Children's Home run by Progress Care and Education Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 1 SC044231 Registered provider: Progress Care and Education 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

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to four disabled children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in 2003 and the manager registered in February 2018.

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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 children’s home: SC044231 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/07/2023 Full Good 12/04/2022 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Inadequate 24/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is equipped with everything the children need and their bedrooms are decorated with family photos and personal items to reflect their interests. All areas of the home are nicely decorated and accessorised. However, the addition of photos in communal areas would make the environment feel more homely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's communication needs are understood by staff who work alongside education professionals to ensure that children are making progress in education. Children attend school and staff work closely with teachers and routinely share information which means those working with children are aware of any achievements or incidents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child who was non-verbal when they moved into the home is now using a vocabulary of around thirty words. A social worker said, ‘Staff encourage the use of words and visual aids when [Name of child] tries to physically direct them to what he wants. This is helping to increase the child’s independence.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health and are supported to attend appointments. The COVID pandemic has affected some children's confidence in accessing health services and staff are creative in addressing this. Staff take one child to visit the GP surgery to say hello and collect a snack in order for them to familiarise themselves with the environment in a positive way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have structured daily routines which gives them a sense of stability and security. Furthermore, children access a range of activities and positive experiences. This includes a faith-based group provided through the local offer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's independence is encouraged in line with their age and understanding. Staff celebrate and reward children’s progress. For one child, progress means that they not only take their washing to the laundry, they also now load the washing machine and select the program.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's time spent with family is valued and parents regularly visit the home. One parent said, 'I can turn up whenever I want to'.

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

Children have individual behaviour support plans and these outline strategies for staff to follow when children are becoming dysregulated. Since the last inspection there has been a period of time when there has been an increase in staff holding children to keep them and those around them safe. All incidents are recorded, however, some records have missing information. Staff observe children to evaluate the impact of physical Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 4 intervention, but not enough effort is given to engage children in a debrief using their preferred communication aids.

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

Children have positive relationships with staff. Staff understand children’s risk assessments and take action to reduce the risks they face. Visual aids are used to alert children to risks so they can take action to keep themselves safe. For one child, staff have introduced symbols to communicate to them when it is safe to run or when it is dangerous and running is not permitted.

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

Staff are recruited safely. All staff complete mandatory safeguarding training and additional training for safeguarding children with special education needs. Staff’s safeguarding knowledge is routinely tested in team meetings and supervisions.

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

Staff ratios are in line with children’s risk assessments. Due to staff absences and changes, agency staff members have been used to ensure that the required staffing levels are maintained. However, this has led to permanent staff feeling less supported and vulnerable, particularly when children are dysregulated.

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

Medication procedures are safe and ensure that children receive the right medication to maintain good health. The rationale for medication administered on an ‘as and when required’ basis is clearly recorded.

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

The physical environment for children is safe and secure and swift action is taken if risks are identified in the home. The review of premise outlines the risks in the local area. However, there has been no consultation with other agencies to inform the review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager who is supported by a newly appointed deputy manager. They know the children well and lead the staff team well to support children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has been through a challenging period with staff sustaining injuries in the course of their practice. The manager has reported all injuries in line with procedures under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). This has led to an increase in staff sickness and consequently in the use of agency staff. Leaders and managers have reflected on this and taken action to reduce the impact on children and staff. Although leaders and managers feel that they took all necessary action to keep children and staff safe, some staff have felt unsupported and that leaders and managers responses have not always addressed their concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that mandatory training and training specific to children’s need is delivered. This includes epilepsy and PICA training. However, staff have not completed the relevant childcare qualification within timescales. Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 5 The manager has good oversight of the home, including all incidents. He reflects on the practice in the home and considers any learning for himself and staff. The manager is responsive to the external oversight from the independent person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works closely with social workers to ensure that children’s plans identify their needs and areas for development. When it is felt that staff cannot meet children’s needs, he advocates for a review of their plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision takes place in line with the statement of purpose and staff say that this is an opportunity for them to reflect on their practice in an open and honest way. Team meetings take place regularly and help staff to develop their skills and knowledge as well as providing a forum for open discussion about practice in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 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, 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

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that following the use of physical intervention, children are given the opportunity to review the incident with a member of staff using their individual communication aids.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff are given individual debriefs following the use of physical intervention.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all physical intervention records are signed and dated by those involved. 30 June 2024

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(c)(d)(e)) 30 June 2024 Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are sufficiently cared for by a consistent staff team who are qualified and have the skills to respond to children's individual needs.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff complete their qualification within the required timescales.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 30 June 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should identify any risks presented by the home’s location in consultation with relevant stakeholders. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64 paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s home represents the children throughout. In particular, this relates to ensuring that there are personal belongings and photographs in all areas of the home and not only in the children’s bedrooms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15 paragraph 3.9) Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 8

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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 children’s home: SC044231 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progress Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Church Street West, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HT

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Inspector

Sarah Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC044231 10 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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