Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 1 SC440309

p.1

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

The home is operated by a local authority and is registered to provide care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

p.1

Information about this children's home

There were six children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children's home

Date of last inspection: 28 and 29 November 2023

p.1

Information about this children's home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector 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: SC440309 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 Risks are not identified, managed or understood for all children.  Leaders and managers have failed to share shortfalls in staff practice and/or safeguarding incidents with the local authority designated officer and the regulator in a timely manner.  Some staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children and do not have the skills and experience to safely care for children.  There are insufficient staffing levels to ensure that children are cared for safely and effectively.  The monitoring and review systems and management oversight do not identify or adequately address poor staff practice. Consequently, children remain at risk of harm.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Some children have had a poor transition from the home. Following a serious incident two children left the home in an unplanned way. One child moved to bed and breakfast accommodation with agency staff until a new home was identified. The other child refused to return to the home following the incident, and returned to the care of their parent. Therefore, both children experienced another placement move and did not receive a positive ending to their time living at the home. This was due to the managers and staff not being able to meet their needs effectively.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the culture and routine in the home effectively promotes or encourages children’s education. Children are not encouraged by staff to attend education and children are not provided with opportunities to learn informally or develop their independence skills. Children lack a good daily routine that enables them to achieve their full educational potential, meet their targets or receive good support to achieve their aspirations for the future.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. A poor response from staff when children go missing from home and a lack of robust monitoring of the children in the home has compromised children’s safety and well- being. Furthermore, children’s risk assessments do not include details of all known risks and vulnerabilities for children or the strategies for staff to follow to manage and reduce risks. When the strategies are identified to manage and reduce the risks to children, these are not always followed by staff.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The staffing levels at the home are not sufficient to ensure that children are cared for safely. Staff are not always able or willing to respond effectively when children are missing from home. On occasion, due to a lack of confidence or insufficient staffing levels, staff have not taken action to locate children and support their safe and prompt return home. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 3 Some staff do not have the required knowledge and skills to keep children safe. Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff have sufficient training in safeguarding and missing children to support them to manage children’s risks and vulnerabilities safely and effectively. Therefore, some staff have little guidance on how to meet children’s needs. This is compounded by the fact that leaders and managers do not demonstrate adequate learning from shortfalls in staff practice to promote children’s welfare and improve staff practice.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not provide staff with sufficient support to enable them to provide children with a good quality of care and to safeguard them effectively. Team meetings are not regularly attended by all staff and do not help staff to reflect on and improve their practice. Staff supervision sessions do not take place regularly. This is a missed opportunity for managers and staff to reflect on their practice to ensure that they are able to meet the needs of the children in their care.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers failed to share a significant safeguarding concern in relation to staff practice with the local authority designated officer in a timely manner. Failure to share safeguarding information promptly means that safeguarding professionals cannot work together effectively to reduce the risk of harm to children.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Not all serious incidents have been notified to the regulator. Three safeguarding notifications were not submitted in a timely manner. This compromises the regulator’s oversight and scrutiny of the home.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Children’s care is compromised by poor safeguarding practice and ineffective leadership and management. The monitoring and review systems in place are not robust. Therefore, children’s overall progress and experiences have been adversely affected.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

It is Ofsted’s view that children are at risk of harm due to the serious and widespread safeguarding concerns and ineffective leadership and management. Therefore, two compliance notices have been issued under Regulation 12 (The Protection of Children Standard) and Regulation 13 (The Leadership and Management Standard) of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Ofsted will monitor the actions taken by the provider and keep the compliance notices under review. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/08/2023 Full Inadequate 21/03/2023 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 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, 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff— 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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been re-stated. 28 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 6 *The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 28 April 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 12 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 7 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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.7

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.7

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

p.7

Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.7

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — 12 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 8 is instigated; or

p.7

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.8

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.8

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

p.8

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 9

p.8

Children's home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

p.9

Children's home details

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

p.9

Inspector

Julie Elder, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC440309 10 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.9

Inspector

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.10

Inspector

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10