Children's home run by Prosperity Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 1 Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and two children have moved out. There are currently two children living in the home. The inspector observed positive relationships between children and staff during the inspection. One child told the inspector that she likes living in this home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to have fun and take part in activities that they enjoy, and they have recently visited a theme park together. Staff are exploring opportunities for children to join clubs in the local community, so that they can develop their social networks in a safe environment.

p.3

improvement to be good

Both of the children living in the home are engaging in education. One child has recently received a ‘star of the week’ award. Both children previously had long periods of time out of formal education and have made progress from their individual starting points.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend time with the people who are important to them. Staff understand these often-complex family dynamics and work with the relevant placing authorities to ensure that these arrangements are safe. The manager and staff ensure that distance does not impact on these important relationships.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are supported to attend routine health appointments when needed. Staff are trained in the safe administration of medication. However, staff have not followed safe practice in the administration of over-the-counter pain relief. This has resulted in one child receiving daily amounts of medication, with no explanation as to why the child had received this medication for five days. This shortfall could have serious implications for children’s health. Following that incident and before this inspection took place, the manager introduced a new system for the administration and auditing of medication. This has improved medication processes.

p.3

improvement to be good

Therapeutic input, as detailed in the home’s statement of purpose, has not taken place. One child’s social worker told the inspector that this has hindered the progress the child has made. The provider has recently employed a full-time therapist who is starting to build relationships with the children living in the home and is developing staff’s understanding of their emotional well-being.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have access to a spacious living environment. However, the home is looking tired and in need of refurbishment, which is necessary to ensure that children live in a more homely environment. For example, new flooring is required in some areas, and the kitchen is difficult to fully use due to the layout. Decorators were at the home during the inspection as the new manager is keen to make improvements for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 4

p.3

improvement to be good

Individualised risk management plans are in place for each child. These plans identify children’s risks and vulnerabilities and the strategies for staff to follow to minimise risks.

p.4

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there has been one incident when a child was reported as missing from the home. Staff took appropriate action at the time. Staff who were spoken to during the inspection were confident about the actions they would take in order to keep the children currently living in the home safe, should they go missing from the home.

p.4

improvement to be good

On three occasions, staff have requested assistance from the police when a child’s behaviour became increasingly challenging, as staff were unable to manage situations effectively and safely. This places children at risk of being criminalised, although no further formal action was taken against the children on these occasions.

p.4

improvement to be good

Due to there being no registered manager in post, some incident records have oversight from other managers within the organisation. This oversight has failed to recognise shortfalls in staff practice or consider any alternative methods that could be used to support children during incidents. As a result, the children’s experiences are not fully understood, and staff do not get the support that they need to undertake their roles effectively.

p.4

improvement to be good

When staff have physically held children, the records of those incidents do not provide sufficient information. The records do not always detail the positioning of staff during an incident. On occasion, staff who were involved in an incident when a child has been held have been the same staff involved in the debrief with the child, which means that there is no independent oversight. Debriefs with staff have not always taken place.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children do not have access to all areas of their home. Some internal doors are routinely locked, restricting the movement of children, with no clear rationale for this. Furthermore, during the inspection, staff struggled to access all areas of the home due to an ineffective key system. This has the potential to compromise children’s safety should staff be delayed in gaining access to certain areas in an emergency.

p.4

improvement to be good

Shortfalls were identified in the safe recruitment of staff. This does not ensure that the integrity of all staff working at the home has been thoroughly checked to ensure children’s safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 5

p.4

good

Since the last inspection, the home has had a period without a registered manager, and there have been a number of changes to the management arrangements during this time. A new, experienced manager and deputy manager have recently joined the home.

p.5

good

The staff team is stable, which provides consistency for children. Staff who were spoken to describe a supportive environment. They were positive about the impact that the manager has had since he was appointed. However, staff have not received supervision on a regular basis. This means that staff, including inexperienced staff, have not had the opportunity to reflect on how they support the children and their own learning and development.

p.5

good

There are shortfalls in staff training. Staff have not received training specific to the individual needs of children living in the home. This does not support the continuing professional development of staff to ensure that they have the relevant skills to meet the needs of the children.

p.5

good

Monitoring and review systems are ineffective. Not all incidents have been reviewed thoroughly enough to understand what can be learned or to ensure that any further actions required are undertaken. In addition, some records contain inappropriate language. The use of stigmatising language is not helpful in telling the story of children’s time in the home.

p.5

good

Ofsted has not received a report of the review of the quality of care within timescales, as required by regulation.

p.5

good

Leaders and managers have not met all the requirements from the last inspection, and several requirements are repeated. The manager recognises the shortfalls raised during this inspection. He has begun to make improvements in the home. However, these changes are not yet embedded in practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the home environment is maintained to a high standard.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 12 September

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

p.6

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 12 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 7 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.6

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.7

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.7

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”)—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.7

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 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii) (viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff understand how to promote positive behaviour and that any records of control, discipline or restraint cover all of the matters required by regulation.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 8 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.8

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f))

p.8

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there is sufficient monitoring of all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home and that staff have training that is specific to the individual needs of children living in the home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 12 September

p.8

Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

p.8

Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(ii)(iv)) 12 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 9 Leaders and managers must ensure that children have access to all areas of their home and that any system for restricting access is proportionate and kept under review.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.9

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

p.9

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure full information in relation to each of the matters listed in Schedule 2. 12 September

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.9

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

p.9

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive regular practice-based supervision and that their performance is appraised annually. 12 September

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

p.9

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.9

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.9

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

p.9

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a 12 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 10 result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

p.9

Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

p.10

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records are written for the child in a way that will be helpful to the child. Records should be written in a clear and careful way. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.10

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: 2696604 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services Limited

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8 Mercury Rise, Altham Business Park, Altham, Accrington BB5 5BY

p.11

Inspector

Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2696604 12 regulates and inspects to 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.

p.11

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.12