Children's home run by Lytham Care Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 1 SC482340 Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for one child with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home reopened in February 2023 following a three-month condition being imposed in August 2021.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

A three-month condition was imposed in August 2021 due to shortages in staffing and management in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/03/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 15/05/2019 Full Good 25/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 3

p.2

improvement to be good

One child is living in the home. She has lived here since the home reopened in February 2023. Before the child moved in, staff provided her with opportunities to spend time in the home to help her to settle and to alleviate any anxieties she may have had.

p.3

improvement to be good

There have been several changes to the management and staffing in the home since the child moved in. This has not provided the child with stability or consistency. Action has been taken by leaders and managers to plan the staffing in the home so that she is now provided with care from those who have established relationships with her. Staff in the home are committed to supporting the child long term. They have postponed plans for personal development opportunities to ensure that they can support the child to prepare for independence. This promotes the development of positive relationships.

p.3

improvement to be good

Action is taken to safeguard the child when allegations are made against staff. However, the child has been exposed to staff conflict in the home. Issues with staff practice have impacted on the child’s emotional well-being and led to the breakdown in relationships with other staff in the home. This means that the child has not been provided with stable and consistent care.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child’s physical health needs are met. Staff understand the child’s emotional needs and the child receives support from specialist agencies to support her with these. However, professionals have commented that there have been some delays in this being actioned. Specialist support is provided from external agencies for the child to engage in life-story work.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is not currently engaging in education or employment. Opportunities are provided for the child to undertake additional learning through specific training packages in the home. However, there are no plans in place for the child to engage in formal education or employment. Furthermore, clear guidance on how to support the child to prepare for independence is not in place. This means that she is not being supported to achieve her full potential.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support the child to spend time with her friends and the people who are important to her in her home area. The child is provided with good support from those caring for her when difficulties arise in her relationships.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is cared for by a team of staff who are new to working in the home on a Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 4 permanent basis. They are spending time with the child to get to know her risks and vulnerabilities. They recognise the child’s triggers and implement strategies to reduce risks to her associated with unhealthy friendships and peer pressure.

p.3

improvement to be good

Incidents of challenging behaviour are managed well. Staff can de-escalate challenging behaviour effectively due to the strong relationships they have with the child. Following incidents, staff provide educational opportunities for the child through online training. However, not all incidents have been notified to Ofsted. This has reduced regulatory oversight of safeguarding practice in the home.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff promote positive behaviour through rewards and incentives. When used, consequences are fair and proportionate. Follow-up work is carried out with the child to reflect on incidents. This develops the child’s understanding of socially acceptable behaviour. However, there has not been independent oversight of incidents when the manager has been involved.

p.4

improvement to be good

Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are detailed and provide clear guidance for staff to follow. The child’s voice is evident in these. However, not all records include up-to-date information. Assessment of some risks is not accurate. Some known risks for the child are not recorded and there are no clear strategies for staff to support the child with these.

p.4

improvement to be good

The child living in the home knows how to make a complaint. Her wishes and feelings are listened to. When allegations are made, the child’s safety and well-being are prioritised. Work is carried out with the child to repair relationships through mediation.

p.4

good

There have been changes to the management and staff team since the home reopened. There is currently no registered manager in post. Significant shortfalls in the management of the home were identified during the inspection. Engagement with professionals working with the child is inconsistent. Attendance at meetings and reviews for the child is sporadic. Agreed work with the child has not been carried out and information-sharing is poor.

p.4

good

The current manager is new to the home. He is experienced and qualified. Since starting in the home, he has developed positive relationships with the child and is spending time getting to know her. He is child focused and promotes a child-centred approach in the staff team. Communication with professionals has improved.

p.4

good

Staff say they feel supported in their roles. They now benefit from regular supervision and reflective team meetings. Staff say team meetings are child focused and provide opportunities to reflect on practice. However, not all staff have received training on topics specific to the child’s needs. This means that the staff team does not have the level of knowledge and understanding to support the child in all areas. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 5 The current manager has oversight of the care being provided in the home. He has identified shortfalls in the monitoring and oversight of staff practice before he started to work in the home and is taking appropriate action to rectify these. However, there are no systems in place to ensure that staff are reviewing or maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of the child’s plans.

p.4

good

Regular independent audits are carried out by senior leaders. These highlight shortfalls in practice and identify clear actions needed to rectify these. The manager benefits from monthly independent scrutiny of the home. He uses this feedback well and takes appropriate action when shortfalls are identified. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that there is a clear plan in place to support the child to access any educational or employment opportunities. 31 October 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that staff— 31 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 7 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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.7

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the child’s records include all known risks, an accurate reflection of risk and that all staff read and understand these. The registered person should ensure that there is independent oversight of incidents and that all staff have the level of knowledge and skills required to meet the child’s specific needs.

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 31 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 8 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;

p.7

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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

p.8

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that plans are implemented to support the child to prepare for independence and that work is carried out in line with local authority care plans. 31 October 2023

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 31 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 9

p.8

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: SC482340 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 400 Longmoor Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 9DB

p.10

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rachel Springford

p.10

Inspector

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC482340 11 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspector

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.11

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspector

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

p.11