Children's home run by Lancashire County Council in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 1 SC035439 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides care for up to three children. The home’s statement of purpose states that the staff team has a nurturing ethos and strives to empower the children by promoting their right to be supported in their development, health and education.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/01/2022 Full Good 05/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have trusting relationships with staff. Positive relationships are clear to see between staff and children. Staff talk to children with warmth and humour and clearly understand the children’s needs well. This means that children have the opportunity to form positive relationships with the people who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have plenty of opportunities to enjoy different activities and find hobbies and interests. Staff have built relationships with children while joining them in activities and, for one child, this has allowed him to understand how the staff care for him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children go to school. The staff have worked hard to find a school for one child. A place was recently allocated and staff have successfully encouraged the child to attend. Another child goes to school a considerable distance away. Staff have supported this, to ensure stability for the child when moving home. This has ensured that children can continue to progress in their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from good-quality care that is competently delivered by the staff team. They settle into a caring and nurturing home where their needs are well managed and monitored. This high-quality care means that children make good progress in all areas of their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment requires update and repairs. It is not a welcoming environment and is unlikely to inspire pride in the children who live here. Redecoration of the home is planned for the end of the month and the manager has consulted the children to plan the colour scheme and furnishings.

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

Regardless of children’s behaviour, staff have a consistent and positive response. One child had been subject to a high number of physical holds but after staff reflection, they adopted a new way of working, using a clear method of managing behaviour that the child could understand. This quickly resulted in physical restraint for children no longer being needed.

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

Leaders and managers follow safer recruitment procedures. They ensure that all staff are appropriately checked and vetted before they work with the children. Effective recruitment is supported by an induction training programme. All these measures help to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively.

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

Staff are confident and have a clear understanding of what safeguarding means and the processes that need to be followed to protect children. There are clear risk management plans in place that are well written, understood by staff and reviewed by managers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 4 Children who display concerning criminal behaviour continue to be supported by the staff without judgment. Children are encouraged to engage in offending behaviour reduction programmes and, to support this work, staff talk to children about having a positive future.

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

The staff have recognised that they need to support the relationship between the children who live in the home, due to their differing needs. They have put a plan in place and intend to slowly develop a friendship between the children. This will mean that the children are able to enjoy activities and build a positive relationship.

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

Staff routinely use bedroom door alarms without any written agreement or review to determine if this level of surveillance is necessary to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified but is not yet registered. The manager will be leaving the service in the coming months and a replacement has been appointed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met all the requirements and recommendations that were made at the last inspection. The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the care that is provided and has plans in place to develop the service further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has drive and a vision for the home, and is aware of the strengths and the areas to improve. She has clear aspirations for the children and has demonstrated an understanding of meeting children’s needs with flexibility and dynamic adaption. This means children receive highly individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is held in high regard by other professionals. She is respected by the staff team. Staff say they feel supported and enjoy being part of the team. One external professional said, ‘I feel that the home have supported my young person very well. Communication is excellent between the home, myself and school.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive all the training that they need to meet the children’s needs. Team meetings and team-building days are used as additional opportunities for learning and staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the service. However, it is unclear what steps are taken to ensure that staff are aware of updated information. This could lead to children’s needs not being understood and met effectively by staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 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 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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this relates to the need to improve the look of the home environment. 31 August 2023

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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)) 9 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 6 This relates to gaining written consent for the use of door alarms.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any home using monitoring equipment should have a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living and working in the home, in accordance with regulation 24. Homes must gain consent from the placing authority to any monitoring or surveillance in writing at the time of placement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16) Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 7

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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: SC035439 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 78, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspector

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC035439 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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