Children's home run by Young Foundations Limited in Wirral

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 1 Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned. It provides care for up to 12 children with learning disabilities. Ten children currently live in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since October 2023. The newly appointed manager led the inspection. The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 12 December 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders and managers have failed to make effective arrangements to safeguard children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the home is appropriately staffed to the correct level for the children to be cared for safely. There has been a high number of agency staff working who have not received training in the physical intervention model used in the home. Inappropriate practice has not been addressed, including when staff have carried out unauthorised holds with children. There has not been effective management oversight of these holds. This leaves children and staff at risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Senior leaders failed to ensure that the home’s manager was supported effectively during their transition into the role. This has not provided the manager with the guidance needed when assuming responsibility for a large children’s home for children with complex needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Changes in the leadership of the home have not been managed effectively. The responsible individual had not visited the home for two months, despite there being no registered manager in post and a newly appointed home manager. The responsible individual and other senior leaders in the organisation were unaware of the difficulties that children were experiencing in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There is extensive damage throughout the home, some of which has gone unaddressed for extended periods of time. This does not provide children with a safe and homely environment to live in.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that all staff are familiar with the home’s whistle-blowing policy. Essential information, such as contact details for the local authority designated officer and the regulator, are missing. This does not provide staff with the information they need should they wish to escalate concerns about their welfare or the well-being of children who live in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not notified the regulator of all serious events which have taken place in the home. This prevents the regulator from having oversight of matters of concern for children and that the home has responded appropriately to safeguard children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not ensured that children are listened to and can share their feelings and experiences with the independent visitor. Children’s views are essential to inform the independent visitor’s assessment of how children are being kept safe. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 3 Following the inspection, a restriction of accommodation notice was served. This prevents any children moving into the home. In addition, compliance notices under regulations 12 and 13 were also issued. These notices will be reviewed in line with Ofsted’s enforcement policy.

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Findings from the inspection

This was a focused assurance inspection so the requirements from the previous inspection have not been reviewed and therefore have been restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2023 Full Good 21/11/2022 Full Good 04/05/2021 Full Good 04/03/2020 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 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 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—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)) 21 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— 21 January 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 21 January 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 7 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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,

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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 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)) 21 January 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 8 The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)((i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that children should have free access to shared areas of the home. In addition, documentation relating to deprivation of children’s liberty must be kept under review and revised as necessary.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 21 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 21 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. 21 January 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 9 The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 10

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential Special School

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Alexander House, Highfield Park, Llandrynog, Denbighshire, Wales LL16 4LU

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Inspectors

Carol Jagger, Social Care Inspector Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 11 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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