Children's Home run by Choices 4 Children Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 1 SC400880 Registered provider: Choices 4 Children Ltd

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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 operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to six children with learning disabilities and social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 25 September 2009.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager left the role in January 2024. A new manager was appointed in April 2024. They have submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were five children living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2023

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2023 Full Good 22/02/2023 Full Good 11/01/2022 Full Good 19/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s experiences and progress are hindered due to the serious shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. There is a lack of stability in the staffing of the home. The staff team includes regular agency staff and several staff who work part time. Some staff only work one day a week, and one director has worked two shifts in one month. This means that children do not benefit from being cared for by a consistent staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff did not take appropriate action in response to one child sustaining minor injuries at school. Body maps have been completed but accident forms have not been requested to help staff understand what has happened to the child. However, children’s health needs are generally met. Children’s medication needs have reduced, and they are supported to attend all health appointments. One child was supported by staff when they were in hospital due to their ongoing health issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The manager is unclear about the reasons for one child’s school saying that they are unable to meet the child’s needs and have proposed an alternate education provision for the child. Consequently, the manager is unable to advocate for the child and fully consider the options available. All children attend education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s transitions out of the home are supported. Staff developed a social story to help one child to move into foster care. However, the manager disagreed with the transition plan proposed by the child’s social worker, stating that it did not meet the child’s needs. The manager’s challenge of the social worker was not effective as it did not result in a change to the child’s transition plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are progressing at their own pace, making positive steps in improving their communication, self-care and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children have consistent routines, supported by weekly planners that outline individual activities based on their interests. The home provides space for children to explore their interests independently, which supports children’s individuality and ensuring provides predictable care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are supported to maintain important relationships with their family through regular video calls and visits. Staff have helped one family to ensure that their home is suitable to meet their child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is warm and welcoming. Shared spaces display photographs and pictures made by children along with certificates showing their achievements. Changes have been made to decorate children’s rooms to reflect their developing interests. Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 4 Children are happy in the home. They have positive relationships with the core staff who care for them. The members of the core staff team understand the children well and can clearly explain how the children communicate their wishes. This means that children are supported to share their views and to make their own choices.

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

Safeguarding incidents are not robustly managed by leaders and managers. There is a lack of transparency with leaders and managers failing to involve the appropriate professionals, such as the local authority designated officer.

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

Serious allegations made by staff against other members of the team were not considered and managed as a safeguarding risk to the vulnerable children living in the home. The director dealing with the allegations did not inform safeguarding agencies to ensure that the concerns were dealt with robustly. As a result, staff who have been subject to allegations have continued to work with children in the home. This has left children at risk of significant harm.

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

A parents’ complaint about the lack of supervision of their child was not robustly handled by the previous manager. The manager only addressed the concerns with one member of staff rather than all the staff who were on shift at the time of the incident. No wider learning was identified as a result of the complaint.

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

The manager failed to act in a timely manner when they observed a child not having the required level of supervision and stimulation at school. The concern was not immediately raised with other relevant professionals. When the manager did raise it, they did not escalate the matter further when a response was not received. This placed the child at continued risk of harm.

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

There have been two occasions where children have been travelling in the home’s vehicle during low-speed accidents. Staff were not believed to be at fault and children received appropriate medical attention. However, the police were not contacted, and the placing authority emergency duty team was not informed on one occasion.

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

Children do not go missing from the home, and there have been no occasions when staff have needed to use any physical interventions to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has developed relationships with children and made positive changes to the home environment. Staff are complimentary about the support the manager and her deputy provide. One staff member advised that the directors are very involved in the day-to-day running of the home, which compromises the managers’ ability to fully support the staff and children and manage the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has limited understanding of the shortfalls and areas for development in the home. She does not always challenge external professionals when necessary. There Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 5 is limited analysis or evaluation by the manager to support and develop a learning culture. This is reflected in the manager’s monthly monitoring, which lacks depth and insight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are several family relationships in the leadership and staff team. Two of the company directors who perform caring roles have had joint supervision by an external agency and the manager. Additionally, the registered individual has supported the manager during supervision by taking notes, with her own family member. There is no clear plan or process for how any conflicts of interest are managed or how any practice issues or whistleblowing should be addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision takes place regularly. Records of sessions are lengthy with generic information which is task focused and reads like a staff briefing. Records do not demonstrate any reflective discussions with staff about their practice or the children they care for. Team meetings are also task orientated. There is a lack of focus on the needs of children and the quality of care provided to them. Records do not show how staff reflect on their practice as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The review of premises outlines the local facilities to support the needs of the children and considers local risks. However, there is no information to show that there has been any consultation with local stakeholders in assessing the suitability of the location.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Records of staff recruitment checks are not robust. DBS checks for staff are completed, but records do not include details of the information from the checks to demonstrate that staff are safe to work with children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to: 21 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 7 leaders and managers ensuring that safeguarding processes are followed in a timely way and with the involvement of the relevant safeguarding agencies;

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers ensuring that any allegations about staff members which could put children at risk of harm are acted on effectively;

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers ensuring that there is an open culture within the home with clear lines of accountability and responsibility to keep children safe;

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers effectively challenging and escalating concerns with agencies, such as local authorities or schools, to ensure that children are safe and the best outcomes for children are achieved; and

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers ensuring that any serious events involving children are notified to Ofsted and done so in a timely way.

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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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ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 21 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 8 understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers being transparent about incidents in the home and ensuring there is effective management oversight;

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers carrying out robust investigation and follow-up into any complaints made;

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers having robust arrangements in place for the supervision of staff, including any directors who also perform caring roles; and

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers ensuring that the outcome of DBS checks for staff provide evidence of how staff are safe to work with children.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Leaders and managers should ensure that they consult with local stakeholders to consider their views when reviewing the location of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1). Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 9

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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: SC400880 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Choices 4 Children Ltd

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Inspectors

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC400880 11 regulates and inspects 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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