Children's home run by Pelican Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2592781 1 Registered provider: Pelican Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Children may also have been diagnosed with learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020.

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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

Date of last inspection: 29 November 2022

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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: 2592781 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2022 Full Good 21/09/2021 Full Good 02/06/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2592781 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and settled in the home. The environment is homely and welcoming, and children have been supported to make their bedrooms their own. Children say that they feel well cared for and comfortable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities. Staff find out what interests each child and personalise their leisure time. This helps children to develop important social skills and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s achievements are regularly recognised and celebrated. This helps them to feel good about themselves and encourages them to meet their goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to learn important skills for independence. Staff begin planning for children’s independence well in advance to ensure that the change is gradual. Staff also advocate well on behalf of children so that other professionals understand their needs, wishes and feelings about long-term plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have completed formal education. Appropriate plans are in place for further education, employment or training. One child is moving on to college and there is a good plan in place to help them with this transition. Children’s education is prioritised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Significant improvements have been made in the recording and planning of useful discussions with children. The manager has provided staff with a plan which details the aims of any work carried out with each child. However, this plan has not been updated following significant events for both children that need to be addressed through key conversations with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that there are staff members who they feel comfortable to speak to if they are worried. Staff are responsive to children’s needs and offer appropriate advice and support. However, children do not have positive relationships with all the adults looking after them. This means that children are sometimes reliant on specific members of the team.

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

Children feel safe at the home. The manager ensures that staff have good knowledge of safeguarding procedures. Staff identify risks to children and follow plans to reduce these.

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

The manager informs multi-agency safeguarding partners of child protection concerns. There is good communication between different agencies. Child protection investigations are prompt. However, when the manager was absent, Ofsted was not Inspection report for children’s home: 2592781 4 notified of a serious incident concerning a child. This affects the regulator’s oversight of the actions taken by staff to keep children safe.

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

Staff rarely use consequences to manage children’s behaviour. When they are used, they are proportionate. Staff model positive behaviour and offer praise when due. This helps to maintain quality relationships with children.

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

Staff understand children’s individual needs and provide care which is specific to these needs. Staff understand the reasons behind any unwanted behaviour and work in a trauma-informed way. Children feel safe and supported.

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

The manager follows safer recruitment procedures. Staff are appropriately checked before working with vulnerable children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. The manager gets to know the children well and is involved in their day-to-day care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions and appraisals. These provide staff with opportunities to discuss personal development and training, and they are child focused and reflective. Staff regularly receive useful feedback on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers use good systems to monitor and review the quality of care being provided to children. This helps leaders and managers to identify shortfalls in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly and are used as an effective forum to share information about the children and to ensure that staff are working towards the same goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the management team. One member of staff said ‘[Name of manager] is always there for you, whenever you need anything.’ New members of staff receive a comprehensive induction. A member of staff who has moved to work in residential childcare from another sector said that they felt supported throughout this transition. As a result, there is a stable team of staff who work well together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff access regular useful training courses. This includes training which is specific to the needs of the children they are caring for. This ensures that staff have the skills and knowledge they need to provide good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers build effective working relationships with children’s family members. This helps to improve arrangements for children’s time with their family. Inspection report for children’s home: 2592781 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(b)) 15 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2592781 6 This specifically relates to ensuring that important conversations with children are properly planned and carried out, with a clear aim that is helpful to the child and a measurable outcome. These conversations should be thoroughly recorded to demonstrate that children are being supported to understand their own risks and gain the skills they need to be able to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the registered person must ensure that children are supported to have positive and respectful relationships with all adults who care for them.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, there should be suitable processes in place to ensure that HMCI is notified in the absence of the manager. 15 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2592781 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: 2592781 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pelican Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/o Holden Associates, V12 Suite, Merlin Park, Ringtail Road, Burscough, Lancashire L40 8JY

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Inspectors

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Sue Garner, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2592781 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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