Children's home run by Lancashire County Council in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 1 SC035459 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

This local authority home provides short breaks for children with special educational needs and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2012.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2023 Full Outstanding 08/03/2022 Full Outstanding 17/12/2019 Full Outstanding 05/12/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 3

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outstanding

When children are new to the short-breaks service, the manager ensures that highly effective planning takes place. Staff carry out thorough pre-admission assessments and the manager ensures that each child has an individualised welcome package. Staff support children and their families through the process. They often have several visits to the home before children come to stay. One social worker said, ‘They are extremely flexible and go above and beyond to meet my children’s needs.’ This means that children are sensitively welcomed and that any anxieties are managed.

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outstanding

All short breaks are carefully planned to ensure that they are positive experiences for children. Managers and staff place an emphasis on children’s individual needs. They also advocate strongly for social interaction with their peers. One social worker said: ‘When [name of child] stays, staff provide her with the opportunity to be with some like-minded peers, they have also supported her to attend birthday parties with her peers, this is really positive for her social development.’

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outstanding

Care planning in the home is excellent. Each child has their own care and support plans, which are personalised and child focused. They incorporate actions from children’s education and health plans effectively. The manager ensures that children’s plans are regularly reviewed and understood by staff.

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outstanding

The manager and staff collaborate with health professionals to promote good health for children. They receive specialist training and have an extensive knowledge and understanding of any complex health needs children may have. As a result, children are in good health and their health needs are managed safely by staff.

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outstanding

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are held in the highest regard. This is fully embedded in the care that they receive. Staff are skilled communicators and use a range of communication tools to support children to express their views, wishes and feelings. During the inspection, staff were observed skilfully communicating with one child, alternating between the child’s preferred communication methods. This means that children feel heard and understood.

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outstanding

The manager and staff apply a research-based methodology that emphasises relationships between children and staff. Staff provide children with warm, nurturing and secure relationships. They spend considerable lengths of time with children and understand their individual needs. As a result, staff know how best to support children, and the quality of relationships is exceptional.

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outstanding

Children have a wide range of additional experiences during their stay. They are provided with opportunities to develop their independence and participate in local community events. Children regularly take part in activities outside of the home, Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 4 such as ice skating, trampolining, equine management, going to play centres, funfairs and arcades. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] went on a short caravan stay. She loved this and coped very well.’ This means that children have fun and their experiences during their stays are enhanced.

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outstanding

Children’s safety, including their well-being, is prioritised. The manager has built a strong, child-focused safeguarding culture in the home. The team of staff are creative in their approach and ensure that highly effective planning takes place to manage and mitigate risk. This helps to ensure that children have a strong sense of safety. One social worker said, ‘They are brilliant, they work hard to keep children safe.’

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outstanding

Physical intervention has not been used in the home. Staff are skilled communicators, and they receive specialist training to support them in their role. Staff know the children well. Therefore, they can support children effectively in managing any behaviour or difficult feelings they may have.

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outstanding

There have been very few occasions when children have displayed behaviours of concern. When this happens, records are detailed and clearly outline what action staff have taken to manage the behaviour and minimise risk. All records are reviewed by the manager. Reflective discussions take place with staff and any learning is identified.

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outstanding

Staffing and supervision ratios are high. As a result, children do not go missing from the home and the risks around this are low. The manager ensures that there are clear and robust procedures in place to minimise the risks.

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outstanding

Medication management in the home is highly effective and record-keeping is excellent. There are clear systems and processes in place to ensure that medication is safely managed. This means that children receive continuity in their medical care during their stay at the home.

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outstanding

The home environment is safe and secure, and children are protected from any risk of harm. Each child has a personal emergency evacuation plan. Children and staff regularly practise evacuating the building in case of a fire. Therefore, everyone knows how to respond in an emergency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers in the home are inspirational. They are enthusiastic and lead by example. They create a culture of high aspiration and positivity and are extremely ambitious for children. As a result, they have been influential in changing the lives of those they care for. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 5 Management oversight in the home is excellent. Managers are extremely reflective in their approach, and they are open to new learning. Staff receive an extensive training package, which consists of mandatory and specialist training to meet the children’s needs. New staff speak highly of the training and induction programme. They value this and say that it has helped to prepare them for their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff retention in the home is exceptionally high. Staff feel valued, supported and listened to by their managers and colleagues. One staff member said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

‘The vibe in the home is really inclusive, there is a positive staff culture, everyone is respectful towards one another, they are child focused, I really look forward to coming to work.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision. Supervision sessions are well planned, and staff have opportunities to reflect individually on their practice. Staff receive annual appraisals. These are equally reflective and focus on practice development. One staff member said, ‘They focus on well-being, practice and development. They’re never negative, always supportive.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers take a creative and proactive approach towards team meetings. They are valued meetings that provide staff with an open and reflective forum to discuss children and their progress. Managers regularly incorporate research-based training workshops into the meetings. These take place monthly and provide staff with additional opportunities to learn and develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers have developed and nurtured positive working relationships with external professionals and family members. One social worker said, ‘They always keep us informed. They attend all meetings and if any reason they can’t come they send detailed report.’ This contributes towards children’s positive experiences in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 6

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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: SC035459 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 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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