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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC051947 1 SC051947 Registered provider: After Care NW 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. The home provides care for up to two children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection one child was living in the home.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC051947 2

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC051947 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection, the experience and progress of the child has improved. The child is happier and more settled. They said that they feel supported and that they, 'Trust [their keyworker] with my life.’ The child’s relationships with staff have improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been re-decorated to a good standard throughout. The child has been supported to decorate their room in a colour scheme they like. The house is now homely and inviting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers have effective systems in place to track the child’s progress. The child’s achievements are documented in a child friendly and helpful way. The child’s written records represent a positive contribution to their life story.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to the child’s views. Staff successfully use a variety of different ways of engaging with the child. The child’s views inform how staff care for them. The child’s knows that their opinion is valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is not in education, work, or training. Staff work hard to find different opportunities for the child to learn and have put in place more structured daily planners. Staff communicate regularly with education providers and the placing authority to try to enable the child to return to education as soon as possible. However, the child does not have a personal education plan. Formal oversight of their education is limited.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to have better relationships with friends and family. Staff provide important practical and emotional support to the child and those important to them. The child is enjoying better quality time with family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to understand their own health and hygiene needs. The child has started to learn how to cook nutritious meals and is encouraged to exercise regularly. The child has gained important skills to lead a healthier lifestyle.

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

Staff manage safeguarding incidents more confidently and effectively. Staff use therapeutic, nurturing approaches during difficult situations. Staff acknowledge and validate the child’s feelings, while maintaining appropriate boundaries. This approach has led to a significant reduction in the number of incidents. Staff now do not call the police to help manage the child’s behaviour.

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

Staff have not had to physically hold the child to prevent harm. The child’s risk management plan now provides staff with step-by-step information about how to keep them safe. Staff have the skills and information to manage risks in a more helpful way. This helps to protect the child’s positive relationships with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC051947 4 Staff celebrate the child’s achievements. Staff use a variety of rewards and incentives to recognise when the child does well. As a result, the child has good self-esteem.

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

The child has left the home without permission on one occasion. Staff responded quickly and followed all missing from home procedures. The child came home after a short time. The risk of the child going missing from home is significantly reduced.

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

The manager regularly completes a risk assessment in relation to the local area. This includes useful local information and strategies to manage all identified risks. The manager ensures that the location of the home remains suitable for vulnerable children.

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

The manager completes thorough background checks before any adults come to work in the home. This means that the child is only cared for by safe adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a permanent, experienced manager leading this home. For a time, she was providing interim management oversight to another home alongside this one. Her management and support for staff has been much improved since returning to full-time management of this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers use effective systems to monitor all aspects of care. The manager provides feedback on important documents which is evaluative and useful. The manager helps her staff to provide good quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff now write children’s records in a way which is helpful to them. Staff use non- judgemental, child-friendly language when completing written documents. Children feel included in care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good oversight of staff practice. New members of staff receive a comprehensive induction, which includes increased support and supervision. Established members of staff receive formal supervision each month. Staff feel supported by leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers build successful partnerships with other professionals. One social worker said, ‘Communication and information sharing from [the manager] is excellent.’ The manager promotes effective teamwork.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular team meetings. Each meeting is now more detailed and focused on improving the quality of care for children. Staff meetings are a useful tool in sharing best practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC051947 5 Staff receive regular, useful training. Staff complete core training as well as courses specific to the needs of the child they are looking after. Staff have the skills and knowledge they need to provide good quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have improved how staff share information at shift handover. Staff now always have all the information they need. The child is receiving more consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing of the home has been inconsistent. The manager has now appointed a full team and hopes that this will provide improved stability for the child. On occasion staff from this home have been asked to support their colleagues in another setting during incidents. Last minute changes to staffing have had a negative impact on the child’s wellbeing. Inspection report for children’s home: SC051947 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make sure that where positive relationships exist between children and staff this should be respected and maintained as far as possible when making any decisions to alter staffing arrangements. The registered person should respond to children’s views about changes to staff and be aware of the potential impact this may have for the child’s stability and emotional well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 39, paragraph 8.12)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make sure that when children are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, that staff work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. If no education place is identified by the placing authority, the registered person must challenge them to meet the child’s needs under regulation 5, this includes making sure that all required meetings are taking place and planning documents are regularly updated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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: SC051947 7

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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

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC051947 8 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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