Children's Home run by Seaside Child Care Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2808108 1 Registered provider: Seaside Child Care Ltd

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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 provider. It can provide care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024 and the home registered in October 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This was the first full inspection since the home registered with Ofsted.

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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: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2808108 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home since it opened. Their transition was thoroughly planned. Managers and staff considered all relevant information in relation to the child. Staff visited the child in their previous placement, travelling a significant distance to meet the child. This helped managers and staff to ensure that they could care for the child. Staff provided the child with information about the home, including staff’s expectations about living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the child’s needs. Individualised care plans take into account the child’s social and emotional needs. Staff adhere to these plans to ensure the care they provide for the child meets their needs. The child is thriving. The child says they feel safe and secure in their home. External professionals say that staff are caring and available and are good advocates for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise the child’s health and emotional needs. They support the child to attend routine and specialist health appointments. Therefore, the child is in good health and their well-being is promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has not attended formal education for some time. The child currently engages with education which offers both statutory education and attending a skills provision around construction trades. The staff know that the child needs encouragement and support to attend education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff capture the child’s views during key-work sessions and direct work. The child enjoys activities such as go-karting, bowling, trampolining and playing darts. The child said, ‘The staff are great. I have no worries, I wouldn’t change anything. I get all I need and more.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of the child’s relationships with their family and friends. They support the child to spend time with their family members and friends, who are welcome to visit the home. One family member said communication from staff is regular and they are kept up to date about the child’s life, which makes them feel included. This supports the child to maintain their identity and develop relationships with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. It is decorated and furnished to a good standard. Photos of the staff and child sharing positive times together are displayed throughout the home. The child has been supported to develop positive relationships with the staff. The child spends time talking to staff and going out to the gym. Inspection report for children's home: 2808108 3

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

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. They know the child’s risks and vulnerabilities and how best to respond to these to ensure that the child remains safe. Staff follow robust risk management and support plans. This has resulted in risks reducing for the child.

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

Due to the positive relationships that staff and the manager have with the child, they can successfully de-escalate incidents to avoid having to physically hold them to keep them safe. Staff and the manager speak to the child after every incident to help them reflect and share any worries, concerns or ideas about how the situation could have been managed differently. This helps the child to manage their feelings and emotions.

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

The risks for the child and incidents of going missing have reduced since they moved into the home. When the child does go missing, staff manage these incidents well. Staff are proactive and look for the child to ensure their prompt return home. This helps the child feel cared for. The child’s social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is doing well. The home advocated for a solo placement to allow a period of stability, which has really worked. The staff and manager are great and keep me updated all the time.’

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

The manager has good oversight of incidents and acts appropriately when serious incidents occur. This enables her to make swift changes to staff’s care practices. The manager shares relevant information with family members and professionals and notifies Ofsted when any serious incidents occur. This helps the regulator monitor the home to ensure the child remains safe.

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

The child knows how to make a complaint about things that upset or worry them. They know that they can speak to their social worker or family and can ask for an advocate to support them.

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

The manager regularly reviews the home’s physical environment to ensure it is safe and secure. Door alarms are used on the front and rear external doors. However, fire evacuation drills involving the child are not being completed regularly. The manager acted swiftly to address this shortfall when it was identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager demonstrates strong leadership of the home. She is confident and advocates firmly for the child in her care. She leads an enthusiastic, motivated and committed staff team. The child is extremely fond of the manager and this is reciprocated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is child focused and ensures that the child receives care that meets their individual needs. The manager and responsible individual recognise the importance of staff needing to feel valued, trusted and listened to. This approach helps to ensure that staff are happy in their roles, to help them provide good-quality care to the child. Inspection report for children's home: 2808108 4 There is a strong managerial presence in the home. The child and staff benefit from this supportive day-to-day oversight. The manager leads by example, takes on tasks and works directly with the child. Due to this proactive approach, staff feel supported and valued and have confidence in the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, attend team meetings and training and have a planned yearly assessment of their performance. This provides the manager with information for her to remain confident in the abilities of the staff to meet the needs of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. Feedback from professionals and the child’s parent is extremely positive and indicates that the manager and staff consistently have the child’s needs and safety at the forefront of their decision-making and practice. The education provider for the child said, ‘The manager is always proactive for the child. If they don’t attend education one day, they are on the phone asking what can be done to support the child to return. The manager and staff are excellent, they couldn’t do any more for the child.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff nurture positive working relationships with external professionals. The manager contributes to multi-agency planning meetings. This informs decisions about the child’s care. As a result, the child’s needs are met well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are recruited safely and there is a stable and consistent staff team, with bank staff in place to cover any absences. Waking night staff are used in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2808108 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children feel safe and are safe; that staff support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. In addition, children should be encouraged to take part in fire evacuation drills and understand the importance of doing so. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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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: 2808108 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Seaside Child Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Deborah Turner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2808108 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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