Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 1 SC039683 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties. There are six children currently living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2022

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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: SC039683 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2022 Full Good 05/05/2021 Full Good 10/02/2020 Full Good 19/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been several changes in placements. Five children have moved on to independence and staff have remained in contact with them to offer emotional support. One child moved into the home in an emergency situation. There were some difficulties between children increasing each other’s risk resulting in inconsistent endings.

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improvement to be good

Staff have an inconsistent approach to equality and diversity in the home. Staff are not always being sensitive and responsive to children’s identity. For some children, staff have created useful tools to support children to settle into the home and develop their communication skills. As a result, children’s ability to develop a positive sense of identity differs.

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improvement to be good

Educational provision is variable. Four children attend an educational provision and are progressing well. One child has tuition in the home for six hours per week. For the two children not attending full-time education, there are no planned activities to support their learning and development. As a result, not all children progress and require further structure and routine.

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improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with staff and can identify adults they trust. Staff take children on activities and holidays. This helps them to build and maintain positive relationships. As a result, children are enjoying some positive experiences.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote healthy lifestyles, which means children have no unmet health needs. Staff support children to attend appointments and seek medical help. Staff understand the specialist health needs of children and ensure relevant medical provision.

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improvement to be good

The home environment is welcoming and has a homely feel. Some of the children’s bedrooms are personalised. Two children want their bedrooms decorated. Staff have plans in place to address this.

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improvement to be good

Staff have been slow to respond to conflict in the home. As a result, some children have experienced bullying. Staff have a multi-agency meeting to discuss the concerns and identify solutions.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments are not consistently reflective of their current circumstances. Assessments are not kept up to date or regularly reviewed. As a result, staff are not always working in line with children’s current care plans. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 4 There have been occasions when children have been missing from the home. Staff speak with children on their return and educate them about risks in the community. Staff are not effective in locating missing children, particularly when children are missing overnight. As a result, children are missing from the home for longer periods than necessary.

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improvement to be good

The number of physical interventions has reduced. However, records of incidents do not show the actions taken to prevent the intervention. Records do not evidence clear management oversight. They do not show that staff are spoken to following all incidents when children have been held. This is necessary to show that all restrictions on children are used as a last resort.

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improvement to be good

Staff use consequences for significant behavioural incidents in the home. Staff com- plete necessary room searches when there may be unsafe or illegal items in the home. They remove items that may pose a risk to children’s safety. Staff regularly talk to and educate children to promote positive behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Effective recruitment procedures enable the careful selection and recruitment of staff. Monitoring of visitors to the home further ensures the protection of children from potential harm.

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good

The registered manager has been in post since November 2022 and has a good understanding of the home and areas for improvement. Staff say the manager is approachable and that the home is stabilising after an unsettled period.

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good

The manager and two assistant managers have a focus on driving improvement. The manager has plans to introduce a detailed audit tool. This will provide better managerial oversight to the home. Plans are not yet embedded into practice.

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good

Professionals say that the manager communicates well and staff keep them updated with any significant issues. The manager has advocated for two children and chal- lenged external agencies to ensure that educational provision meets individual needs. This shows that the manager holds high expectations of services to provide the best care for children.

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good

Supervision arrangements are not consistent. Supervision is offered to permanent staff. This is not always regular and the children are not always discussed. Some casual staff have not been offered supervision for a long time. Staff do have the op- portunity to discuss the children in the daily handovers.

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good

Staffing remains a current issue in the home. Staff work hard to ensure continuity of care for children. New staff have been employed and recruitment continues. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 5 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 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, 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

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;

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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 effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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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")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(v)(vii)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure records include all information required by regulation. 14 February 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

that staff— 14 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 7 meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

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

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. (Regulation11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii) (xii)(xiii))

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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

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; 14 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 8 help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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.(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when children are missing from the home, staff make attempts to contact and locate children and return them safely to the home.

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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 person should ensure that all staff receive regular supervision, including casual staff. 14 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child's best interests when making decisions about the child's care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; 14 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 9 help each child to understand how the child's views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home's care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iiii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children's views, wishes and feelings about their identity are promoted.

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The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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promote opportunities for each child to learn informally.

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help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that when children are not in education, there is clear structure and routine in place at the home to support learning and maintain confidence. 14 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 10

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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: SC039683 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 78, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspectors

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 12 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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