Children's Home run by Proactive Care (Manchester) Limited in Wigan

Inspection report for children’s home: 2669033 1 Registered provider: Proactive Care (Manchester) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. The home provides care for up to two children who may have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

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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: 2669033 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2669033 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by the manager and staff, who hold them in high regard. Children have positive relationships with the staff who care for them built on trust and affection. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the children’s individual needs. This helps staff to meet the children’s needs well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is decorated nicely and has a relaxed atmosphere. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and have plenty of storage space. However, the bathroom requires some improvement, such as a new bath panel and new flooring, which are currently being completed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved into the home and one child has moved out since the home opened. The manager made suitable decisions about the mix of children moving into the home alongside the needs of the child already living there. One social worker said: ‘I’ve not had a transition that has been that strong before; it was done in a child-focused way’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff promote children’s education. There is good information- sharing between staff and the children’s education providers. The manager remains persistent in their attempt to fully engage children in education. One social worker said: ‘The manager really advocates for [name of child]’s education’. This has led to improved attainment and attendance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with people that are important to them. Support includes staff transporting children to visit people who matter the most to them and maintaining good communication with children when they are away from the home. This provides children with a support network where they feel safe to maintain relationships with people that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to become more independent and develop new skills, depending on their age and understanding. Staff encourage children to tidy their bedrooms and identify foods they like. Staff support children to go shopping and prepare meals, which helps to promote their independence skills.

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

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities and take time to talk to children and educate them about risk. This has contributed to a reduction in the number of missing-from-home incidents. Staff have a good understanding of the missing-from- home procedures. Additionally, there have been no incidents of restraint since the last inspection.

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

Staff take the time to listen to children and help them understand their emotions. Positive recognition and praise outweigh negative consequences. The manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2669033 4 evaluates consequences, ensuring that consequences are proportionate and restorative. Complaints are responded to appropriately and in a timely manner.

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

There is good multi-agency working. A social worker said: ‘[Name of child] is doing really well and really starting to flourish.’ The manager works closely with the home’s therapeutic consultant to find the best therapeutic support for one child.

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

There have been occasions when staff have not always managed situations in the best way, leading to police involvement being required. Areas of learning from these incidents are discussed with children and staff. This reflection supports staff’s understanding of procedures and helps to identify new strategies to manage incidents.

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

The manager and staff complete training to ensure that they have the skills to support children’s individual needs. Training includes first aid, self-harm and substance misuse. The manager has not ensured that staff have completed fire training. This has resulted in staff not always identifying areas of risk which could put children at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and working towards gaining a leadership and management qualification. The manager ensures that she is present in the home and accessible to staff and children. The manager speaks about the children with warmth and enthusiasm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff members have regular supervision. Staff say that they feel supported by the manager. One staff member said: ‘The manager has been really supportive and present within the home.’ The manager holds regular team meetings which are well attended and supported by the therapeutic consultant, which results in the meetings being child-focused.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding and oversight of events in the home, staff practice and the children’s needs and progress. The manager advocates well for children in all aspects of their lives, including education and care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains good levels of communication with other professionals. Professionals speak highly of the manager and staff. A social worker said: ‘Staff are very thoughtful and communication from the manager and staff is excellent.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has confidence to raise concerns with professionals. However, for one child the placing authority has not taken action in a timely manner to address the issues raised. This has hindered the manager’s ability to improve outcomes for one child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly updates the statement of purpose to ensure that all information is up to date and provides a true reflection of the care provided by staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2669033 5 However, on occasion some sensitive information has been recorded in the document.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recommendations raised at the previous inspection have been met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2669033 6

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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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that if concerns are not acted on in a timely manner by children’s placing authorities this is escalated. 9 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention. (Regulation 25 (c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive suitable fire prevention training. 9 February 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills to respond to each child’s individual behaviour. Where necessary, they should manage conflict, maintain constructive dialogues and react appropriately if challenged by a child in Inspection report for children’s home: 2669033 7 their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.14)  The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose is child- focused. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: 2669033 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Proactive Care (Manchester) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Houldsworth Business Centre, Houldsworth Street, Stockport SK5 6DA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Ashley O’Leary-Jones

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Inspectors

Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2669033 9 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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