Marydale Lodge

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 1 SC022448

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this secure children’s home

This secure children’s home is operated by a voluntary organisation and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty. The children’s home can accommodate up to 12 children who are aged between 10 and 17. The home provides for children’s accommodation under section25 of the Children Act 1989 who are placed by local authorities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

Admission of any young person under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who is under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and has managed the home since July 2022.

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Information about this secure children’s home

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

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Information about this secure children’s home

Date of last inspection: 11 October 2022

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Information about this secure children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 2 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 3

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Managers and staff speak with real passion and knowledge about each child. They speak about children with enthusiasm, care and consideration. Staff know and understand children’s individual needs well. Staff are committed to ensuring that each child has the best chance and outcomes possible. This enables children to grow in all areas of their development.

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The care of children

Children’s care planning is very effective. All care plans are regularly reviewed and are up to date. The managers and staff have an excellent understanding of each child’s plans. Children also know their plans and are encouraged to contribute to them by sharing their views and expressing their wishes and feelings. This supports children to feel valued, respected and fully involved in decisions that are made about their lives.

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The care of children

Children are involved in all aspects of their care while living at the home. This is achieved through daily discussions, children’s meetings, weekly meetings with their key worker, and meetings with their teacher when they talk about their education and their aspirations. Children are also involved in improving their environment and work with managers to improve procedures and processes to support these to be ‘child focused’. This supports children to take responsibility and ownership of their actions and care while at the home.

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The care of children

Children know how to make a complaint if they are unhappy about any aspect of their care. Complaints are taken seriously, investigated and acted on. Children receive feedback about their complaint in a timely manner. Children also have the opportunity to speak to other external professionals about any concerns or complaints they may have with the home. This supports children to have a voice, feel listened to and feel safe.

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The safety of children

Managers are committed to supporting staff to keep children safe. Since the last inspection, processes around reviewing physical interventions continue to be strengthened. The local authority designated officer reviews physical interventions alongside other external professionals. This arrangement allows for external scrutiny and offers additional safeguards. The management team has taken effective action when it has identified any practice concerns. Managers respond robustly and swiftly to any safeguarding concerns. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 4 Children enjoy the trusting relationships built with managers and staff. Children know they are listened to. They can share their worries or concerns and know that these will be taken seriously. This reflects the staff’s ability to manage and support children to work through their anxieties. Inspectors observed good humour and warm, nurturing interactions between children and staff. This supports children to

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The safety of children

feel safe and supported living in this home.

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The safety of children

Children are restricted to their rooms or kept away from the group only when necessary. During these times, children receive the support and observation they need from staff to keep safe. Detailed records of such events are maintained and they clearly evidence that these methods are used in the least restrictive way. Where restriction is used, there is a clear rationale for the decision-making. Effective management oversight is in place.

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The safety of children

The manager and staff understand the risks to and from children. Risk assessments and care plans are up to date. This means staff are aware of children’s needs vulnerabilities and what makes them anxious. These plans support staff to reduce risks and improve children’s safety and welfare. Because of this, risks are reduced and the care plans meet children’s individual needs.

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The safety of children

The use of ‘mobility’ in the community is carefully planned and risk assessments are put in place when children go with members of staff. This helps children to prepare to move on to their next placements. Since the last inspection, there has been one incident of a child going missing. Managers and staff took swift action to locate the child, and they returned safely to the home the same day.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is a dynamic and highly effective management team that is dedicated and provides consistent management and leadership. Managers provide the wider staff team with positive role models through their standards of practice and the high aspirations they have for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The management team monitors and reviews all aspects of each child’s care. Monitoring systems are thorough and effective. Regular audits take place with actions to address any shortfalls. Reflective practice for staff is strong and the management team uses what it learns from monitoring the care to provide to continuously improvement. This contributes to providing consistent, positive and child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Recruitment remains an ongoing challenge. Managers have been creative in their approach to recruiting new staff. This has included open ‘coffee’ evenings, where potential new recruits can visit and speak with managers and staff. The managers have also implemented a ‘recommend a friend scheme’. Research that the managers have completed has shown that this has contributed to successful recruitment. There is not currently a full staff complement. However, the management team continues to ensure safe staffing levels and is keeping occupancy low at this time. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 5 Managers provide a comprehensive range of support and development to the staff team. This has been particularly evident during times of challenge and stress. Daily bespoke debriefs have been designed to support staff to explore their feelings and reflect on practice. This has helped the staff to reflect, adapt and develop their own

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

learning. As a result, children receive care from an insightful, nurturing and knowledgeable team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

At the last full inspection, a requirement was made in relation to education. This has not been reviewed at this visit and will be considered as part of the next full inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 6

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/10/2022 Full Good 19/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/09/2021 Full Outstanding 21/01/2020 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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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; 30 January 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders must improve urgently children’s attitudes towards attending education sessions. They must address punctuality in lessons and the awarding of attendance marks for being present in sessions for very short periods of time. Leaders must also ensure that teaching staff set high expectations for children’s behaviour in classes to reduce significantly inappropriate language and improve behaviour. Staff must manage more effectively children’s demands to be returned to their residential units without a suitable reason. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 9

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nugent, 99 Edge Lane, Edge Hill, Liverpool L7 2PE

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Inspectors

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Janet Fraser, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 10 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

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Inspectors

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