Children's Home run by Connect Care Solutions Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2606135 1 Registered provider: Connect Care Solutions Limited

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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 children’s home is owned by a private provider and can provide care for one child with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2606135 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Good 27/06/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2606135 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child living in the home. The child is settled and making sustained progress in all areas of her life. The child has built trusting relationships with staff. A family member commented, ‘I couldn’t be happier with the improvement and progress they have made,’ and ‘It has been astounding how far they have come with the encouragement, love and support from all staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child said they are happy living in the home and that they feel cared for and listened to by staff. The child has clear routines and boundaries in place, which are consistently implemented by staff. This has afforded the child a sense of safety and stability. The child has been supported to personalise all areas of the home, which provides a comfortable and nurturing space.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been supported to attend school and has made significant progress. Managers and staff work effectively with education professionals to ensure that any barriers to learning are addressed. Staff arranged for the child to access additional tutoring to support her to achieve her academic potential. The child has completed her exams and has applied to college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoyed attending her school prom, and managers arranged for her to arrive in a special car. The staff also surprised the child with tickets to see her favourite singer in concert to celebrate her finishing her exams. The child said the concert ‘was amazing’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has developed in confidence and self-esteem. The child is being supported to build their social skills and understand how to make positive friendships. Staff promote age-appropriate independence skills in preparation for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff support the child to have strong relationships with her family. The child spends regular, quality time with family members, which has contributed to an improvement in their emotional well-being and sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is in good physical health, and staff support the child in receiving routine, age-appropriate healthcare. The child has support from specialist services in line with their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff enable the child to make decisions about their day-to-day care experiences. Staff listen to the child’s views. The child requested to have one of the smaller bedrooms as she felt more comfortable in this space. Staff supported the child to make this change. Inspection report for children’s home: 2606135 4

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

Staff have access to detailed risk management plans that contain clear strategies for them to follow to keep the child safe. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding practice. They understand the specific risks for the child in their care and adhere to the agreed strategies. Risk management plans and strategies are regularly reviewed.

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

The risks for the child have significantly reduced. The manager and staff work effectively with professionals to ensure that effective safety plans are in place to keep the child safe. When incidents have taken place, there are clear records in place that detail the action of staff. Management oversight is effective in identifying and addressing any required improvements to staff practice.

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

Staff make use of their positive relationships with the child to help them to understand unsafe behaviours. This takes place through regular informal discussions and key-work sessions. Family members speak positively about the staff team and say that the child is safe and well cared for.

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

Staff manage the child’s behaviours well. The use of consequences is appropriate. The registered manager ensures that a record is maintained and that the record contains management oversight to ensure that the measure used is effective.

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

The child has been missing from the home; however, the number of incidents has significantly reduced. There are well-coordinated responses that reduce the risk of harm to the child. There are missing-from-care protocols in place, which staff follow. Records are clear in terms of the action taken by staff to return the child home safely. The child has been supported to speak to someone independent following each incident.

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

Staff physically hold the child as a last resort. The records of incidents of holding a child reflect the actions taken by staff to de-escalate the situation. There is clear management oversight and scrutiny as to the appropriateness and proportionality of the restraint used.

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

Managers recruit new staff safely. Staff are thoroughly vetted and assessed before any appointment is confirmed. These safe recruitment procedures make sure that only suitable adults work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced, qualified manager who is child centred. He knows the child very well and leads by example to create a nurturing environment. He is ambitious for the child in his care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of the manager and the difference he has made to the home and the progress of the child. The staff receive regular support in their roles and value Inspection report for children’s home: 2606135 5 the practical advice and guidance that the manager provides. The manager delegates responsibilities to the staff to build their skills and support their development. One staff member said, ‘I have come on leaps and bounds in confidence,’ and ‘He [the manager] trusts us to do the jobs to a good standard.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive detailed and child-focused supervision, and the staff team meets regularly to discuss any issues about the child or the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been a number of staff changes, and there is ongoing recruitment. The manager has put measures in place to ensure that the changes do not disrupt the child’s progress and that the child experiences continuity in care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have good access to training to ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and skills appropriate to the home’s statement of purpose. The manager has identified some research-informed models of care to support staff’s practice; however, this is not yet embedded in the care of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring and review systems in place to ensure that he has oversight of the quality of care of the child. The manager has identified areas for development and has made plans to ensure that there are ongoing improvements to the home and to the quality of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2606135 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff have access to training and resources to improve their knowledge and skills to support the identified needs of children in their care. Specifically, training in relation to therapeutic models of care, child development and attachment theory. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: 2606135 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Connect Care Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17 Victoria Road East, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 5HT

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Inspectors

Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Samantha Kean, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2606135 8 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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