Children's home run by Lancashire County Council in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 1 SC035459 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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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 local authority home provides short breaks for children with special educational needs and physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in 2003 and the manager registered in April 2012.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were present at the home during this inspection.

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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

^39 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2024 Full Outstanding 07/02/2023 Full Outstanding 08/03/2022 Full Outstanding 17/12/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive well-planned and individualised care during their stays. This ensures that children have enjoyable experiences and significantly improves outcomes for them. Children are supported to flourish and know that staff care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is well maintained and welcoming with photos of the children displayed around the home. Children’s bedrooms are personalised for their stay with their own bedding and special items, such as pyjamas and teddies. One parent said, ‘Staff make sure his belongings are set up for him on his arrival.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have good relationships with staff that know them exceptionally well. Children are encouraged to develop their skills and enhance their independence. This includes getting dressed, cooking and stranger danger. One parent said, ‘Staff massively support [name of child] independence and social interaction.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to make choices about their meals and the activities that they engage in. Children have opportunities to enjoy their individual interests such as watching their favourite television programme, playing with their favourite toys, and relaxing in the sensory room.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Introductions to the short-break service are sensitively planned and at a pace that suits children and their families. Staff spend time getting to know the children through visits to their home and school, and children are able to visit the home before their first overnight stay. One parent said, ‘The transition was handled really well, we felt comfortable and ready. It was done at the family’s pace.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s personalities, behaviours and needs are carefully considered by the manager when visits are being planned. Time is taken to ensure that children can build friendships with other children who stay at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are highly skilled in communicating with the children and have an excellent understanding of the children’s communication methods. Staff actively encourage developing the children’s communication skills to support children to communicate their wishes and feelings and make choices. One parent said, ‘The manager is working with us to help us get the right communication aid.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s achievements are celebrated by staff and families. Families are extremely complimentary of the high levels of care their children receive and the support extended to the family by staff. One social work team manager said, ‘They are a lifeline and keeping families together.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 4

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

Children who stay at the home have various health needs. These are understood and managed well. All children have comprehensive risk management plans that clearly identify known risks and vulnerabilities. These plans give clear instructions to staff about how risks to children should be safely managed. This helps to ensure that staff respond consistently, and risks are reduced.

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

Medication is stored securely in the home, and the processes for children’s medication coming in and out of the home are robust. The administration of medication is reviewed by the manager to ensure safe practice. Children’s complex health needs are well understood and safely managed by staff. The registered manager ensures that staff receive specialist training in relation to children’s individual health needs prior to their stay. One member of staff said, ‘We have had Vagus Nerve Stimulation training before [name of child] stayed.’

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

Children benefit from a consistent staff team with high levels of supervision and support. Supervision levels are personalised to the individual children. This ensures that children are safe and protected from harm. One parent said, ‘We know he is in safe hands.’

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

Careful planning and robust risk management enable children to access community activities safely. One social work team manager said, ‘One child is a football fan and staff managed to support them to go to Wembley, this also gave the family a break.’

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

Children benefit from a nurturing and structured environment where positive behaviour is actively promoted. Positive recognition and praise outweigh negative consequences. There have been no negative consequences recorded since the last inspection.

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

There is good multi-agency working. The manager and staff maintain excellent levels of communication with other professionals. One social worker said, ‘I always know what is going on.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a dedicated, ambitious, and caring manager who advocates very well for the children. The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. The manager ensures that he is present in the home and accessible to staff and children. The manager speaks about the children with warmth and enthusiasm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children receive outstanding care, support, and guidance from a highly committed, competent, and nurturing staff team. The stable and settled staff team promotes consistency and strong attachments for children. One member of staff said, ‘Working with the children is the best bit, I have a good relationship with all the children.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 5 Children’s records are well organised, up to date and detailed. This information evidences the continued progress that the children make during their stays. Children’s records capture the views and wishes of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff team meetings are held regularly, are effective and have links to research in practice to help support guidance and practice. They focus on children’s well-being and progress and enable staff to be reflective. One member of staff said, ‘We always have reflective meetings.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff complete a range of training that focuses on meeting the children’s individual needs. Staff apply their training effectively when supporting the children. Training has included creative play, relationships, and sexuality for children with disabilities, safe handling of medication, epilepsy, nutrition, and autism.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff work hard to build trusting relationships with parents, so they feel confident leaving their children for their stay. Managers include parents in the care planning and service delivery for their children. One parent said, ‘Staff make us feel really included.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the home. Internal and external monitoring of the home are effective. The manager regularly seeks the views of children and families. However, this is not always included in the quality-of-care review. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: SC035459 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspector

Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for children’s home: SC035459 9

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