Children's home run by Exceptional Care Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 1 SC483070 Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified manager in post who registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

An assurance inspection was carried out on 24 August 2022 and three compliance notices were issued. A monitoring visit was carried out on 10 October 2022 and the compliance notices had been met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/02/2020 Full Outstanding 09/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take time to get to know the children in their care and to build positive and trusted relationships with them. Children told the inspector that they feel extremely safe and secure in the home. One child said, ‘I can talk to all the staff and they help me understand things better.’ Another child said, ‘I would not want to live anywhere else.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager liaises with other agencies to ensure that decision-making about children moving into the home is well considered. When possible, children visit the home in advance of moving in. This means that children can discuss their anxieties, ask questions and meet the other children. However, the manager and staff are not aware of the local offer, which sets out the support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is a missed opportunity to access additional resources for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to reflect and record their views, wishes and feelings in their care plans. This means that they are actively able to contribute to the quality of care that they receive. However, the language used in a range of the children’s documents is not child-friendly and does not explain their behaviour. For example, documents contain words such as ‘heightened’, ‘dysregulated’, and ‘emotionally regulated’. This does not help a child to clearly understand the information recorded.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend time with children to help them make sense of the world and understand being safe, being independent and making good choices. However, staff do not always identify what the next steps are to support children or provide clear timescales.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with education. Two children have now left school and they are applying for college or employment. Staff have been extremely supportive in helping them to explore several options. One child is being tutored at home while a suitable education provision is found for them. The manager is working closely with external education professionals to ensure that there is no delay or drift.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the children to adopt healthy lifestyles by encouraging them to eat a healthy diet and to engage in physical exercise. Children are supported with their individual health needs and they have good access to local health services.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and comfortable and the children have been able to personalise their bedrooms. However, children are monitored through the use of alarms on their bedroom doors. This is a standard company policy, rather than based on individual need. This impacts on children’s privacy.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well prepared for their futures because staff ensure that they have the skills to care for themselves. There are clear plans in place when children are Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 4 preparing to leave the home. Staff continue to support children while they settle into their new home.

p.3

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

The manager and staff work closely with external professionals and community services to ensure that children receive the support they need. All safeguarding incidents are reported quickly to the relevant safeguarding professionals. However, the manager has not always informed the regulator of the outcome. This reduces the regulator’s oversight.

p.4

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

Staff discuss a variety of topics with children to assess their understanding and to give them advice and guidance. Children said that this was helpful for them. One child said, ‘I have done lots of work around being safe when I am not in the home. I have not been reported missing from the home for over a year now. This is down to the staff and the work I have done. I am really proud of myself.’

p.4

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

Children’s behaviour has improved due to the relationships that they have with staff. When behaviour is unacceptable, children can reflect and debrief with staff. Similarly, staff also have a debrief to reflect on whether they could have done anything differently. As a result, the manager identifies any patterns, trends and learning.

p.4

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

When children go missing from home, staff follow the agreed reporting protocols, including actively searching for them. Children receive a return home interview from an independent person. This means that they can discuss why they went missing from the home and any concerns.

p.4

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

Staff are subject to safer recruitment protocols. This ensures that those working in the home are safe to work with children. Health and safety checks are carried out in the home each week and any maintenance issues are addressed quickly.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work well together and have a good balance of skills, knowledge and experience. Most members of staff have a relevant childcare qualification.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular team meetings and have monthly supervision. They have access to a wealth of training and development opportunities to support their professional development.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and review systems at the home help the manager to identify the home’s strengths and weaknesses. Staff feel empowered, as the manager listens to their suggestions and talks to them about the home. Staff say that this has helped to improve the care provided and provides an opportunity to talk about what is working well and what needs to change. Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 5 The manager works positively with external professionals to help ensure that children receive effective care and support. When necessary, the manager challenges services and advocates for the children. Relationships with partner agencies, families and children are strong. Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

p.6

Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance;

p.6

Requirement Due date

and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that bedroom door alarms are not used as standard practice. Further to this, when they are used, that their use is reviewed regularly. 31 July 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

p.6

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)) 31 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 7

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure staff identify agreed actions and timescales when responding to children’s views, wishes and feelings. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that managers and staff are aware of the local offer setting out the support available for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.4)  The registered person should ensure that information is recorded in a way that is helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.7

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: SC483070 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Exceptional Care Limited, Malthouse Business Centre, Southport Road, Ormskirk L39 1QR

p.8

Inspector

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC483070 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.

p.8

Inspector

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 . 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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9