Children's Home run by Partners in Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 1 SC441717 Registered provider: Partners in Care 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 provider and provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2018.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2022 Full Good 30/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Until recently, there where three children living in the home. There is currently one child living in the home. This report is reflective of the three children’s experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children said that this is the best home because the staff are good fun, kind and caring. Children experience a range of activities and go on holiday with other children. Children learn about positive relationships. This helps them to maintain important friendships. One child described the home as a wonderful place to live.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive, trusting relationships with children. They show understanding towards the children they are caring for. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children’s plans include details of each child’s behaviour. Staff review children’s progress and consider if the approaches they have used are effective. This ensures that they provide good-quality care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not give up on children when they are struggling. Staff explore children’s behaviours and seek to find effective ways to reduce risk. Children learn to recognise how they are feeling and develop strategies to cope.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When endings are unplanned, the welfare and well-being of children remain paramount. The manager considers the needs and feelings of other children living in the home. Children stay in regular contact with staff after they have left the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children make good educational progress. Staff encourage children to engage in educational activities and routines. Staff encourage children’s interests and hobbies. This helps to improve children’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One of the vacant bedrooms is cold and damp, and parts of the home require new furniture. The garden area also requires attention. The manager has reported these concerns and new furniture has been ordered.

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

Staff have a good knowledge of the children they are caring for. When children are struggling, they are able to speak with the staff. Staff use their trusting relationships with children to support them. This has resulted in a significant reduction of restraints and self-harm incidents.

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

Staff search for children when they do not return home on time. The staff speak with children’s friends to encourage children to return. Staff follow safeguarding procedures and contact relevant professionals to support decision-making. Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 4 The manager and staff work with professionals and families to support decision- making. All professionals spoken to said that communication and information- sharing are positive.

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

Staff understand children’s behaviour and offer support and reassurance during challenging times. The manager and staff help children to explore feelings and emotions. This reduces the risk of harm to them or others.

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

Staff discuss behaviour with children. This approach allows children to learn from poor decision-making. Staff promote reflection to help children to understand their feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the development needs of the home. The staff team is on a journey of improvement, with new ways of working. The manager and staff are developing their understanding of therapeutic care. The manager acknowledges the need to improve evaluative records. This will enhance oversight of staff practice and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children make allegations, the manager notifies the appropriate services. Staff support children to discuss their wishes and feelings. However, when children chose not to complain, the manager did not share this information more widely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home and feel supported by the leadership team. Staff work together to improve practice and care delivery. At times of difficulty, the staff team pull together to assist one another. Training and regular team meetings assist staff’s development and understanding. This improves their care delivery.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Probation booklets guide staff’s progress. Supervisions are reflective and identify further development. Staff feel supported and are enthusiastic about the development of therapeutic parenting. Clinical leads help to sustain staff’s well-being and promote reflective practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 5

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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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the house is maintained to a good standard and that all outstanding damage is repaired to a good standard. This was a requirement at the last inspection. 12 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; 12 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 6 help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)( xiii)) Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 7 In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them.

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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 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 12 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 12 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the house is maintained to a good standard and that all outstanding damage is repaired to a good standard. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The manager must advocate for children with other professionals beyond the local authority, and make sure that they are doing their jobs properly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.7)

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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: SC441717 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Partners in Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Sally Hallwood, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC441717 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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