Children's Home run by Safety and Focused Care in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 1 Registered provider: Safety and Focused Care

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2021.

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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: 16 January 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2024 Full Outstanding 07/03/2023 Full Good 22/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who move into the home are welcomed sensitively and with care. Where possible, staff visit children before they move in, and children have the opportunity to visit the home and meet staff. Children receive welcome packs and are asked how they would like their room decorated and personalised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop routines. Children attend appropriate education provision, and the manager works with external agencies to ensure that any barriers to children’s learning are addressed. When children’s educational needs are not met, the manager advocates for them and escalates her concerns to the relevant people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s likes and dislikes are understood by staff. Children enjoy taking part in activities they enjoy at home and in the local community. This includes playing games, go-karting, golf, trampolining and painting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. They have regular contact with health professionals and are supported by staff to attend specialist health appointments. Children enjoy a nutritious diet. They contribute to meal planning and are encouraged to take part in meal preparation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of the children spending time with people who are important to them. Staff supervise family time in line with children’s plans, which supports children’s sense of self and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s culture and identity are supported by staff, who acknowledge their traditions and languages. This includes the translation of children’s guides into relevant languages.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children move on in a planned and supported way, which includes visits to their new homes. Children’s progress and experiences are celebrated when they leave. The manager recognises when children’s needs are not being met in the home, but for one child this meant they moved on in an unplanned way. Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 4

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

Children are safeguarded effectively. Staff are supported to manage risk. They understand and follow procedures to protect children. When children go missing, staff maintain contact with them and work with professionals and family members to locate them. Staff support children to understand the reasons they go missing and use this to consider how further incidents may be prevented.

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

Staff have strong relationships with safeguarding agencies and work collaboratively to ensure risks are understood and managed. Allegations against staff are responded to immediately to ensure children are safeguarded. The manager ensures all relevant professionals are notified and updated with the outcome of any investigations.

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

Staff understand how to keep children safe. Children have personalised care plans which give staff clear guidance. Children take part in direct work to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves safe and improve their independence skills.

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

Children are held as a last resort and there has only been only one incident since the last inspection. Records demonstrate that children and staff can reflect on incidents, but some details, including the use of de-escalation strategies, are not consistently recorded throughout incident logs. The manager reviews records to identify any learning. However, any evaluation and learning may be compromised by the lack of consistent detail within reports.

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

Before children come to live at the home, the manager completes risks assessments which consider any potential risks to children already living there. However, the risk assessments do not include consultation with the placing authorities of children already living in the home. This means the suitability of children living together is not comprehensively assessed and evaluated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and appropriately qualified. She is enthusiastic and understands the children well. She has high expectations of staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are recruited safely. The staff team is stable, and staff work cohesively, which ensures children receive consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend a range of training bespoke to children’s specific needs, including neurodiversity. Professional development is championed, and staff are encouraged to complete the relevant qualification. Staff say they enjoy coming to work and are supported by leaders and managers. As a result, staff morale is high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly. They are an opportunity for staff to reflect on practice and what has gone well. Staff also use meetings to revise strategies that are not effective. Research-based practice is shared to support innovative practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive supervision, which is an opportunity to reflect on their practice and children’s progress. Staff supervision records are detailed and reflective. However, the manager’s supervision records do not demonstrate the support that is in place. Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2631136 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Safety and Focused Care

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Andrew Seed Accountants, 54 Wood Street, Lytham St Annes FY8 1QG

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Inspectors

Jon Dutton, Social Care Inspector Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2631136 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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