Children's home run by Future Focused Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2495397 1 Registered provider: Future Focused 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 provider and provides care for up to two children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since July 2024.

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 good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 19 September 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2495397 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2023 Full Good 27/09/2022 Full Good 22/09/2021 Full Good 04/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2495397 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Living in this home enhances children’s life chances. Children are supported by a nurturing, strong and stable staff team. Children learn to build trusting relationships with peers and those around them. Staff invest time in the children and know them well.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Thorough assessments are carried out to ensure that children are suitable to live to together before new children move into the home. Staff welcome and support children to enable them to settle.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy time with their families, friends and people who are important to them. This is carefully assessed and in line with children’s care plans. Staff support these relationships and encourage safe and regular contact.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to take risks that are appropriate to their age and level of understanding. This helps to develop children’s independent living skills.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy activities that support their learning. In addition, they enjoy fun activities, such as singing karaoke, gardening, playing the guitar and looking after the home’s animals.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is secure, safe and tastefully decorated. The manager has an artistic flair and has made the home bright and cheery throughout. Staff support and encourage children to make decisions about the home. Children provide ideas about their bedrooms, living areas and outdoor spaces.

p.3

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

Children feel, and are, protected from harm. Staff understand the ways that children can be exploited. This means that staff know how to safeguard children. Individual risk assessments are regularly updated and identify known vulnerabilities that are specific to each child. Risk assessments are explained to the children.

p.3

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

Staff are fully trained in fire risk assessments and fire safety plans are in place. The home environment is safe, secure and protects children from the risk of harm. However, children are not always present during fire drills. This does not ensure that children understand how to evacuate the home in the case of an emergency. One child said that they like the door alarms on the bedroom door at night because it ‘makes them feel safe.’

p.3

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

Children are held only when necessary and to prevent injury to themselves or others. Incidents are recorded, reviewed and monitored by the manager. Therapeutic discussions are used to support the children to help in their understanding of why the hold was necessary. Inspection report for children’s home: 2495397 4 Children who go missing experience a well-coordinated response that reduces actual harm or risk of harm to them. Staff have completed training, understand the risks and are proactive and effective in helping and protecting children.

p.3

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

Staff are aware of the procedures to follow for whistleblowing and in the event of allegations being made against colleagues. Investigations into allegations are brought to the attention of the appropriate agencies and are responded to quickly, fairly and in accordance with statutory guidance. Support is given to the person making the allegation and the person who is subject to the allegation.

p.4

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

Staff support children to make choices to keep themselves safe. Staff work with the children to ensure that they are happy, feel safe and know how to complain.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has an ambitious vision and high expectations for what children can achieve. There is significant evidence of change and improvement since the last inspection. This is because of the quality of care provided.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows and understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She takes decisive and effective action to ensure that shortfalls are dealt with promptly. The manager ensured that minor damage was repaired during the inspection.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers were not aware that one of the children had a deprivation of liberty order. This means that the child requires supervision in the community. However, the manager is mindful of the child’s potential risks, and risk assessments are in place to ensure their safe care. When needed, the manager appropriately challenges professionals to ensure that decisions are made that are in the child’s best interests

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is suitably staffed and resourced to meet the needs of the children. Staff are qualified. When staff complete their probation, they start further training and qualifications.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff ensure that the children’s views are sought in every aspect of home life. Children’s progress is monitored and documented, and their records reflect their achievements and plans for the future. Children have an input in staff’s yearly appraisals.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works proactively and positively with other agencies and professionals. Professionals speak enthusiastically about the manager and comment on her frequent communication and well organised running of the home. A professional said, ‘The children are thriving in her care.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2495397 5

p.4

Statutory requirement

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.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must be aware of and adhere to court orders, namely the deprivation of liberty order. 9 October 2024

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children while also complying to relevant health and safety legislations. Staff should involve children in fire drills to help them to understand how to keep themselves safe. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 59, paragraph 3.9)

p.5

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: 2495397 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Future Focused Ltd, Crow’s Nest Business Park, Ashton Road, Billinge, Wigan, Lancashire WN5 7XX

p.6

Inspector

Nicola Jeffery, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2495397 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.

p.6

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7