Children's home run by Outbound Care

Inspection report for children’s home 2516349 1 Registered provider: Outbound Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children living in the home were spoken to by the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 22 January 2024.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home 2516349 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2024 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Outstanding 08/03/2022 Full Good 25/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home 2516349 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. They stay in the home for a long time and build enduring relationships. Staff stay in touch with children who have moved out through appropriate channels. Children have a sense of permanence and belonging in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s individual needs. They work hard to ensure that children with differing needs and personalities are successfully cared for alongside each other. Staff encourage children to spend time together. Children receive individualised care and have positive relationships with one another.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is cosy and welcoming. Several areas of the home have been redecorated since the last inspection. There are photos of the children in the communal areas. Children personalise their own spaces according to their tastes and interests, such as with items relating to their favourite football team or a make-up station. Children are comfortable and relaxed in their environment.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well and facilitate their participation in the activities that interest them. For one child, managers and staff arrange fortnightly football matches and they attend to play regardless of whether they are at the home that day. Staff take children on holidays abroad. Children have enjoyable experiences and make happy memories of their childhood.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend school. They transported one child significant distances to ensure that they completed their secondary school education without disruption. When children finish school, staff support them to identify suitable college provisions. Children who attend college have high attendance levels and make progress from their individual starting points.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health. When children are reluctant to attend their medical appointments, staff teach them why these are important and encourage them to attend. Health plans for the children are current and contain relevant information. Staff encourage the children to have healthy lifestyles, both through diet and physical activity.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children are supported to develop skills for adulthood. Staff assess children’s needs and implement structured plans for independence. They recognise the importance of ensuring that children have support networks in the community and encourage children to make and maintain them. However, one child’s plan has been delayed, which has reduced the time they have to learn the skills they need. A recommendation has been made in relation to this. Staff have positive relationships with children’s families and friends. They regularly transport children long distances to ensure that they spend time with the people who are important to them. Children maintain their identities and relationships. Inspection report for children’s home 2516349 4

p.3

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

Children trust the adults who care for them and approach them with any worries or concerns. They know how to raise complaints. When children raise complaints about other agencies, staff support them to share their views with the appropriate professionals and resolve their issues.

p.4

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

Staff understand the risks to children and how to prevent and manage them. Risk assessments are clear, regularly updated, and contain strategies for staff to follow. Staff share risk assessments with children so that they know their own risks and how to keep themselves safe. Risks for children reduce significantly over the time they live in the home.

p.4

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

Staff teach children about their needs and other areas relevant to their lives. They plan conversations to have with children to ensure that important topics for each child are discussed. Staff regularly have discussions with children and support them to manage their behaviour and feelings safely.

p.4

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

Children are not held by staff. Staff are trained to hold children safely in the event this is necessary. Staff do not implement formal consequences. They manage behaviour through their strong relationships and by educating children about the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others. Staff implement consistent boundaries, and children know the rules of the home. The home is predictable, and children feel secure.

p.4

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, staff know and follow their individual missing-from-home plans. Staff search for children and contact their associates to locate children quickly. Staff are aware of the statutory guidance around children going missing and challenge other agencies when they do not respond as they should. Staff work hard to understand the reasons why children go missing and ensure that their views are shared with the professionals who support them.

p.4

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

Staff search children’s bedrooms when there is a clear safeguarding reason to do so. They perform searches sensitively. Wherever possible, children are informed of this before the search and are present. When it is not possible to inform children beforehand, they are informed of the search and the reasons for it at the first opportunity. Children’s privacy and dignity are maintained to the greatest degree possible.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively and efficiently by a suitably qualified registered manager. The manager is supported by an experienced and committed deputy manager. The responsible individual attends the setting regularly and previously managed the home. The leaders and managers are knowledgeable about the home and the needs of the children who live there. Inspection report for children’s home 2516349 5 The home has a full cohort of staff, most of whom have worked in the home for a long time. New staff are enthusiastic, and all staff enjoy their work. The manager does not use agency staff. Children have a consistent group of adults who care for them and therefore build strong relationships in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides a thorough induction for new staff. They are prepared for the role and are well supported by managers and the more experienced members of the team.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides comprehensive training for staff. The manager assesses children’s needs and ensures that staff have the training to meet their specific needs. Staff complete the training required of them. Staff are well supported to provide good-quality care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are promptly enrolled to work towards their qualifications. However, some staff have not completed their qualification in a timely way. The manager is aware and is supporting these members of staff to complete their learning. A recommendation has been made in relation to this.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager develops staff for future roles by enrolling them on further qualifications. Staff are prepared for more senior roles in the home by the time they undertake them.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have effective oversight of the home. The manager carries out regular reviews of the quality of care, which are evaluative and reflective. The manager uses the information gathered in the reviews to improve the service. An independent person visits the home regularly. The manager responds promptly to the recommendations made by the visitor.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which is reflective and focuses on developing practice. Team meetings are well attended, and the manager uses them to share good practice and relevant research. Staff have regular opportunities to discuss their practice.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive timely appraisals. Managers seek children’s views for staff appraisals, but they do not include the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff over the year. The recommendation made at the last inspection in relation to this has been restated.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have positive relationships with external professionals. Staff liaise regularly with other agencies and work closely with them to ensure that children’s needs are met. Children experience the best possible joined-up care. Inspection report for children’s home 2516349 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, particularly when they are going to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)  The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have attained the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  The registered person should ensure that annual staff appraisals consider, where reasonable and practical, the views of children in the home and other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year. (‘Guide to the Children’s

p.6

Recommendations

Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

p.6

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 2516349 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Outbound Care Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Metropolitan Business Park, Preston New Road, Blackpool FY3 9LT

p.7

Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home 2516349 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8