Children's Home run by SBL CARE SERVICES (UK) Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home 2665747 1 Registered provider: SBL Care Services (UK) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider and offers care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children are currently being cared for in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post and registered since 5 January 2023.

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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 2665747 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home 2665747 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and settled. Staff are invested in the children and have positive relationships with them. Staff enjoy celebrating children’s special occasions, such as birthdays, and they attend the celebrations even if they are not working in the home on that day. One child said, ‘I want to live here forever.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well decorated and maintained. Staff help children to personalise their bedrooms in line with their interests, such as superheroes and gaming. Staff also ensure that children’s bedrooms enable them to relax. There is space for children to play in the home, with toys around the communal areas. Children feel safe and comfortable in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to build strong relationships with children’s families. Staff transport children to see their families, even when this is outside the local area. Children’s families are welcome in the home and staff support them to visit. Children have seen their families more often as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have lots of opportunities to maintain their friendships and develop their social skills. Staff encourage children to invite their friends to the home. Staff support children to spend time with their friends doing different activities, such as playing football. Staff also take children to clubs where they can meet new people and learn new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress from their individual starting points. They have a suitable school place. Staff support children to attend school and help them with homework. One member of staff previously worked in a school and is helping a child to revise for his GCSEs. A school professional said, ‘[Name of home] have created a really positive learning environment.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with their physical and mental health. Staff understand children’s health needs and how to support them. Staff regularly speak with specialist health professionals to explore any health concerns. The manager strongly advocates for the children to have access to health assessments via child and adolescent mental health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take the time to listen to children’s views. They ensure that they speak to children before meetings about them take place. This means that staff can advocate for children, children’s views are considered and they feel valued.

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

Children are settled and feel secure living in the home. Staff understand the risks to children and how to manage them. Staff put in place clear and consistent boundaries, which helps children to make positive choices. Inspection report for children’s home 2665747 4 Staff rarely use consequences to manage behaviour. When they are used, they are fair and proportionate to the behaviour shown. However, consequences are not restorative in nature, which limits opportunities for children to learn from them.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Staff are aware of what they should do if this was to happen. However, staff were unsure of how long it is before child is considered as missing from home. Staff knew the location a child would most likely be found, but this was not included in their individual missing-from-home plan. One child’s individual plan was not updated to show they were able to have time without staff in the community. During the inspection, the manager amended the plans and spoke to staff about the changes.

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

Staff rarely hold children. They are trained to hold children safely if this becomes necessary. On the one occasion that a child was held, this was proportionate to the risk and done to prevent harm to the child. The manager evaluated the incident and spoke with the staff involved. Staff spoke to the child about the incident as a whole, but they did not ask the child about their views on the restraint. A recommendation has been made into relation to this.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. They are confident that staff will respond to any concerns. An independent person regularly visits the home and speaks to the children. This gives children the opportunity to share any worries with a trusted adult.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has positive relationships with the children. Children seek the manager out to spend time together and share details of their day. Children identify the manager as someone they trust. The staff team is small and stable. The shift pattern enables consistency of care for the children. When staff vacancies arise, the manager takes swift action to recruit staff. This minimises disruption to the children. Systems in place ensure that staff are safely recruited. The manager does not use agency staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has robust systems of monitoring and oversight. These systems allow the manager to have detailed oversight of the children’s needs and progress. The manager uses his knowledge of the children to challenge other agencies and advocate for children to have access to services such as child and adolescent mental health services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager establishes good relationships with other professionals. Professionals said that communication with the manager is timely and helpful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete all mandatory training. When the manager identifies additional training needs, he sources this for staff. The manager arranged for a psychotherapist to deliver training to staff in autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Inspection report for children’s home 2665747 5 The manager is approachable and available to staff. Staff said they feel that the manager supports them well. The manager encourages staff to challenge decisions and share their own ideas. Staff receive regular reflective supervision. They have an annual appraisal, from which an individual development plan is put in place. Inspection report for children’s home 2665747 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any child who has been restrained is given the opportunity express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable. In some cases, children may need longer to work through their feelings, so a record that the child has talked about their feelings should be made no longer than five days after the incident of restraint. Children should be encouraged to add their views and comments to the record of restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, pages 46 and 47, paragraph 9.38)

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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 2665747 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: SBL Care Services (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17 St Peters Place, Fleetwood FY7 6EB

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Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home 2665747 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 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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