Children's home run by Cherish Children’s Care Limited in Fylde

Inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 1 SC476868 Registered provider: Cherish Children’s Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates the home. It provides care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 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

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: SC476868 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2022 Full Good 21/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/05/2021 Full Inadequate 20/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortable, and staff are welcoming and have warm relationships with the children. Children say that they have good relationships with staff and that they feel happy and ‘at home’. Children say the manager is approachable. They say they feel relaxed in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children attend full-time education or complete educational activities as part of their daily routine. An education professional said, ‘[Name of child] has greatly improved in her attendance. Staff communicate extremely well.’ This means children’s educational needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work alongside the children, teaching them independence skills such as cooking and budgeting to help them prepare for when they leave the home. One child said she felt prepared to live on her own. This means children have valuable life skills for their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have fun with staff, including celebrating occasions such as Halloween and Christmas. Children enjoy cooking and baking with staff. There is an emphasis on sitting down together at mealtimes to swap stories about their day. This gives children an opportunity to broaden their experiences and builds confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children personalise their bedrooms to their own taste. They have photos of family and people important to them on their walls. However, one child’s bedroom is in a poor decorative state. The manager has a plan to redecorate this room in the next few weeks. Some of the doors leading to communal areas in the home have locks. This may prevent children accessing the rooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A parent said that they were happy with the care that their child receives but felt that they should be able to see their child more. This inspection identified a shortfall in consulting with the placing authority to agree the appropriate level of time for which children can see their parent.

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

Staff have an organised approach to finding children who go missing. They work with partner agencies to help keep children safe. Incidents of children going missing from the home have reduced over time. Staff work hard to help children become safe.

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

The home has a therapist who works there several days a week. The therapist offers direct support to the children and advice and guidance to staff. Staff have worked closely with the therapist to support children. As a result of this work, incidents of self- harm have reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 4 Staff receive training on complex safeguarding issues. This ensures staff understand the risks that children may be subject to. This increases children’s safety.

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

Children’s behaviour is well managed, and boundaries are clear. A system of incentives encourages positive behaviour. As a result, children’s behaviour has improved and there has been a reduction in incidents in the home.

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

Safer recruitment practice is in place. This ensures that children are protected from potentially unsafe adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has high ambitions for the children. She advocates on their behalf. This ensures that they receive the services that they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager monitors children’s outcomes. Monthly care and therapeutic reports show clear progression and improved outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a positive approach to promoting equality and diversity. For example, posters on the walls promote and celebrate diversity, including in gender and sexual orientation. Staff support children to attend groups that fit in with their own interests and likes. Staff respect and promote children’s culture. Staff encourage children to be who they want to be.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Stakeholders say that they have a positive relationship with the manager. They say that communication is good. Effective communication ensures that children receive services which meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff receive supervision, however, inexperienced staff do not receive supervision at the frequency needed. This inspection identified that some staff need more support to ensure that they can reflect on their work with the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 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, 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to —

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this includes removing or disabling locks on internal doors that could prevent children from accessing communal areas of their home. 8 June 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home works with the placing authority, as well as in consultation with the child, to agree the appropriate level of contact between children and their families. Each child should have this considered individually to ensure that family relationships are promoted, when safe and appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff have access to regular good quality supervision that allows them to reflect on their work with the children. In particular, when staff are new to the role and need additional support to carry out their work with the children effectively. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards.’, Page 61, Paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 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: SC476868 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cherish Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8 Skyways Commercial Campus, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 3RS

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 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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