Children's Home run by Northridge Care Group Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2774125 1 Registered provider: Northridge Care Group 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 and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to two 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 June 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were 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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2774125 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive, trusting relationships with staff, who know them well. Staff promote positivity in the home and are aspirational for children’s futures. Children enjoy a wide range of activities with the staff in and out of the home. Both children say that they are happy living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. Staff support them to attend all health appointments, including therapeutic work. Staff support children to lead a healthy lifestyle and encourage physical activity outside of the home. Staff work with external agencies to ensure that children are supported to access health services that are specific to their individual health and well-being needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend individual education provisions, which best suit their needs. When barriers to attending education have been identified, the registered manager has worked with external agencies to find a solution that works best for children. For one child, this included full-time education being delivered in the home by staff for a period of time to support the child to transition into a classroom environment. Consequently, the child now attends school each day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and understand the importance of children spending time with people who are important to them. Staff support and, when appropriate, supervise family time. As such, children enjoy regular time with their family and friends. This supports their sense of self and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Independence plans are realistic for children. Staff have clear plans in place to support children in building life skills that they will need when they leave the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a warm and welcoming environment. Staff help children to personalise their bedrooms according to their individual taste and interests. There are photos of the children and people who are important to them on display throughout the home.

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

Staff have the knowledge, skills and understanding to help keep children safe. Children’s individual risk assessments are clear, and safety plans are detailed with guidance for staff to follow. Staff work alongside external agencies and therapists to develop and review strategies that staff use to help keep children safe.

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

Staff undertake direct work with children to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves safe. One independent reviewing officer said, ‘[Name of child] has made excellent progress since living in the home. [Name of child] is in a much better place and risks are reducing.’

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

There have been occasions of bullying in the home. Staff have been quick to respond to conflict between children, which has reduced the number of incidents of bullying and has Inspection report for children’s home: 2774125 3 helped to repair the children’s relationships. Staff support children to understand difficult emotions and identify positive strategies to manage these.

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

There have been occasions where children have self-injured. Staff respond quickly and appropriately to remove any items that children could use to harm themselves. Staff undertake regular searches of children’s bedrooms to remove unsafe items. Staff support children to help them develop positive strategies for managing their emotions. As a result, incidents are reducing.

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

Medication is stored safely in the home. There are clear plans in place for staff when administering medication, which include detailed guidance for staff to follow. However, there has been one recording error for medication. This has been appropriately addressed by the manager and there have been no further errors. There was no impact on the children due to this recording error.

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

Children know how to complain. Staff discuss with children how they can make a complaint confidentially. Complaints forms and a QR code are readily accessible in the home. When complaints have arisen, these have been managed efficiently and appropriately. Records of complaints demonstrate the actions taken by the manager to resolve issues and evidence clear rationale for their decision-making.

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

The manager ensures that staff are recruited safely and that they receive a quality induction. The monitoring of visitors to the home further ensures the protection of the children from potential harm.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff immediately follow the children’s individual missing-from-home assessments. Staff are proactive in trying to find the children. Records of missing-from-home incidents are detailed and include the actions taken by staff to help the children return safely home. However, any actions taken by staff to seek medical attention or complete welfare checks on the children during the night after they return, are not always recorded.

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

Staff regularly use praise, rewards, de-escalation techniques and consequences to manage the children's behaviour. Any behavioural incidents in the home are well managed by staff. There have been no physical interventions by staff since the home registered. However, the consequences implemented are not always relevant or proportionate to the behaviour displayed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is committed to providing high-quality care to the children. She knows the children well and understands their individual needs. She is an ambitious and child-centred manager, who leads by example.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partner agencies say that they are happy with the care provided to the children by staff. The registered manager advocates on children’s behalf and shares relevant information to keep professionals well informed of children’s progress. One social worker said, ‘I love Inspection report for children’s home: 2774125 4 the way that staff work with [name of child]. They have a good understanding of their needs and I love the relationship [name of child] has with them.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel supported and listened to by their manager, and they enjoy coming to work. Staff say that the registered manager is approachable and that they can raise any worries or concerns. The staff are enthusiastic and committed to offering good- quality care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff’s learning and development are a priority. Staff have individual development plans, which identify key strengths and areas for further development. Staff are provided with a wide range of training, including specific courses that are tailored to the children’s individual needs. As a result, staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to promote the safety and welfare of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have plenty of opportunities to discuss and reflect on their care of the children, during one-to-one supervision and regular team meetings. The registered manager tests staff knowledge through discussing safeguarding scenarios. Any shortfall in practice is raised in supervision and staff are given clear guidance on their tasks to complete. However, the registered manager has not received regular supervision in line with the provider’s timescales. Inspection report for children’s home: 2774125 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager receiving supervision in line with the provider’s timescales. 21 February 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records are kept that detail all individual incidents when children go missing from the home. These should include an evaluation of the child’s presentation on their return home and any actions taken by staff to seek medical attention as required. (Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 46, paragraph 9.31)  The registered person should ensure that any consequences implemented for children are relevant and proportionate to the behaviour displayed and are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2774125 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northridge Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Richard House, 9 Winckley Square, Preston, Lancashire PR1 3HP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Joanne Kitchener

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Inspector

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2774125 7 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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