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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 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 privately owned and provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Inspection date: 12 February 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 12 February 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: 2701412 2

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home as part of a planned move in line with their needs. One child has moved into the home as an emergency placement. Despite the urgency, the manager gathered as much information as possible in relation to the child’s needs. The manager considered the needs of the child moving into the home alongside the needs of the child already living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a consistent team of staff who are committed to the children in their care. Staff speak positively about the children and celebrate their achievements. One child is making excellent progress at school and has recently received a headteacher award. He has also been chosen to join a ice hockey team. The child and the staff are proud of these achievements.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to have healthy routines and ensure that there are appropriate rules and boundaries in place. Both children are enrolled in education, and staff support children to engage. One child is enrolled at a mainstream school which is appropriate to meet his needs. One child does not currently attend school. A tutor visits the home daily. Although the child engages with the tutor, the manager has concerns about the academic progress being made and is addressing this concern with other professionals.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s health needs are met. Staff ensure that children’s routine health needs are monitored, and guidance from health professionals is followed. Children are supported to make improvements to their hygiene. Their emotional needs are supported by a dedicated therapist who offers direct work to children and advice and guidance to staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to see their family. This ensures that children maintain established relationships. Staff also build effective relationships with children’s family members. Staff work well with other professionals. The manager has been part of several multi-agency meetings to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment is warm and welcoming. Children’s bedrooms are maintained to a high standard. Children are encouraged to clean their own rooms and build their independence skills. However, staff will ensure that children’s bedrooms are consistently clean and tidy to provide a nurturing space.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff are committed to keeping children safe. However, shortfalls have been identified in safeguarding practices. Children’s risk management plans do not consistently provide staff with the written guidance they need to follow to keep children safe. For example, staff have identified concerns when carrying out a check on a child’s mobile phone. However, there is no clear guidance or strategies for staff to follow in relation to ongoing mobile phone checks and there are no restrictions on the child using his mobile phone. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 3 Furthermore, one child is known to misuse substances. The written plans do not contain robust strategies for staff to follow if the child was to return home under the influence of substances. There is also no clear guidance regarding when staff should seek medical assistance. This leaves children at risk of harm. The previous

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Findings from the inspection

requirement in relation to these shortfalls has been restated.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been incidents when children have been missing from the home. Staff follow children’s plans and will search for children and report them as missing in line with agreed protocols. However, the action staff take is not clearly and accurately detailed in the written records. In some records, it is also unclear when children have returned to the home. One child has not consistently received independent return home interviews. This issue has improved, and children can now speak to somebody independent from staff when they return home. The previous requirement in relation to the quality of recording in the home has been restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff have identified new ways to positively manage children’s behaviour. This has helped to prevent incidents from escalating. The staff work therapeutically and follow children’s behaviour support plans. This has helped to significantly reduce incidents of holding children. If a child has been held, they are provided with an opportunity to speak to a member of staff who was not involved to ensure that they can raise concerns. However, staff are not consistently being provided with this opportunity. This prevents staff from being able to reflect on the incident and their practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have received safeguarding training and understand whistle-blowing procedures. Allegations against staff are thoroughly investigated and promptly resolved, and information is shared with relevant professionals.

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Findings from the inspection

Shortfalls have been identified in the safer recruitment practices. Not all gaps in employment have been identified and addressed. This shortfall has been identified previously. When concerns have been identified following responses from relevant checks, leaders and managers have failed to consider this important information to confirm when staff are suitable to work in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is committed to the children in her care. The manager has made some improvements to the quality of care in the home. However, three requirements have been restated from the last inspection as these have not been met.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff feel supported by the manager. They value regular team meetings to share practice, discuss children’s needs and ensure that there is effective communication.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive regular supervision that allows them to reflect on their practice and seek further guidance and support. They also receive yearly appraisals to review their performance. This helps to identify opportunities for staff development and progress staff’s skills and knowledge. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 4 Staff have received some training to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities in caring for children. However, staff do not receive additional training in relation to children’s identified needs. For example, staff have not received training in relation to substance misuse or in supporting children with autism, despite children having these needs. This does not ensure that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to continue meet the needs of the children in their care.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager uses various monitoring and review tools. However, these have not been effective in identifying the shortfalls found during the inspection. The manager has carried out a review of the quality of care provided for children. However, the report does not identify what actions are required to progress the quality of care staff provide for children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 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 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that risk management plans include clear, robust strategies for staff to follow to keep children safe from harm.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 4 April 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— 4 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 7 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child and

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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

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have completed training relevant to their role.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that staff receive a debrief when they have been involved in an incident of holding a child.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must have effective monitoring systems in place to ensure that all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home are undertaken. This includes completion of an appropriate report which provides a review of the quality of care provided for children and identifies any actions to improve the quality of care provided.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that records include all relevant information in relation to incidents when children go missing from the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 4 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 4 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 8 if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 9

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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: 8 Mercury Rise, Altham Business Park, Altham, Accrington BB5 5BY

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Inspector

Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 10 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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