Children's Home run by New Beginnings Young People’s Care and Support Services Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home: 2737556 1 Registered provider: New Beginnings Young Peoples care and support services limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 23 August 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: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2737556 2

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improvement to be good

This is the first inspection since the home was registered on 23 August 2023. One child has moved in, and since moved out, as staff were unable to meet their needs. However, the manager has taken learning from this. Two more children have moved in, who, so far, are having better experiences and progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children attend routine health checks and appointments. However, staff do not seek specialist health provisions when children ask for support to help them to understand risk and make positive changes to improve their health.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend time with their family and friends. Family and friends are welcomed into the home, and children have friends to sleep over. This means that children maintain their sense of identity and continue to see people who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Children who have been out of education for some time, have good school attendance. Children are supported by staff to attend school independently. For example, one child has been supported by staff to use public transport every day to and from school. More recently, this has progressed to the child using the bus independently.

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improvement to be good

Children living at the home told inspectors that they feel safe and that they like living at the home. Children can identify an adult who they can talk to about any worries or concerns. One child said, ‘It is really good here, I think I have settled well. Everyone is really nice.’

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improvement to be good

When children are missing from home, staff follow the missing-from-home protocol and seek to locate them. However, staff are not curious with children about the reasons for why they go missing and they do not sufficiently support children to understand the risks in the community. Staff are not proactive in their efforts to reduce the risk of children going missing.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers make sure that allegations made by children about adults are referred to the relevant agencies, including the local authority designated officer, in a timely manner and take appropriate action to ensure that children are safe. This means that children feel able to talk to staff if they do not feel safe with people caring for them and know that they are listened to.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the needs and risks for the children in their care. However, staff do not effectively enable children to understand the risk effectively. The manager does Inspection report for children’s home: 2737556 3 not challenge staff decision-making around incidents, and there are missed opportunities to reflect on any learning to make sure that children are safe.

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good

The manager is currently completing a recognised qualification in leadership and management. She is able to effectively advocate on behalf of the child and challenge inaccurate details on their records. This removes stigma and unnecessary recording that is not embedded in fact, so that the child’s opportunities are not limited in the future.

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good

Leaders and managers do not always send notifications about serious incidents and independent person reports in a timely manner. For example, an allegation was made about a person working at the home, which was not reported until two weeks later. One month, the independent person did not visit, and a further report from the independent visitor was not sent to the regulator. This reduces the oversight of the regulator.

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good

Staff told inspectors that they feel supported and listened to by the manager. There is extensive training, in addition to the mandatory training on offer, to support staff in meeting children’s needs.

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good

Records demonstrate that the managers review incidents. However, the manager needs to improve their evaluation of incidents to ensure that staff can make continuous improvements in the quality of care that they provide for children. This is particularly in relation to risks in the community.

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good

The manager ensures that risks in the local area are shared with professionals. These were taken into account when considering providing care for the two children living in the home. The risk assessment includes links to local resources and services, which can be used to support children. However, the manager has not fully explored local risk in relation to motorways, water and bridges, and what strategies are in place to manage these risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737556 4

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff take steps to reduce risk and help children to understand risk and how to keep themselves safe. 29 February 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 29 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2737556 5 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that their oversight is holistic and leads to staff reflections and improvements in the care provided. The manager should address any issues with staff practice when necessary.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the manager should ensure that research is embedded to enable staff to support children consistently.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they seek specialist health services for children who have requested it. 29 February 2024

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 29 February 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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— 29 February 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2737556 6 HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (7)(a))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child are accessible to children, child focused, show their progress and represent a significant contribution to their life history. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their life events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the review of the location includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location, including bridges, water and motorways, and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: 2737556 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Beginnings Young Peoples care and support services limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Brett Street, Birkenhead, Wirral CH41 8DP

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Inspectors

Sarah Probert, Social Care Inspector Pam Nuckley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2737556 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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