Children's Home run by Oaktree Childcare Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 2706013 1 Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the home was providing care for two children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a registered manager. A new manager is in post and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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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: 2706013 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/04/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2706013 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive, trusting relationships with staff who know them well. Staff promote positivity in the home and are aspirational for the children’s futures. The children enjoy a wide range of activities with the staff, inside and outside the home. Both children say that they are happy living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are heard by staff and considered in decision- making processes. Children are involved in creating their care plans and staff keep them informed of the reasons decisions have been made about their care. One child said, ‘I feel able to talk to [name of staff member] about things that are going on. She gets it, she understands me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When barriers to the children attending education are identified, the manager works effectively with professionals to find a solution that works best to meet the children’s individual needs. One child’s attendance at their educational provision has significantly improved and one child is accessing education full time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. There are clear plans in place, with guidance for staff to follow. Staff support children to attend regular routine and specialist health appointments. Staff support the children to cook healthy, balanced meals and encourage physical activities outside the home. This supports the children to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have clear plans in place to support the children in developing relevant knowledge and skills that will be required when they leave the home. When there are differing views from professionals, the manager advocates on behalf of the children and where necessary, challenges key professionals. This ensure that there is a shared multidisciplinary response to the need for children to take on more responsibility for their own health needs, in line with their independence plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and understand the importance of children spending time with people who are important to them. Staff support and, when appropriate, supervise family time, enabling the children to enjoy regular time with family and friends. This supports their sense of self and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is homely and furnished to a good standard. Pictures of the children are displayed throughout the home. However, some repairs are needed in one child’s bedroom and there are some areas of damp in the home.

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

Staff use positive reinforcement and incentives with children to support them to manage their own feelings. Children are involved in creating their own daily plans. These include Inspection report for children’s home: 2706013 4 activities and the use of rewards, of the children’s choice, as incentives for positive behaviour. When consequences are used, these are appropriate.

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

When children go missing, staff immediately follow the children’s individual missing- from-home assessments. Staff are proactive in trying to find the child. Records of the missing incident are detailed and include actions taken by staff to locate and return the child safely home

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

There have been two occasions when children have been able to access medication that has not been stored appropriately. However, since the new manager has been in post, there have been no further incidents. This is because she quickly identified that the system in place was not adequate and immediately implemented additional safety measures. These have been successful.

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

There have been occasions when children have displayed self-injurious behaviour. The frequency of these incidents has significantly reduced over recent months. The records of these incidents are clear and show what steps staff have taken to support children. Staff then carry out room searches and remove items that may pose a risk to children’s safety.

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

The presenting risks for both children have significantly reduced since the new manager has been in post. Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs and how best to de-escalate situations. They consistently follow safeguarding procedures. However, the progress that has been made is not reflected in some children’s records, including risk assessments and safety plans. This means that staff do not have access to accurate records to inform their care of the children.

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

Before the children moved into the home, the previous manager completed an individualised risk assessment for each child. This identifies the potential impact of known risks on the children already living in the home as well as on the child coming to live in the home. However, the evaluation from the manager does not clearly evidence the rationale for decision-making. While this has not had any impact, it means that the matching considerations were not appropriately evaluated.

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

Direct work with children to develop their understanding of risk is limited. The new manager has identified this as an area for development and has plans in place for staff to complete work with children to develop their knowledge and understanding of risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has not had a registered manager since October 2023. The current manager has been in post since December 2023 and has had an immediate impact on the progress and experiences of children. She is an aspirational leader, has a good understanding of the children’s needs and is child-focused. Staff say that the manager is approachable and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some historical shortfalls in the management oversight and evaluation of incidents have been identified. However, since the new manager has been in post, effective monitoring Inspection report for children’s home: 2706013 5 and reviewing systems have been put in place. The manager has a good understanding of the home’s areas for improvement. While progress has already been made, there are clear development plans in place to further improve the service and the care provided to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is of good quality. Staff discuss and reflect on their care of the children. Any shortfall in practice is raised in supervision and staff are given clear guidance on actions to be taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager communicates effectively with partner agencies. One education provider said, ‘They are top of my list in best homes.’ Professionals said that communication from the manager is a key strength. This means that children receive good-quality care from appropriate professionals at the right time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Many of the staff are new to working in the home. Safer recruitment procedures are in place. The manager is passionate about the staff’s learning and development. Staff are provided with a wide range of training that they need to attend, including specialised courses to meet the children’s individual needs. The manager completes regular quizzes with the staff in team meetings to test their knowledge and to reflect on their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2706013 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who —

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is no damp in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This also specifically relates to ensuring that records accurately reflect the children’s current needs and that staff are following guidance in these documents. 31 May 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually help children understand risks posed to them and how to keep themselves safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in their Inspection report for children’s home: 2706013 7 relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: 2706013 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ground Floor, Seneca House, Links Point, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 2FF

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Inspector

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2706013 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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