Children's home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC473475 1 SC473475 Registered provider: New Horizons (NW) 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

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home. The inspectors spoke to three children about their experiences of living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 6 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC473475 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Good 26/04/2022 Full Good 13/04/2021 Full Good 04/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC473475 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to make progress in all areas of their lives. Staff are child- centred, and the children’s wishes and feelings are sought, respected and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and children spend time together enjoying positive activities. The children have been on holiday and have raised money for a local charity. Children’s achievements are celebrated by staff, who provide consistent encouragement. This helps children to build trusting relationships, develop essential social skills and build their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s education. There is good communication between the home and school staff. This ensures that children are equipped with the skills they need to make good progress with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff support children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. Family and friends are welcomed into the home. This enables children to develop a sense of belonging and to benefit from support outside of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home meets the children’s specific care needs. The home has areas for children to relax in, as well as socialise with one another. This provides opportunities for the children to build relationships with each other and staff. Photos are on display in the home of the children having fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s cultural needs are understood and celebrated. The staff support children to purchase and cook food that is part of their cultural heritage. This enables children to develop a strong sense of identity.

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

Children are safeguarded effectively. Staff know how to identify and respond to risks. As a result, risks have reduced for all children in the home.

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

The staff understand the children’s care plans and vulnerabilities. Clear advice and guidance are provided for staff, so they know how to respond if risks arise. On occasion, bedroom door alarms are used at nighttime. There is always a clear rationale when alarms are used, and regular reviews are undertaken with children and professionals to ensure that they understand the reasons why bedroom door alarms are used.

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

Staff have meaningful conversations with children about risks they may be exposed to. This helps children to develop their understanding and awareness of risks. This includes keeping safe online, positive routines and the children’s emotions and feelings. Inspection report for children’s home: SC473475 4 When children have gone missing from the home, staff have followed children’s plans to support their safe return. Due to staff supporting children in this area, the occasions when children have gone missing from this home have reduced.

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

Staff receive training that is tailored to the individual needs of each child. Staff are trained in a therapeutic model that is used in their day-to-day practice for the benefit of the children. Positive behaviour is routinely encouraged and rewarded. Therefore, staff have the specific skills and knowledge to keep children safe in their care.

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is committed to achieving positive outcomes for the children. Staff feel well supported, and the registered manager is held in high regard by the children, staff and other professionals. The manager provides effective leadership and ensures that children receive the best possible care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When complaints have been raised, the manager has ensured that there has been reflection and learning to improve practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that staff receive regular supervision and have opportunities to reflect. However, some staff supervision records lack detail and do not reflect the detailed discussions that take place. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate the reflective practice and support offered to staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers continually strive to improve the quality of care provided to children. The manager has good oversight of the home, and there are monitoring systems in place. However, when children’s documents have not been received from their placing authority, the provider’s escalation process has not been consistently followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated to reflect staff training. This has not impacted on the care of the children living in the home. However, the absence of this hinders the regulator’s oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC473475 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

and seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the provider’s escalation processes are followed when documents are not provided by children’s placing authorities in a timely manner. 6 January 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff supervision provides opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice, and that these discussions are evidenced in supervision records. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 39, paragraph 8.15) Inspection report for children’s home: SC473475 6  The registered person should ensure the home’s statement of purpose is kept under review. (‘Guide to Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: SC473475 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons NW limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 17-18, Navigation Business Village, Navigation Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

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Inspector

Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC473475 8 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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