Children's Home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 1 SC051947

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Registered provider: After Care Nw Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

A private provider operates this children’s home. It is registered for up to two children, who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2021.

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Inspection date: 22 March 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 22 March 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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: SC051947 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has moved out of the home since the last inspection. The child’s time at the home ended abruptly following an incident. Staff were unable to engage the child in plans to support the child’s move. This was a negative ending to their time at the home. One child remains in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is undergoing some improvement works. It has been decorated recently and furniture is appropriate, clean and tidy. The child’s room is individualised to their tastes. This will help the child feel at home.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has a daily routine which staff work hard to engage them with. The child’s routine involves family time, educational activity and leisure activity. Leisure activities include, baking, doing ‘make overs’ on staff and going to the gym. The child benefits from a predictable and busy routine.

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Findings from the inspection

Finding the right educational provider for the child has been a challenge. Staff have tried different educational providers. Plans are ongoing and some creative ideas have been put forward. However, these have not been successful in engaging the child in the longer term. The education requirements is restated.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s risk assessments are up to date and outline relevant risks. The manager reviews the risk assessments each month and staff stay up to date with the child’s risks.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have not physically held the child to keep them safe, but they have called the police out to the home. This has been in response to the child becoming distressed, threatening to self-harm and breaking items in the home. Staff have all now had refresher training on de-escalating difficult situations. The positive relationships requirement is restated.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has not gone missing from home. They have left the home on occasion, but staff have always followed them and talked them through their worries. This has led to the child returning with staff to the home and has been a positive way of resolving the child’s issues.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has improved the oversight of the home. The manager oversees all incidents to see if there is any learning for staff. She uses supervision and team meetings to good effect to discuss the child and allow staff to reflect on their practice. The manager also now has a monthly audit in place to help ensure that the child’s needs are met. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 3 The manager and staff have worked hard to meet the requirements made at the last inspection. Two of the requirements have been restated as detailed in the body of the report. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/06/2022 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/02/2020 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 5

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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

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and 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

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

strive to gain each child's respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix)) 26 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 6 In particular, the registered person must make sure that staff have the skills, confidence and support to effectively de- escalate confrontations with or between children. Staff must be equipped with confidence in their skills to ensure that interventions by the police is only ever used as a last resort.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also make sure that staff have the necessary training to enable them to understand and manage potentially risky behaviour by children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that children's plans provide staff with clear instructions as to how best to manage children's behaviour to achieve positive outcomes and maintain positive and respectful relationships.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also make sure that staff actively and continuously encourages each child to build and maintain positive relationships with others. In particular, children must be encouraged to spend less time in their bedrooms and more time engaged in structured, positive activities.

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

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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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; 26 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(v)) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: After Care Nw Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 45 Kensington Road, Southport, Lancashire PR9 0RT

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Timothy Blundell

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Children's home details

Registered manager: Natalie Hamilton-Ryszka

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC051947 9 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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Inspector

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