Children's home run by Cherish Children’s Care Limited in Fylde

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 1 SC476868

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Registered provider: Cherish Childrens Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home that is registered to care for up to four children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may have a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in May 2024. He is appropriately experienced and qualified for the role.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke with one of the children.

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Information about this children’s home

This assurance inspection was carried out following some serious safeguarding notifications received by Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 2

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector 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: SC476868 3

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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

Serious incidents have been responded to promptly and appropriately by the staff team. This is because staff understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. When children go missing from the home, staff follow agreed protocols to locate them and return them home safely. Staff understand the broader risks associated with children going missing from home, such as trafficking, exploitation and substance misuse.

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Findings from the inspection

Restraint is used as a last resort to keep children safe from self-injury and harm. Any incidents are recorded clearly and evidence any de-escalation strategies used prior to the restraint. However, one restraint has been recorded on an incorrect record, and the manager has not identified this in their monitoring.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff have detailed conversations with children about risk and support them to have the skills and knowledge to make safer choices. In addition, the manager meets regularly with placing authorities, health professionals and external safeguarding professionals to share key information to review the management of risk and safety plans.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been several allegations made by children relating to staff working in the home. The manager has taken a transparent approach when managing the concerns, and safe allegation management procedures have been followed. The manager has undertaken some work with the local authority designated officer (LADO) around thresholds for referrals and reviewing one child’s allegation management risk assessment to ensure that a clear and consistent approach is taken to safeguard children and staff.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a delay in the manager notifying the LADO and Ofsted about one of the allegations made by a child. There has also been some information missed from a notification to Ofsted relating to a disclosure made by a child associated with a missing-from-home incident. The manager has failed to identify this when he has reviewed the notification. This has not impacted on the child’s safety, as staff acted without delay to ensure that the child’s safety and welfare were prioritised.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager’s oversight of risk assessments requires additional scrutiny to ensure that they include specific guidance for staff should a child return under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, incident reports demonstrated that staff take suitable and safe action when they have been presented with these risks. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 4 One child is making positive progress in their education. Staff have been proactive in trying to engage another child in voluntary work or securing a college placement. The child has been unwilling to explore the options until they received confirmation of the location of their new home. The staff have worked hard to support the child to get the right placement to move on to, which will be semi-independence accommodation.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff in their probationary periods now receive more-regular practice-related supervisions in line with the company’s policy. However, on one occasion, a recommended lessons-learned exercise was not undertaken with staff following a serious incident. This was a missed opportunity to develop individual staff practice.

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Findings from the inspection

There is an improved system in place so that the manager can effectively monitor staff training and development. Consequently, staff have undertaken a range of training so that they have a good knowledge of children’s needs and risks.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has made improvements to his oversight of records and his incident evaluations. He has implemented incident packs, so that the records are more organised and easier to follow. However, his attention to detail in some records requires improvement.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has been redecorated and some areas refurbished. It is welcoming and homely throughout. Children have been involved in restoring furniture and making the home feel more comfortable. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2024 Full Good 03/05/2023 Full Good 03/05/2022 Full Good 21/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 6

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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 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The manager should improve their oversight and monitoring of the quality of and detail in safeguarding and incident records, risk assessments and notifications to Ofsted. 9 January 2025

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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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or 9 January 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 7 concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager should ensure that notifications to Ofsted and referrals to the LADO are done without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager should ensure that all children have suitable education in place. 9 January 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Specifically, the manager should ensure that lessons-learned exercises are undertaken with staff when they have been recommended in incident evaluations. (‘Guide to the Children Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cherish Childrens Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8a, Skyways Commercial Campus, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 3RS

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Inspector

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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