Children's Home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 1 Registered provider: Caretech Community Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. The home provides care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties. There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 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: 2773035 2

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improvement to be good

Since the home was registered in July 2024, there have been a number of changes of staff and children. Three children moved out of the home to live with foster carers. The children were attending education every day and beginning to make progress. Two other children have moved in and still live in the home. The manager is in the process of escalating her concerns to ensure that all relevant plans for the children are available.

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improvement to be good

Children’s cultural needs are considered when a child moves into the home. For example, before one child moved in, staff ensured that the child was aware that they had the appropriate products for their skin care and hair care at the home. This reduced the child’s anxieties about moving in.

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improvement to be good

The children living in the home now are not in full-time education. One child is unable to attend his education provision each day due to the distance. The other child does not currently have an education placement. The staff do not provide the children with a clear structure to their day or with activities that aim to prepare them for a return to school.

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improvement to be good

The home is a large, detached property that has lots of communal space and large rooms. However, the home feels sparse and minimal. Staff and children are speaking about how they can address this and make the home more homely.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to attend extra-curricular activities in the local community. One child has been supported to join a local football club in line with their interests. This has supported the child to form friendships in the local area.

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improvement to be good

Children have been supported to spend time with their families. When there have been concerns around a child’s safety, the staff have supervised family time both in person and on the telephone and in line with the child’s care plans. This supports children to maintain relationships with people that are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Children report that they like ‘most’ of the staff team and that they enjoy living at the home. However, safeguarding procedures are not always followed to ensure that children are kept safe.

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improvement to be good

Concerns were raised by a child about a staff member and their practice; however, this was not identified as an allegation by the manager. Although this was addressed with the staff member internally, it was not shared with the local authority designated officer, the child’s social worker or Ofsted. Additional concerns were raised by another staff member, and again, they were not reported by the manager. The manager’s failure to understand Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 3 that the concerns required independent investigation and review has limited the oversight of the children’s experiences and safety by other relevant agencies.

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improvement to be good

The staff actively work with children to explore their emotions and feelings. Staff have supported one child who reported having nightmares and identified healthy sleeping methods for them. However, staff did not act appropriately when a child stated that they wanted to harm themselves. This means that the child was left at increased risk and did not have the opportunity to receive support.

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improvement to be good

There have been seven restraints involving children who have now moved out of the home. The restraints used were evaluated by the manager as being proportionate and necessary. However, on one occasion, a child was not spoken to about the restraint for eight days after the measure was used. This means that the child was not offered the opportunity to discuss the restraint and ensure their well-being in a timely manner. Furthermore, one record was dated and signed by the manager over three weeks after the restraint was used.

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improvement to be good

Children have risk assessments for when they go out without staff and their whereabouts are unknown. There have been no missing from home incidents since the home registered.

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improvement to be good

The home is located in a nice area with good facilities close by. However, there are electricity pylons close to the property that were not identified by the manager when reviewing the suitability of the premises. As a result, there are no identified actions implemented to reduce the potential risk to children.

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

The manager is suitably qualified and is supported by a deputy manager and a responsible individual. The staff are a relatively new staff team, and more staff are currently being recruited.

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

The manager is in the process of trying to improve consistency of care and communication between the team and recognises that there is some inconsistency with the quality and content of records. Some language used by staff is not helpful to children. Additionally, it is not always clear which staff member has recorded information about the child. Although the records are written to children and provide a nice narrative, it is not always clear who made the record. If children requested their records in the future, it would be difficult for them to identify who had written to them.

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

Supervision sessions for new staff are not held in line with the home’s policy and workforce plan. This limits the development and support available to them. The manager has also assessed that some staff require additional supervision sessions, due to information known at the point of starting in the role. However, the manager has not supervised staff in line with the agreed plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 4 The manager is confident discussing her concerns with staff about their practice to ensure their development. However, the manager did not record an internal investigation that took place. This reduces transparency and the ability to review actions taken by the manager in response to poor and inappropriate staff practice.

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

There are errors in the home’s statement of purpose, including referring to the home being in a different location. Additionally, it is not reflective of the current staff team. This means that it has not been revised and limits the regulator’s oversight of the home.

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

The manager holds regular team meetings, provides clear messages to the staff team and is supportive of staff development. Learning and development are embedded into team meetings. Staff also have the opportunity to attend a range of training opportunities to support them in understanding the children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that allegations made by children are reported to the local authority designated officer, social worker and Ofsted without delay.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, this relates to the registered manager ensuring that staff provide support to children when they have expressed wanting to harm themselves. 13 December 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 13 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 6 promotes their welfare.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that staff are supervised in line with the provider’s policies and risk assessments.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that allegations are accurately recorded along with all action taken and feedback is given to children.

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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”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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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 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that when children are restrained, they are spoken to in a timely 13 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 7 manner to ensure their well-being, and that records are reviewed in the correct timescales by the manager.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that children’s records are up to date and that the author is clearly identifiable. 13 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that the statement of purpose is kept under review and refers to the correct home throughout. Additionally, the registered manager is to ensure that the regulator has oversight of the staffing in the home as per schedule 1. 13 December 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person and staff must 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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 8 education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15).  The registered manager should ensure that the home’s review of appropriateness and suitability of location includes all risks within the area and that children are aware of these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1).

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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: 2773035 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Caretech Community Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspectors

Kitty Wiper, Social Care Inspector Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2773035 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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