Children's Home run by Yourcare (Northwest) Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 1 Registered provider: YourCare (Northwest) 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 the first inspection for this privately run home. It offers care for up to two children who may experience social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since April 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be 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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 2

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improvement to be good

This is the first inspection since the home was registered in April 2024. Since then, two children have moved into the home and remain living there. The home has a full staff team, supported by a manager and senior management.

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improvement to be good

During the inspection, positive interactions between the children and staff were observed. Staff engage with children about plans for their day. Staff were observed being responsive to children. One member of staff helped a child fix the screen on their mobile phone.

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improvement to be good

Children living in the home are settled and have developed a sense of belonging. One child said that he was happy, and he had everything he needed to feel safe at home. Children’s behaviours have improved since moving in, and they are actively engaging with staff and activities in the community.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to attend routine health checks and appointments. Although this has been difficult with a child refusing to attend his dental appointments, staff have persevered and continue to look for alternative ways to keep the child healthy. Meals are cooked freshly each day, and the children are encouraged to plan, shop and prepare their evening meals.

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improvement to be good

Education had been difficult for the children before moving into the home. The manager has advocated for children to support them to secure identified educational placements. One child is now back in a school that is more suited to his additional needs, and another child is about to start a course that he has chosen to do at college.

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improvement to be good

Children are living in a home that is tastefully decorated throughout. However, children’s bedrooms are not kept tidy, and there was no evidence to show how staff support the children to keep their bedrooms clean. One bedroom was found to be dirty and unhygienic, despite previous recommendations from an independent visitor that the room needed urgent attention.

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improvement to be good

Staff arrange for children to spend time with their families and build relationships with the people who are important to them. Children are provided with opportunities to enjoy new and existing hobbies outside of the home, and this helps the children to feel valued.

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improvement to be good

Children living at the home told the inspector that they felt safe and that they liked living there. Children rarely go missing from home. On the one occasion when this occurred, Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 3 the child experienced a well-coordinated response from staff to help them return safely to the home. All staff are trained in the missing-from-home procedures and know how to respond and record incidents appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Children build trusted and secure relationships with the adults who are looking after them. Negative consequences are rarely used; however, when they are used, they are reasonable, proportionate and recorded appropriately. Additionally, staff support children through focused sessions to reflect on behaviour and look at how to reduce the risks of repeat incidences.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessment documents are in place. However, they do not include all known risks for the children, and one risk was recorded incorrectly. This means that staff do not have clear guidance or strategies to follow to safeguard the child and manage specific risks and vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

There are clear procedures in place around medication storage and administration. Children are appropriately supported to store and administer their own medications to develop their independence skills. However, one child who is prescribed controlled medication had the medication in their bedroom, but the bedroom door was left unlocked. Additionally, some unknown medication was found in another child’s bedroom. The manager had failed to ensure that medication was safely stored in the home. Staff do not support children to take their medication as prescribed, and monitoring of medication is not always carried out.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always followed safeguarding procedures when concerns have been raised around internet safety, and this has not been identified and managed appropriately by the manager. Ofsted were not notified of a recent incident relating to inappropriate mobile phone usage; this prevents the regulator from have a clear oversight.

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improvement to be good

Staff are safely recruited and suitably vetted, and this is overseen by the operations manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified manager. He has the bests interests of the children at heart, but there are shortfalls in his leadership. Records show that the manager reviews incidents; however, evaluations are not always completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The independent visitor visits the home. The report from their visit identifies actions to secure improvement in the quality of care provided. However, the manager does not respond promptly to actions set by the independent visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff training includes a comprehensive induction process that consists of online and face-to-face training. Staff complete the training programme during their probationary period. However, there are some shortfalls in the training offered, and it does not Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 4 address the individualised needs of the children, such as managing harmful sexual behaviours and mental health. The manager does not ensure that the training records for staff are kept up to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Children are cared for by a relatively new and inexperienced staff team. However, staff work collaboratively to provide consistency and stability for the children in the home. Staff say they are supported in their roles. However, they have worked additional hours to provide extra cover during periods of annual leave and sickness. One staff member said they were worried about how this affects the care they provide to the children when they are tired from working extra shifts.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager takes action to address practice issues with staff on an individual basis. Monthly audits, regular supervision and daily guidance support accountability and learning. However, supervision and team meetings are not reflective, and research is not used to inform practice for better outcomes for the children. This is a missed opportunity to actively engage the staff in self-development and shared learning across the team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 5

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, if children are at risk when using social media on their mobile phones, measures must be put in place to monitor their usage to prevent a further risk of harm. Additionally, incidents must be recorded accurately. 4 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 6 The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the child’s medication should be stored in a locked and secure place, where no other child has access to it, and records should show when children are taking their medication. 21 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation.

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter.

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (a)(b)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 21 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 7 The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

use their understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the children’s bedrooms are kept clean, tidy and free from environmental hazards. 21 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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; 4 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 8 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that all staff are trained in relation to a specific child’s risk, for example harmful sexual behaviours and mental health training. Leaders and managers must ensure the training matrix is accurate and up to date with all staff members included. Additionally, leaders and managers are to ensure that after an independent visitor has been to the home, any necessary actions advised are actioned immediately, particularly when no external assistance such as building work is required.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, supervision and team meetings should be reflective and practice related. 4 November 2024

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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: 2773192 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: YourCare (Northwest) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pathways, Blackpool Road, Newton, Preston, PR4 3RJ

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Inspector

Nicola Jeffery, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 10 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 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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