Children's home run by Northwest Youth Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home for 2764295 1 Registered provider: North West Youth Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provide care for one child with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities. One child is currently being cared for in this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and has been in post since the home was registered 1 December 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection since the home was registered.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home for 2764295 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has been cared for by this provider for a considerable period in one of their other registered children’s homes. This house was acquired and registered for the sole purpose of caring for this child. The child moved into the home, when it was registered, with their existing staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff supported the child to personalise their bedroom with their favourite colour and football memorabilia. The child was involved in choosing décor and items in the rest of the house. The rooms of the home are designed to cater to the child’s individual interests and needs, such as an education room, a therapy ‘nest’ and a games room with pool table and gaming consoles. There are photos throughout the home showing the child’s extensive time with staff and their happy memories. Staff celebrate the child’s achievements by displaying their awards and certificates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has exceptional relationships with staff. Most staff have known the child for several years. Staff are deeply committed to the child’s care and enjoy being in the home. One staff member said, ‘[Name of child] has changed my outlook on life. I love spending time with them’. The child feels safe, special, and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff regularly seek the child’s views about their life. Staff are creative in how they support the child to share their views, such as assisting them to create a presentation for their statutory review. Staff support the child to confidently express their thoughts which ensures that they are at the forefront of decision-making about their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home provides therapy to the child and consultation to the staff team. Staff consider their practice in light of the child’s individual needs, as a result the child receives consistent, predictable care and feels emotionally secure. This has helped the child to make remarkable progress in their emotional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child is making incredible educational progress. When the child struggled to access classroom learning, the manager undertook research into how to support them. As a result, the manager provided an assistance dog. The child now accesses classroom learning, is engaging in a full timetable, and is integrated into activities with other children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff ensure that the child has contact with people important to them. They take the child considerable distances to spend time with their family and attend celebration events in their home area. Staff support the child to make video calls, which enables the child to stay in touch with family members in between visits. Inspection report for children’s home for 2764295 3

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

All risks for the child are reducing. The manager, staff and therapists have worked collaboratively to teach the child self-regulation and coping strategies. The child has made exceptional progress and there has been a reduction in the number of staff required in the home at one time.

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

Staff understand the risks to the child and how to manage them. Risk assessments are clear and contain strategies for staff to follow. They are updated regularly. The manager and staff are not risk-averse and carefully plan to manage activities such as abseiling and waterfall climbing. The child has a rich and full experience in living in the home.

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

Staff teach the child about risk. Work is repeated if the child does not fully understand the information. Direct work with the child is meaningful and relevant. Staff model safe behaviour and provide regular prompts in the community. The child is given the opportunity to learn about risk alongside the staff team, such as by attending fire safety training with them.

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

Staff are helping the child to be patient and become resilient. The manager and therapeutic team have undertaken research into delayed gratification and created an incentive-based board game for the child to practice their skills. The child is enjoying learning life skills through practical experiences in a fun way.

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

The child has structured time with staff every evening before bed to read stories or talk. This ensures that the child has a positive end to their day and prevents any negative feelings being carried into the next day. As a result, the frequency and duration of incidents are significantly reducing.

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

The manager has changed the approach to behaviour management. Staff focus on the child earning rewards for positive behaviour instead of consequences for negative behaviour. This approach has greatly reduced the number of consequences and it is helping the child to make positive choices.

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

The manager and staff work hard to understand what the child is communicating in their behaviour. Staff identify the triggers for behaviour and support the child appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is extremely child-focused and committed to the child’s care. The manager has known the child a long time through their senior leadership of the organisation. The manager made the decision, as the company director, to register as manager to avoid the child having a new manager during a period of change. Inspection report for children’s home for 2764295 4 The manager is assisted by an experienced deputy manager, who has known the child for several years. The manager and deputy manager have been key figures in the child’s journey and they have strong relationships with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is inspirational and ambitious for the child. The manager has ensured that staff practice is research-based, empathetic and consistent. This has led to the child showing accelerated progress since they moved into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is creative and solution-focused in their support of the child. For example, the manager created a ‘Proud Cloud’ where positive professional reports and records are displayed for the child to see. As a result, the child’s anxieties about professional records and discussions have reduced considerably.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of the home. The manager is critical and evaluative in their oversight of documentation. They have used their extensive knowledge of the child to identify early signs of relationship deterioration with staff and put support in place to prevent this. As a result, the child’s relationships are secure with all the adults that care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have both individual and group supervision regularly. The forensic psychologist who works with the home leads group supervision and assists staff to reflect on their practice. All supervision has a clear focus on how to improve the quality of care and the experiences of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager supports staff well to complete the required qualifications to work with children. They have sourced additional and specialist support to ensure that staff are able to complete their qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have excellent relationships with partner agencies. The manager and staff are creative in supporting the child to communicate and engage with other professionals, such as creating video messages to their social worker. The child experiences the best possible joined-up care. Inspection report for children’s home for 2764295 5

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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 for 2764295 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North West Youth Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Peine House, Hind Hill Street, Heywood OL10 1JZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: William Mulvaney

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Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home for 2764295 7 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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