Children's home run by Omega Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2737845 1 Registered provider: Omega Care Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider and offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023. The registered manager was not present during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2737845 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living at the home are happy and are helped to develop positive relationships with the staff. Children feel cared for and able to trust the staff. The progress they make is underpinned by the warmth and nurture they receive from staff who care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress in their education. Staff work closely with educational professionals to develop strategies that support the children’s individual needs. As a result, children’s attendance and engagement in education have improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children to enjoy new experiences and to develop their interests. They encourage children to join local groups, have regular trips out to new places and engage in sporting activities. This helps children to develop their peer relationships and social skills outside of the home as well as have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff ensure that children’s records are child focused. Each child’s individual journey is recorded with positive language and photos. This enables children to have positive memories that they can look back on and enjoy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to express their views. The managers and staff challenge professionals effectively to ensure that children’s wishes are respected. This ensures that children have a key role in decisions about their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At times, decisions made about the care provided to children are not in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Although this has not yet impacted on children, leaders and managers had not considered how changing the care provided could negatively impact on the experiences of some children living in the home until it was identified during the inspection. This is something that they are now taking action to review.

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

Staff safeguard children effectively. Risk plans are thorough and provide staff with guidance to support the individual needs of each child. Staff understand the impact of the children’s previous experiences and support them to feel emotionally safe. As a result, risks for children have reduced since living in the home.

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

Staff are equipped with the skills they need to keep children safe. Managers ensure that staff training is tailored to meet children’s individual needs. Staff know how to recognise the early signs of risk and take effective action. Staff confidently use de-escalation strategies, which are regularly reviewed. This supports children to learn self-soothing techniques in times of distress. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737845 3 Managers and staff have strong multi-agency links outside of the home. This ensures that safeguarding information is shared effectively. Professionals are invited into the home to build relationships with children. This ensures that children have a strong network of support to keep them safe.

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

Managers and staff are proactive in supporting children to voice concerns relating to their care. Staff carry out regular direct work sessions with children to ensure that they know how they can make a complaint. Managers seek guidance from external professionals when children struggle to communicate their worries. This ensures that children are helped to feel safe and can share any concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably skilled and experienced manager. The registered manager is supported by two deputy managers. Together, they provide strong leadership and guidance to the team. Staff speak positively about the registered manager and feel that their emotional well-being is supported. This means that staff are confident in fulfilling their roles in caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have thorough oversight of the service. Systems to monitor and evaluate the service are effective and identify shortfalls at the earliest opportunity. This ensures that the service is providing children with high-quality, nurturing care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers carry out regular and effective supervision sessions with staff. Areas for development are highlighted and the necessary actions taken. This means that staff’s practice is continuously improving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager holds regular team meetings. This enables the staff to continue to develop their relationships and communication with each other. The manager also uses team meetings as an opportunity to identify any training needs. This ensures that there is a strong culture of reviewing and improving the care provided to children and practice in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737845 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

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered manager must ensure that the statement of purpose clearly states how the service will meet the individual needs of the children. Managers must evaluate how providing an ‘edge of care’ service will impact on any children living in the home permanently and how children coming to the home will be impacted by a child living there. 14 June 2024

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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: 2737845 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Omega Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 40 to 42 Kemble Street, Prescot L34 5SQ

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Inspector

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2737845 6 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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