Children's Home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594985 1 Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) 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 is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been registered with Ofsted since August 2020. The current manager has been registered since September 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2594985 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2022 Full Good 02/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2594985 3

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outstanding

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. Children spoke to the inspector and said that they feel safe and happy living in the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home and one child has moved in. Each child’s move was well planned, to meet the individual needs of the child.

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outstanding

Staff provide excellent care and support to the children, which is underpinned by research relating to individual children’s health needs, attachment and trauma informed-practice. Children are making exceptional progress from their starting points. The consistent and trusting relationships that children build with staff allow them to feel safe and secure.

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outstanding

Care planning and care practice are highly individualised. Leaders, managers and staff have a comprehensive understanding of each child’s needs and provide them with a bespoke package of support. They work closely with agencies to ensure that children receive the services and support they require to make progress.

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outstanding

Children are making good progress in their education settings. Leaders and managers have gone above and beyond to support one child’s education plan. They have strongly advocated to ensure that the child has a place in an appropriate education provision. This has resulted in the child attending education and making significant progress. One professional said, ‘Managers have been excellent during really unsettled times and really challenging to support [name of child].’

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outstanding

The quality of direct work carried out with children is excellent. Staff sensitively talk to children about key issues which are relevant to each child. These records are produced in a child-friendly format which captures their views and includes pictures.

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outstanding

Staff recognise the complexities of the relationships that exist between the children and their families. They work hard to help the children and their parents to understand, manage and improve these relationships and to maintain positive and safe contact. One parent said the staff have been accommodating when family time has been arranged and feels that leaders and staff are supportive of this. One social worker said that the home has facilitated supervised family time between a child, their siblings and parents, and provides them with detailed updates.

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outstanding

The home environment is maintained to a good standard. There has been some improvement work carried out since the last inspection. Children were consulted about this. Their views, such as having a larger dining area, were listened to, and the main entrance now leads into this instead of the living room.

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outstanding

Children engage in a wide range of activities and hobbies. Children have taken up new hobbies and become confident in making new friends. Children are now Inspection report for children’s home: 2594985 4 attending these activities on their own, when initially they had to be supervised by staff, which shows the progress they have made. There are clear safety plans in place for the children. Leaders and staff have built positive links with the local groups which the children attend.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged to learn life skills, and the plans are clear and child-friendly. Children’s views are clear throughout. Children cook independently, engage in physical exercise and are able to shop independently.

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outstanding

Children’s risk management plans are up to date and include all pertinent risks relevant to each child. These are supported by detailed behaviour management plans. Children’s views are clear throughout their plans and following each update direct work is carried out to seek their wishes and feelings. Children’s risks are known and fully understood by the staff team.

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outstanding

Children are settled in the home and enjoy spending time with the staff. Children are rarely reported missing from home. They have individual missing-from-home plans to help staff understand the action that they need to take to locate children and keep them safe. When children have been reported missing from home, staff are proactive in locating the children. On their safe return, the children are spoken to and return interviews are carried out by the relevant professionals.

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outstanding

Children are supported to take age-appropriate risks. They benefit from sensible and proportionate plans that promote their independence and prepare them for their transition to adulthood. This means that children enjoy their activities, voluntary work and time with family and friends.

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outstanding

Positive behaviour is promoted in the home and any consequences used are fair and proportionate. There are clear house rules and boundaries in place, which means children feel safe and secure.

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outstanding

Children are respectful of staff. Leaders and staff are positive role models for the children. The children benefit from a structured environment, with clear boundaries and planned daily routines. They are helped to take responsibility for their behaviour, to respect others and to be sensitive to each other’s feelings. If there are tensions, staff swiftly defuse them. Leaders and staff support children to resolve any conflicts they may have with each other through positive communication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a strong and experienced manager. They are child-centred and hardworking. The children are at the heart of everything. The manager ensures that children’s input and ideas are always fully considered, and this is evident throughout the children’s plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594985 5 There are strong systems in place to monitor the progress children make, which means that children are receiving high-quality care. Leaders and managers have good oversight of monitoring of the home. However, the manager had not identified that the fire doors needed some adjustments. This work was completed during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers provide each member of staff with excellent support, guidance and encouragement. Staff receive regular supervision. Leaders and managers are held in high regard by the staff team and feel that they can make progress in their roles. One member of staff stated, ‘Both managers are always on hand to provide all staff with advice, guidance, knowledge and a morale boost. They lead by example and are the best management team I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are passionate about research-informed practice and incorporate this in the day-to-day running of the home. When there have been identified concerns relating to children, leaders and managers have researched the specific area and incorporated this in team meetings and informal discussions with the staff team. This has then been implemented in practice with the children and has made a significant different to their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have undertaken a range a training, including mandatory training, all of which is child led. Staff hold relevant childcare qualifications. New starters are enrolled on the training for this qualification as soon as their probation is completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders, managers and the staff team have well-established working relationships with local services in the community. When children do not receive a prompt response from services, leaders and managers actively challenge on the children’s behalf. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594985 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they comply with relevant health and safety legislation and have clear oversight when health and safety checks are completed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2594985 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 17 & 18 Navigation Business Park, Navigation Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

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Inspector

Helen Fee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2594985 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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