Children's Home run by Associated Wellbeing Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 1 Registered provider: Associated Wellbeing Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2024 and is owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to four children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. The inspectors spoke to one child about their experience of living in the home.

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Inspection date: 22 November 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 22 November 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection was carried out to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have sought to further embed positive changes to improve their care of the children. The interim manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

Children say that they are happy living at the home. Since the last inspection, there have been several new members of staff working in the home. Children say that they have built positive relationships with the new staff. As a result, children live in an environment that supports their emotional well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff say they feel supported by managers. New members of staff receive an induction and additional coaching from managers. Managers hold regular team meetings to ensure that important information is shared with staff. This ensures that there is a consistent approach to the children’s care.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is well furnished and personalised to reflect the children’s interests. The children are encouraged to decorate the home to reflect seasonal celebrations. However, children’s bedrooms are not to a level of cleanliness that is consistent with the rest of the home. This impacts on the children’s experience when relaxing in their bedrooms.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers ensure that children’s voices are heard. When a child raised a complaint, members of staff and managers acted quickly to address their concerns. This demonstrates a child-focused approach to the children’s care.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has moved into the home since the last inspection. There have been several incidents relating to the child’s significant health needs. When incidents have occurred, staff have taken the necessary action to access support from medical professionals. This ensures that children are kept safe in respect of their individual vulnerabilities.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff use the expertise of external professionals to inform their practice. Most staff have undertaken the level of training needed to support a child’s specific health needs. However, this additional training was not implemented for all the staff before the child moved into the home. This means that there are inconsistencies in the skills of staff supporting the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s risk plans do not address all their known risks, and they do not provide staff with clear guidance to keep children safe. Although this has not impacted on staff practice, managers are unable to assess the impact of the strategies used by Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 3 staff to keep children safe. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff receive regular supervision. This limits the manager’s oversight of staff practice and reduces opportunities for staff to reflect and learn. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not ensured that there is robust management oversight of medication storage and administration. Although this has not impacted on staff’s practice of safely managing medication, it is a missed opportunity for managers to be alerted to issues at the earliest opportunity.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers ensure that accurate records of staff’s shift patterns and the time they spend in the home are kept. However, the manager does not keep a clear record to reflect her own presence in the home. This has not impacted on the care of the children, but it limits the accountability for those present in the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons 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 persons 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

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

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) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that risk management plans identify and assess all risks to children and provide clear steps for staff to follow to reduce the risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff can contribute to the guidance needed in children’s risk plans, particularly when shortfalls are identified. 17 January 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 6 This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that: all staff have the skills to safely support children’s specific medical needs and personal care; monitoring systems are in place to ensure that children’s medication is managed safely by staff. 17 January 2025

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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, the registered person must ensure that all staff, including managers, receive regular supervision in line with the organisation’s supervision policy.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 17 January 2025

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 17 January 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 7 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a high standard of cleanliness.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that accurate records of hours worked by staff in the home are kept, including the manager. 17 January 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Associated Wellbeing Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 5, Salesbury Hall Road, Ribchester, Preston PR3 3XR

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Inspectors

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2753204 9 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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Inspectors

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