Children's Home run by Future Focused Ltd in Wigan

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1241634 1 Registered provider: Future Focused Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. It is owned by a private provider.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since the 1 April 2023.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

p.1

Inspection date: 16 January 2024

Judgement at last inspection requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 16 January 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

p.1

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: 1241634 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children during this assurance inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

An interim manager has been appointed since the last full inspection. He has introduced a number of changes that have supported children to make progress in all areas of their lives. Relationships between the staff and children are positive and nurturing. Children can speak openly with staff and are supported to understand issues that are affecting them.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children are safeguarded effectively. The interim manager takes a collaborative approach with partner agencies to reduce risks for children. When children are at risk of harm, staff know how to respond and take the necessary actions.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to engage in education or training. Staff strongly advocated for a child who was not enrolled in an educational provision to ensure that a suitable provision was identified. When children are not able to attend education, staff provide educational activities at home. They also seek the advice of the organisation’s therapeutic team to further support the children. This ensures that children are helped to overcome any barriers to their learning.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The interim manager has introduced a culture of inviting feedback. Children’s views are regularly sought, and children are consulted with about the care they receive. This ensures the children feel heard and are included in decisions about their care.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff speak positively about the interim manager and say they feel supported and valued. This has had a positive impact on team morale. Staff receive regular, good- quality supervision sessions and appraisals that enable them to reflect on their strengths and areas for development. They have completed all mandatory training and have access to child-specific training. This ensures that staff have the relevant skills to meet the needs of the children in their care.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Despite efforts to make the home welcoming, it lacks personalisation and does not reflect a homely environment for children. Some areas of the home are in need of redecoration and cleaning. A number of repairs have been requested by the manager, but these have not been completed in a timely manner, including damage to a child’s bedroom walls, a broken door handle, missing carpet plates and both bathrooms in need of refurbishment. The manager is taking action to address the sleeping arrangements for staff, as they currently limit children’s access to communal areas at night.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

An external professional completes monthly visits to provide independent oversight of the home. However, the team does not always support the independent person to obtain feedback from other professionals and parents. This is a missed opportunity Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1241634 3 to ensure that their views are considered and that any learning is identified and used to develop practice in the home.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager’s oversight of practice in the home is effective. However, learning from incidents is not always clear, and the quality of care report lacks clarity around how identified actions will be completed to improve the quality of care provided to children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1241634 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/04/2022 Full Good 20/04/2021 Full Good 14/05/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1241634 5

p.4

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.5

Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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))

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the sleep -in arrangements for staff do not restrict the children’s access to communal areas of the home. 28 February 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 28 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1241634 6 ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home is decorated, furnished, cleaned and maintained to a good standard throughout, as the home lacks personalisation, requires deep cleaning in some areas, and the bathrooms are in need of refurbishment.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In addition, that repairs are completed in a timely manner, including ongoing repairs to a child’s bedroom wall, a lounge door handle and missing carpet door plates.

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should support the independent visitor to obtain feedback from children, children’s parents and relatives, key stakeholders and persons working at the home to enable them to assess all relevant information and form an impartial judgement about the quality of care the home provides. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.8)  The registered person should complete a review to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  The registered person should ensure that lessons learned are implemented when concerns arise. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality

p.6

Recommendations

standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1241634 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Future Focused Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Crows Nest Business Park, Ashton Road, Billinge, Wigan WN5 7XX

p.7

Inspectors

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Inspector Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1241634 8 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.

p.7

Inspectors

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 .

p.8

Inspectors

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.8

Inspectors

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

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8