Children's Home run by A-Triangle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2641790 1 Registered provider: A-Triangle 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 two children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2023.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was 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

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2641790 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2641790 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a welcoming and comfortable home. There are photos of the child displayed on the walls. The child has been involved in choosing furniture and pictures for the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is enabled to build trusted and secure relationships with staff. The staff know the child well and invest time in getting to know them. The child says that the staff are ‘amazing’. These positive relationships are helping the child to learn what a respectful relationship looks like and how to create one.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to maintain good physical health. The child is encouraged to eat healthily and attend all their health appointments. However, staff have not always been proactive in supporting the child to overcome their fear of visiting the dentist. This has resulted in missed dental appointments.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child does not have a school place identified for them despite having lived in the home for almost six months. This has not been challenged effectively by the manager with the placing authority and education professionals. The staff have tried to engage the child in home learning; however, this is inconsistent. Additionally, the lack of a daily routine for the child further impacts on this and does not prepare the child for starting school.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys a range of activities, including going to the gym and cycling. The staff have supported the child to pursue their interest in fishing. This is helping the child to develop new skills and enjoy different experiences.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support children to spend time with their family and friends. However, the staff have not challenged the placing authority effectively about the arrangements for the child to see some family members as per their care plan in a timely way.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual sessions are carried out with the child on important issues, such as family time, open water safety and fire safety. However, focused work about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the dentist is lacking.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child moved into the home in a planned way. This helped them to settle on their arrival.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has a memory book of their time in the home. This supports them to reflect on their experiences and progress.

p.3

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

The child living in the home says that they feel safe. They say that they can talk to staff about any worries they have. The child knows how to make a complaint. Inspection report for children’s home: 2641790 4 Assessments of risk are in place and updated regularly. There are strategies in place to protect the child from harm. Staff understand the risks and know what to do if the child goes missing from the home. This means that the child is safeguarded effectively because of the care that they experience.

p.3

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

The child receives help and support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. Staff understand the child’s experiences and respond with appropriate boundaries about what is safe and acceptable.

p.4

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

Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Staff use effective de-escalation techniques, and there have not been any physical interventions. This helps to create a positive environment where the child can flourish.

p.4

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

Safer recruitment is followed for new staff coming into the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified manager. The manager knows the child well and is a positive role model for staff and the child. Staff describe the manager as ‘supportive’ and say that they enjoy working in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the manager has worked hard to make improvements to the monitoring and review systems. The manager has good oversight of the day-to- day running of the home. This means that the manager can identify and act on shortfalls in a timely way to improve the quality of care that the child receives.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. However, the records do not always evidence that staff have had an opportunity to reflect on their practice on an individual basis. This limits the manager’s understanding of staff’s strengths and areas for development. Team meetings that allow for feedback and discussion take place frequently.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to understand and meet the children’s individual needs. New staff coming into the home receive a thorough induction. Staff have completed training in safety intervention and supporting children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This helps staff to have a good knowledge and skill base to safeguard children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent person does not regularly seek the views of children’s families or external professionals. These opinions are important to confirm that children are receiving care that meets their needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2641790 5

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii)(ix))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that the children are encouraged to engage in education and that this is part of an established and consistent daily routine during school term time. 31 August 2023

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should evidence what they have done to achieve engagement, including any actions taken to escalate concerns. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have an opportunity to reflect on their practice during individual supervision sessions. This should be recorded, as appropriate, on staff’s supervision records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)  The registered person should ensure that the independent person has an opportunity to speak to professionals and family members when carrying out each Inspection report for children’s home: 2641790 6 regulation 44 visit. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

p.5

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: 2641790 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: A-Triangle Care Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Crescent East, Hardhorn Road, Thornton- Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3LJ

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered manager: Ashley Smithson Hayes

p.7

Inspectors

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Dawn Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2641790 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.

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 . 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