Children's Home run by North West Youth Services in Blackpool

Inspection report for children's home: 2621193 1 Registered provider: North West Youth Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for one child with social and emotional needs or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

One child is currently living in this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post and registered since 18 October 2023.

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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: 8 November 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2621193 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2022 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2621193 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child likes staff very much and enjoys spending time with them. The child knows the staff well and likes to share their interests with particular staff members, such as going biking with one and gaming with another. Some of the child’s cherished possessions are gifts from staff, such as an original military gas mask.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well decorated and comfortable. The child has personalised their bedroom and the games room according to their tastes and interests. There are photos around the home of the child with people who are important to them and of activities and holidays with staff. The child is relaxed in their home and has a sense of ownership and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to learn in the home with external tutors and they arrange outdoor learning sessions. The child is making progress with their learning and ability to focus. Since living in the home, the child’s timetable has been increased several times, to include longer academic sessions and technology lessons.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the child’s health needs well. They have training in the child’s health conditions so that they can support them effectively. Staff are prompt in liaising with specialist professionals when there are changes to the child’s health. The child is comfortable speaking with staff about their health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is preparing to move on from the home. Staff have created photo books for the child and taken the child to visit the new home. However, the child was prematurely informed about the upcoming move and was therefore unduly unsettled.

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

The child feels safe. Staff ensure that there are consistent boundaries in place. The child’s behaviour management plan is discussed and amended with the home’s therapist, to ensure that strategies are effective and amended in line with changing need.

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

Staff take the child’s complaints seriously. On the one occasion that the child complained, managers responded promptly and thoroughly investigated the complaint. Managers ensured that the child was aware of the outcome of the complaint and was happy with the outcome.

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

Staff understand the risks to the child and how to manage them. Risk assessments are long, however, they do contain clear strategies for staff to use and staff are knowledgeable about these. Staff monitor risk closely and update the risk assessments regularly. As a result, risks have reduced for the child. Inspection report for children's home: 2621193 4 The child rarely goes missing. Staff have detailed knowledge of the child’s missing- from-home plan. On the occasion that the child was missing from home, staff searched the area and found the child quickly. Staff updated the risk assessment for the activity the child was engaged in at the time they went missing, to reduce the likelihood of episodes of them going missing in the future.

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

Staff rarely restrain the child. On the occasions that the child has been held, this has been to prevent harm to them. Staff have the relevant training to hold the child safely. The manager and senior staff ensure that there is an opportunity for the child and involved staff to talk after any physical interventions. This allows the staff to reflect and make improvements to their practice.

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

Staff promote positive behaviour. Staff regularly praise the child, for example, when they are kind and thoughtful. The child receives tailored rewards. Staff rarely give formal consequences to the child. When these are given, they are usually proportionate, effective and agreed with the child. However, on one occasion, the consequence was not proportionate and property was unnecessarily removed from the child. A recommendation has been made in relation to this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to their role and has a good relationship with the child. The child seeks the manager out to spend time with them and discuss their day. The child is confident to tell the manager what they think and asks for their advice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and experienced staff team. When increased staffing was necessary, the manager recruited casual staff who had existing relationships with the child. Therefore, the child is cared for by adults they trust who have knowledge of their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective oversight of the home. The manager uses monitoring systems and their oversight of key documents to identify areas for practice development. Staff receive regular supervision, which gives them the opportunity to reflect on their practice. Good practice is shared in team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported in their role. The manager takes time to understand the needs of the staff team and adapts their communication to ensure that key messages are clearly understood. One staff member said they were ‘blown away’ by the support of the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager encourages a culture of transparency in the home. Staff are supported to express their views and challenge decisions that they do not agree with. This promotes open discussion and healthy working relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff complete their mandatory training. Staff also complete training specific to the child’s needs, such as in relation to health diagnoses. However, some staff have not completed their diploma qualification in the required timescale. A requirement has been made in relation to this. Inspection report for children's home: 2621193 5

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 31 May 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2621193 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, proportionate and effective. This will help children to recognise the impact their behaviour has on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘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: 2621193 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North West Youth Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Frazer Waite Desmier, Peine House, 1 Hind Hill Street, Heywood OL10 1JZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: William Mulvaney

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Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2621193 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 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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