to six children who may have been diagnosed with a learning disability and/or physical disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2 November 2022.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/03/2022 Full Outstanding 03/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/06/2019 Full Good 19/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are currently five children living in this home with a range of complex health needs, including physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities. One child said, ‘It’s great here. I really like all the staff’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel supported by staff. Children can identify adults they trust to talk about any worries. One social worker said, ‘It has been a really tough time for [name of child] and they [staff] have been so supportive of him through that trauma. He has good relationships with staff.’ Children feel secure and their emotional wellbeing is promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager completes a comprehensive assessment before children move into the home. This involves getting to know children as individuals, understanding their experiences and needs as well as their personalities. This ensures that children moving into the home are well matched to the skills of the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a positive experience of moving into or out of this home. Staff support children through gradual, well-planned transitions. One child has moved into adult services but is supported to maintain his friendships with the children still living at the home. Placements are not ended in an unplanned way, allowing children to enjoy stability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive high quality, individualized care. Important plans, such as health plans, are personalised to each child. Documents are written in an accessible and easy to follow way. Staff are provided with a clear, comprehensive guide for how to meet the needs of each child. Children are provided with consistent care and are enabled to understand their own care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are all making excellent progress from their starting points. Staff understand the needs of each child and find creative ways to help them to progress. One parent said, ‘They [staff] have been a godsend, they treat him like one of their own. His behaviour now and his communication, they’re so good compared to before.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are sought in a variety of ways. Staff ensure that, whatever their communication needs, children are empowered to have a say in all decisions about their lives. Staff also advocate strongly on behalf of children with other professionals. Children feel listened to.

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

Risks are identified and well managed. Managers complete an individualised risk assessment for each child. Plans provide staff with clear guidance on how best to Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 4 promote children’s welfare. This helps staff to understand how to keep each child safe. The support and care provided to children helps them to become safer. Children are supported to better understand and manage their own vulnerabilities and risks. As a result, they can safely enjoy more independence.

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

Staff provide children with consistent rules and boundaries. Staff effectively manage children’s behaviour and prevent crises. This leads to a feeling of well-being and security for children

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

Staff respond quickly and decisively to medical emergencies. Staff communicate effectively with medical professionals to share important information about children’s health needs. One parent said, ‘They [staff] saved her life [the child] last week. I wouldn’t have her without them’.

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

There have been errors in the administration and recording of medication in this home. Children living in this home have complex needs and staff need to understand and manage a large quantity of medications. To date errors have not caused harm to children, but there is the potential for serious harm to a child’s physical health.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager leading this home. She knows the children well and has high expectations for they can achieve. One professional said, ‘[the manager] is unbounded in her passion for the children that she looks after.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good oversight of children’s care planning and pro- gress. This enables them to identify any issues quickly and take effective to resolve problems.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of staff supervision is inconsistent. Supervision is not always reflective and does not always take place with the regularity stated in the home’s workforce development plan. Following incidents in the home staff have not been supported through supervision to reflect and learn from these situations. This is a missed opportunity for learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been significant changes to the staffing of this home. Agency support staff are used regularly to provide care for children due to vacancies. Managers are working hard to recruit permanent staff; however, staff frequently leave this home. There have also been a high number of staff disciplinary issues within the team. Children are not being provided with a consistent team of adults caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers understand the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The manager has formulated a good quality workforce plan to develop the staff team. However, the details of the staffing structure and staff qualifications are not included in the plan. Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 5 Leaders and managers form good quality working relationships with other professionals. Communication of the children’s needs within the multi-disciplinary team is effective. Managers advocate robustly on behalf of the children, especially when other services are not meeting their responsibilities. This approach helps to ensure the best possible all-round support for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers actively promote equality and diversity. The manager is particularly passionate about ensuring that the children in her care have the same rights, access and opportunities as any of their peers. Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 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, 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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must make sure that there is a consistent staff team and that the home is not overly reliant on agency or bank staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff employed by the home understand and are able to work within the values and ethos of the home. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that— Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 7 medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that medication administration records are accurate.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraphs 13.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which details the staffing structure. This should include the experience and qualifications of staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraphs 10.8)

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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: 1271222 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: GS Social Care Solutions Limited

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1271222 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 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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