Children's Home run by Laska Care and Education Ltd in Calderdale

Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 1 Registered provider: Laska Care and Education Limited 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 run by a private organisation and provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. During the period of February 2022 until May 2023, no children were living at the home. One child lived at the home from May 2023 until August 2023. No children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Therefore, the inspection was undertaken in one day.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2020. She manages both this and another of the provider’s homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 3

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improvement to be good

The child who most recently lived in the home, moved in from another of the provider’s homes. This was so the child could have focused support in developing independence skills before moving on to adulthood. However, this plan changed at short notice and the child moved out. This unsettled the child, caused them unnecessary worry, and impacted on their overall experiences.

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improvement to be good

Staff tried to support the child to access health appointments, but the child had some outstanding health needs. Staff did not consistently offer the child essential support around their health and emotional needs. This resulted in the child feeling that they were poorly supported with the specialist help they needed.

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improvement to be good

The quality of relationships that the child had with staff varied, but, generally, the child felt supported. Staff offered the child opportunities to share their views and worries. The child felt involved and chose how the home was furnished.

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improvement to be good

The child enjoyed going shopping and cooking with staff. Staff helped the child to have a positive move, and they enjoyed a day out with staff. Staff worked with the child to celebrate a special birthday with a meal, and ensure that there were lots of photographs of these events.

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improvement to be good

Staff worked with the child to support their attendance at college. Staff were proud of the child’s progress and achievements.

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improvement to be good

Currently, no children are living in the home. However, the property does not present as homely and welcoming for children, and some repairs are required.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments identified all known risks to children, and staff knew the child’s associated needs and risks. However, during one incident, staff did not support the child in line with their risk assessments and plans. The incident resulted in the child injuring themselves, which required medical attention.

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improvement to be good

There was an apparent increase of incidents after the child was informed that they were going to move from the home. Staff offered the child one-to-one support to talk about their worries. However, staff failed to offer the child the opportunity to talk about and reflect on a significant incident. This did not provide the child the opportunity to have their say or think about how future reoccurrence could be avoided. Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 4 Staff supported the child to understand how to make complaints, and encouraged the child to share their views. However, not all staff have a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures of who to inform if there are concerns of harm to children.

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improvement to be good

Care plans regarding actions that staff needed to take to help and support the child were clear. The plans were written from the child’s perspective, which helped the child to understand why they needed support in some areas.

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improvement to be good

No physical interventions have been used. Staff used positive praise to support the child to understand their emotions and behaviours. This helped the child to build their confidence and have a greater understanding of their feelings.

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good

Monitoring and reviewing systems are in place, but the registered manager does not have consistent, effective oversight of children’s records. These systems are not sufficiently embedded to ensure that the registered manager can confidently review the quality of care provided to children.

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good

The registered manager has ensured that any safeguarding notifications are sent to Ofsted, but has not ensured that all recording of this information is correct. The registered manager was unable to demonstrate consistent collaborative working with the local authority and the sharing of information regarding the child’s care planning.

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good

Some staff have not had formal supervision in line with the home’s policies and procedures. The supervision offered is not reflective and supportive of staff’s learning and development. These shortfalls mean that staff do not receive the appropriate opportunities to reflect on the needs of children.

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good

Not all staff have achieved the level 3 diploma according to timescales. This does not ensure that staff have the required skills and knowledge to carry out their roles effectively. Leaders and managers have taken action to address this.

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good

The registered manager has a positive working relationship with staff. The staff talked about feeling supported, and work well as a team. The registered manager had a positive relationship with the child and talked proudly about the child’s achievements.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose has been updated, which will help to ensure that staff, children, parents and professionals have a clear understanding of how children’s needs can be met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 5

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 5 January 2024

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each 5 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 6 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure consistent oversight of significant incidents and children’s plans, and ensure that monitoring and reviewing systems are effective.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)) 5 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 5 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 7 that arrangements are in place to—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure that they work collaboratively with other professional and share updated information regarding children’s well-being and care planning.

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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 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 5 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 8 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)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure that staff members receive supervision from a person who is independent and free from any possible conflict of interest, in order to promote children’s welfare. 5 January 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home meets all children’s basic care needs and has personal effects that support the home to be homely and create a domestic impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that when they have children living in the home they undertake a review of the quality of care provided to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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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: 2592846 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Laska Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Euroway House, Roydsdale Way, Bradford BD4 6SE

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Inspector

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2592846 10 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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