Children's home run by Yourcare (Northwest) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2709686 1 Registered provider: Yourcare (North West) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2709686 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good relationships with staff. They have been consulted on who they would like to be their main worker at the home. Children are listened to and are confident in sharing any worries or concerns. One child told the inspector, ‘I feel that I could speak to other staff, and I would definitely speak to [name of staff member], who is my key worker. I do feel that I get my say and I am listened to.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children at the home are not currently attending their school provision. Staff have clear links with schools and tutors, and children are provided with schoolwork to complete in the home in the interim. One child is struggling with this style of education and their progress has been limited. The interim manager is working with the children’s social worker and the virtual school to identify a school provision closer to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote and support children having time with their family and friends. This support has enabled one child to have tea at his previous carer’s home. Another child has had the opportunity for their friend to stay overnight at the home. Children’s friends have been invited out on planned activities. This promotes children’s friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Activities for the children are promoted regularly. The children have enjoyed attending football matches, go karting, theme parks and other local activities. Staff are capturing photos and keeping tickets of activities, and these are held in individual memory books for the children. This allows children to have a long-lasting memento of their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is large and decorated to a high standard. Children are asked about their bedroom and the decor. However, in parts of the home, there is health and safety signage. This does not promote a homely environment.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff follow the missing-from-home protocols. Children have an opportunity to discuss the reasons why they go missing with an independent person. Staff carry out work with children to explore risks and how to stay safe. This is slowly reducing the missing-from-home incidents for children at the home.

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

The interim manager has worked with agencies and escalated concerns as required. Strategy meeting minutes are held on children’s file. This ensures that staff are clear on what actions are required in the home and from wider professionals.

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

Children understand the expectations of their behaviour. Incentives and praise are embedded into care practices and the children respond well to these. One child has Inspection report for children’s home: 2709686 3 recently received a new bicycle and proudly showed the inspector. When children’s behaviour is more difficult, consequences are used. These are appropriate and restorative in nature.

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

Staff have received adequate training to meet the needs of the children living at the home. Additional training has been sourced by the interim manager, which has included missing from home, county lines, criminal exploitation and knife crime. This is provided by external organisations.

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

Children at the home have experienced occasions where their bedroom has been searched by staff. This is when there has been concerns of a safeguarding nature for the child. Management oversight is clearly recorded; however, it is unclear whether children have been informed of this and the purpose of the search. The interim manager and staff need to ensure that children are informed of room searches and that children’s views and consent are documented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has left the home. An interim manager has been in place while recruitment is progressed. The interim manager has provided stability and good leadership during this period. A new manager is due to commence in post imminently. There is a clear plan in place around the induction for the manager. The interim manager will continue to be based at the home for two days per week.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about the support the interim manager has offered. Supervision is taking place and is of good quality, reflective and provides opportunities for staff to discuss children’s needs. Team meetings take place monthly and staff are supported to express their views and opinions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager has been a strong advocate for the children at the home. There has been clear challenge to services around additional support for education and support for emotional well-being. Professionals are positive about the support and care provided to children at the home. A social worker for one child said, ‘[Name of interim manager] has worked well with agencies and advocated the child’s views clearly. There is no plan for [name of child] to move from the home, I just know the home will not give up on [name of child].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager has reviewed incidents in the home. However, the interim manager has failed to notify Ofsted of two serious incidents that have occurred in the home. This does not ensure that the regulator has access to all relevant information. In addition, internal documents, including the statement of purpose, are not provided to Ofsted with all relevant updates. A requirement is made to address this shortfall. Inspection report for children’s home: 2709686 4

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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, 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

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 10 November

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 10 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2709686 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when carrying out a search of a child’s bedroom, staff ensure that children have been informed or asked for their permission. Children should understand why the room search is required and their views should be captured. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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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: 2709686 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Yourcare (North West) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pathways, Blackpool Road, Preston, Lancashire PR4 3RJ

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Inspector

Tracey Sykes, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2709686 7 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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