Children's home run by Prosperity Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 1 Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 30 June 2023. There is an interim manager in post who has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 18 January 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 3

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improvement to be good

Two children live in the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved in and one child has moved out. The needs of one child who moved into the home were not assessed prior to them moving in. The impact on the child already living in the home was not considered. Staff did not receive training regarding the child’s specific needs. Staff were unable to meet the needs of both children in the home. This resulted in the child moving from the home in an unplanned way.

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improvement to be good

The interim manager has improved the assessment processes to ensure that the needs of all children are considered prior to children moving into the home. However, one child does not have a written placement plan. The interim manager has not challenged the placing authority in a timely way. This means that staff do not have sufficient information to help them understand the individual needs of children and the expectations of the care to be provided.

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improvement to be good

Staff are supporting children to build positive relationships with each other in an appropriate way for their individual needs. Children are encouraged to develop individual interests such as swimming and gymnastics. Children have opportunities to engage in days out and holidays. Photos and memorabilia are recorded in books for children to keep.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s individual needs, including their religious beliefs. One child regularly attends a place of worship and associated clubs. Staff encourage children to spend time with people who are important to them, and ensure that this is safe and in line with children’s plans.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to attend school and engage in learning opportunities. Children who are not in school have clear plans to engage in learning. The interim manager works with local authorities to source educational provision for children who are not in formal education.

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improvement to be good

The home environment is generally well maintained. Children’s bedrooms are personalised. However, some areas of the home require repainting, such as the living room, stairs and landing. The home environment would improve if there were more soft furnishings and accessories in communal areas of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with nurturing care from staff. Staff regularly engage with children through activities and discussions to support positive relationships. However, one child says that they do not have an adult they would talk to in the home. This prevents them from seeking emotional support within the home environment. The interim manager is working with external agencies, such as the child and adolescent mental health services, to provide emotional support for Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 4 children. Staff work with children to help them understand the importance of emotional health support.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the risks and vulnerabilities of children in their care. Written risk assessments are detailed and include specific strategies to help each child and actions for staff to take to reduce the risk of harm to children. Incidents in the home are generally managed well by staff, who understand the strategies to use. However, there was one incident when staff did not manage a situation well and they locked themselves in the office and contacted the police for assistance. This was not in line with the child’s written assessments or plans. This was identified as a practice issue by the interim manager. Staff have received additional training and supervision to reflect and learn from this incident.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from the home, staff follow procedures to ensure that children return home safely. Staff work hard to help children return home safely. Staff liaise with external agencies to ensure that information is shared appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Positive behaviour is promoted. Staff provide positive rewards when children do well and incentives to support children to achieve their goals. When children make poor choices, staff implement consequences. However, these are financial and not restorative in nature. This does not help children to understand the consequences of their behaviour.

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improvement to be good

There are clear behaviour management strategies in place for staff to follow. Physical restraint is used as a last resort to keep children safe. The interim manager evaluates these incidents to ensure that they are proportionate. There have been two incidents when children’s movements have been restricted by staff blocking their exit from the home. These incidents have been appropriate to keep children safe. However, these incidents are not recorded as a restraint. This prevents effective management oversight. Managers have identified this as an area for development and have arranged for additional training for staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff are aware of the potential risks associated with social media. Staff have regular discussions with children to help them to develop their ability to keep themselves safe online. However, one child has access to social media that is not in line with their age. The interim manager has not challenged the placing authority regarding this arrangement in a timely way to ensure the child’s online safety.

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improvement to be good

Staff conduct room searches to ensure the safety of children. However, records of room searches are not detailed and do not include children’s comments or whether their permission was obtained.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend time out in the community, based on their age and development. There are clear plans in place to ensure that this is safe and remains Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 5 appropriate based on children’s individual needs. Staff complete welfare checks at regular intervals to ensure children’s safety when they are away from the home.

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improvement to be good

The interim manager had not arranged for hazards in the home to be fixed in a timely manner. There were several hazards identified, including loose wires and a broken bracket on the wall. These were addressed during the inspection to ensure a safe environment for children.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment checks are robust. All new staff are suitably vetted following safe recruitment guidelines prior to starting work in the home. New staff receive good induction training.

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good

The home has not had a registered manager in post since June 2023. The interim manager has applied to be registered with Ofsted. The interim manager was previously a senior staff member in the home and has a good understanding of the children’s needs. The interim manager wants the best for the children and advocates on their behalf.

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good

The interim manager said she does not feel adequately supported in her role. This impacts on her ability to have effective oversight of the home and the way it is managed. Changes to senior management have impacted on the support available. However, there are plans in place to address this, including peer support, regular management meetings and development plans.

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good

The interim manager is developing systems to ensure that she can effectively monitor and evaluate all aspects of the home. However, these are not robust or embedded into practice. There are several documents missing for children from the placing authority. This prevents the interim manager planning effectively for children’s care. There are recording issues, such as information being saved in the wrong place. This prevents effective oversight of practice in the home. There are incidents that have not been individually assessed by managers, resulting in duplication of evaluations. This had not been identified or addressed by the interim manager.

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good

The interim manager ensures that staffing levels are appropriate to meet the needs of the children. There are contingency plans in place to ensure consistent and effective staffing.

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good

Rotas do not include the manager’s hours. This is a breach in regulation and means that children and staff may not know when the manager is available. However, feedback from children and professionals states that the interim manager is in the home regularly and is available to offer support. Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 6 Staff receive regular supervision sessions and attend monthly team meetings. These provide staff with an opportunity to reflect on their practice and discuss development needs, as well as the needs of the children.

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good

External monitoring of the home takes place each month. Reports produced by the independent person do not contain relevant information and evaluation. This prevents the regulator having appropriate oversight of the home.

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good

The quality of care report is analytical and includes areas for development and a suitable action plan. However, the report does not contain feedback from children, staff or key stakeholders, which limits the evaluation of the impact and quality of care children receive. Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 7

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e)) 20 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 8 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff act appropriately to safeguard children during incidents of challenging behaviour. The registered person must ensure that individual incidents are appropriately evaluated. The leaders and managers must ensure that hazards in the home are identified and rectified in a timely manner, and that risks in relation to social media are discussed with placing authorities and relevant plans are implemented to ensure children’s online safety.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(c) (2)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that written records have appropriate management oversight, and that 20 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 9 any errors in recording are noted and rectified. The leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive training relevant to the specific needs of the children in a timely way. The registered person must ensure that there is sufficient support for managers in their role.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s individual needs are assessed prior to them moving in and that staff have the relevant skills and experience to meet children’s needs. The registered person must ensure that children have appropriate placement plans in place. 20 September

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)) 20 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 10 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the planned and actual hours worked by the manager in the home are recorded on the rota.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that there is sufficient detail in the report, information to support the manager’s monitoring of the home, and allows effective oversight from the regulator. This is restated. 20 September

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b) (5)) 20 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the environment is homely for children, including pictures and rugs in the living room. Children’s views should be obtained to support the development of the home environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children’s bedrooms are only searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. Immediate searching may be necessary where there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. The leaders and managers should ensure that such searches are recorded clearly and include the Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 11 child and manager’s comments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that consequences for children’s behaviour

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Recommendations

are generally restorative in nature, that these are clearly recorded and evaluated to ensure that they are proportionate and effective. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2694962 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8 Venus House, Altham Business Park, Altham, Accrington BB5 5BY

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Inspector

Jenni Gadsby, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2694962 13 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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