Children's home run by New Horizons NW Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 1 Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been registered with Ofsted since January 2021. The current manager has been registered since December 2022.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 27 September 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/09/2022 Full Good 25/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, two children have left the home, and two children have moved in. Throughout the inspection, it was evident that managers and staff know the children well. Children are listened to, and staff invest time in them. The staff team is cohesive and provides consistent and nurturing care. As a result, children have trusted and secure relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff understand the importance of education. They are ambitious about children’s futures and support them to attend so that they do well. There are effective links with colleges, meaning that one child has been supported to identify the most appropriate provision for them to continue their learning. However, the inspector identified shortfalls for one child out of education. The child has an external tutor, but a lack of routine means that the child’s attendance is not consistent. Staff have not put in place educational activities throughout the day. This means that opportunities to improve the child’s access to education are missed, and as a result, the child’s learning is being delayed.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities, such as horse-riding, ice-skating, trips to museums and holidays abroad. Children are supported to develop their independence. One child is having driving lessons, and there is a plan to support a child to move out of the home. Staff ensure that memories are captured and recorded. This is important for children and will allow them to understand their journey into adulthood.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are new to the home are welcomed sensitively. They are encouraged to personalise their own bedrooms, which offers a sense of permanence and belonging. Before children move into the home, managers, together with the staff, use a decision-making tool to consider the child’s needs alongside the needs of existing children living in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children moving from the home have been provided with excellent support. Managers and staff have liaised effectively with services to understand children’s complex needs so that the most appropriate plan can be put in place. When initial plans have not been in the best interests of children, they have challenged the placing authority and implemented independent advocacy services. Managers and staff promote positive endings, and children leaving the home have been provided with memory books so they can build their life story.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to manage their feelings safely and have access to a range of specialist support, which is used to complete direct work with children. It is also used as a training opportunity for staff to develop their skills and understanding in areas such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 4 effects of trauma, and attachment theory. Practice is underpinned by research. As a result, some children are making exceptional progress from their starting points.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their family and others who are important to them. Children’s wishes are acted on. One child was supported to have family time at home. Staff consistently supervise, review and revise arrangements so that they are in the best interests of the individual child.

p.4

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

A child said, ‘I feel safe, listened to and can speak to all the staff. I never used to go out; now I go walking and have completed a charity walk. This helps my mental health.’ Staff use a range of methods to gather children’s wishes and feelings. Managers and staff use children’s feedback to make any changes. Children trust staff and can discuss any worries they may have.

p.4

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

All the children have individual risk management plans and behaviour support plans. These are effective at reducing risk and supporting positive behaviour because staff understand the plans and implement the strategies in their practice.

p.4

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

Staff understand safeguarding processes. Allegations made against children by other children have been taken seriously and responded to effectively so that children are safe. Children are provided with an outcome and supported through key-work sessions so that they understand what has happened.

p.4

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

When children need to be held, this is reasonable and proportionate. Children are provided with a debrief session so that they clearly understand why this has happened. Staff are also provided with a debrief session. Managers and staff review incidents and use behaviour-pattern analysis and research-based practice to analyse patterns and trends. Behaviour plans are revised, and new ways of working are introduced. This has been effective in significantly reducing incidents for one child.

p.4

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

Staff understand the processes for when children have been missing from the home. Staff follow robust individual protocols for each child. Staff actively complete area searches and check known locations so that children return safely. Managers and staff have challenged a placing authority when a return interview was delayed. Effective liaison with the missing-from-home team was used to quickly address this.

p.4

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

Clear processes are in place to recruit staff. A number of checks are completed to review staff’s suitability to work with children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed effectively and efficiently by a permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. Managers and staff are inspirational, ambitious and place the needs of the children at the centre of their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 5 All staff complete an assessment to understand their learning styles. This allows leaders and managers to identify innovative ways of delivering training so that staff practice is developed. Case studies, quizzes and research regarding specific behaviours are considered and applied to findings from a research-based tracker. A staff member said, ‘The manager loves research. He completes trackers and diagrams, and it is so good as it lets us see what the patterns are. So, for a child, finishing school was a trigger; we have now put in place plans, and incidents have reduced significantly.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive excellent, high-quality supervision and support. Leaders and managers are visible at the home each day. They are committed and passionate about understanding children’s journeys and the progress they make. Research is at the heart of improving practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Mandatory and specialist training has been completed by the staff so that they have the necessary skills to care for children well. Additionally, leaders create a culture of high aspiration. Staff are responsible for undertaking research and sharing their findings across the staff team. This is then put into practice and has made a difference to children’s lives.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak highly of leaders and manager. A staff member has been supported to progress to team leader. They said that leaders and managers go above and beyond to upskill existing staff and create opportunities for continual development. The manager introduces creative ways of working and encourages the staff team to share practice ideas. In particular, children’s meetings have been changed and are art based. Children find these fun and contribute to decision-making in their home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s records are subject to monthly analysis and are considered by the clinical psychologist in supervision sessions, team meetings and during development days. Emerging patterns are used to revise children’s plans to change and improve children’s lives.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a clear development plan in place that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The manager has implemented monitoring systems to determine the impact that the staff have on the quality of children’s care. As a result, there is clear evidence that improvements made are sustained over a long period of time.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff work proactively with partner agencies so that children receive the best possible care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 6

p.5

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.

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

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.6

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement.

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)((v)(vi)(x))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children are encouraged to attend education. Leaders and managers must ensure that appropriate action is taken to overcome barriers to learning and that children are supported with routines which helps them to be prepared for returning to education. 24 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 7

p.6

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: 2614703 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

p.8

Inspector

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2614703 9 regulates and inspects 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 children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9