Children's Home run by Prosperity Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2772599 1 Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Inspection date: 21 January 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 21 January 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, 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. The inspector has 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: 2772599 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

One of the two children living at the home spoke to the inspector during this inspection. Children are building positive relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff take an interest in children’s hobbies and interests. For example, they go fishing, bike riding and to football matches together. This helps to enrich children’s experience of living at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are well prepared for their moves into or out of the home. Staff ensure that children feel welcomed. For example, before one child moved in, staff decorated the child’s bedroom the way they wanted it.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s progress in education is variable. One child’s educational attendance has increased. The registered manager has challenged the placing authority regarding the lack of education provision for the other child. However, staff are not consistently offering this child informal education activities when he is not in school. This is a missed opportunity to support the child’s learning and prepare the child for re-engagement with formal education. A requirement is restated in relation to this.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff seek the views of children. For example, one child attended part of the staff team meeting. He told staff about items that he would like them to purchase for the home and they acted on this.

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Findings from the inspection

Children personalise their bedrooms to reflect their individual tastes and interests. However, any damage is not repaired in a timely way. This detracts from the homely environment that staff are trying to create. In addition, a recommendation to improve the garden area is restated as no progress has been made.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager ensures that children’s plans are reviewed. This ensures that staff have strategies to support children. However, some staff have struggled to manage demanding situations and have requested support from the police to gain control of the situation. The manager has recently arranged additional support and training to help to build staff’s confidence to manage future incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager reviews the records of all incidents in the home. This helps him to evaluate the effectiveness of staff’s practice and to ensure that staff have taken the correct action. When there are shortfalls in staff practice, the manager takes prompt action to address them.

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Findings from the inspection

An experienced and qualified manager runs the home. The management team knows the children well and understands the progress they are making. The manager and deputy manager promptly address issues with staff performance. They have sought additional support from the internal training team and therapy service Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2772599 3 to build staff confidence and to equip them with the skills to manage challenging situations with children in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a full staff team in place. They receive regular supervision which supports them to reflect on their practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has established robust monitoring systems. This is helping him to reflect on incidents and to improve practice in the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2772599 4

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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 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

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(v)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 February 2025

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)) 28 February 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2772599 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any damage to the home is repaired promptly and that the garden is a well maintained and well-equipped space for children to use and enjoy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2772599 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Prosperity Children’s Services, 8 Mercury Rise, Altham Business Park, Altham, Accrington BB5 5BY

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Inspector

Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2772599 7 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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