Children's Home run by Bay View Child Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2701209 1 Registered provider: Bay View Child Care 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

A private company owns the home. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides care for up to three children who experience emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There are three children currently living in the home.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 10 December 2024

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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: 2701209 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2024 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2701209 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have lived in the home for some time. They receive individualised care that is tailored to meet their needs. Children receive consistent care from a dedicated and stable staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and nurturing environment. The home is furnished to a good standard. However, attention is required to refresh the paintwork on doors and skirting boards throughout the home. Furthermore, the utility room requires new cupboard doors.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff speak enthusiastically about the children’s progress and achievements. Children can identify staff who they trust, and they know what to do if they wish to make a complaint.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s memories are captured by staff through individualised life journey books and ‘good news’ stories. These are regularly updated. Children’s wishes and feelings are central to the day-to-day routines of the home. One child said he scores the home 100 out of 10. This is because he likes the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children learn skills to be more independent. Each child has goals that they are working towards with support from staff. One child has improved their personal hygiene skills, and another child has gained confidence travelling independently in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote education and all children attend full-time provision. When one child had difficulties with school, the staff worked closely with partner agencies to identify a provision that was more suited to the child. Additionally, one child has completed work experience and gone on to secure part-time employment.

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

The children say they are happy living in the home, and they feel safe. There are good- quality risk assessments and behaviour support plans with robust strategies that are clear and identify all known risks. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff demonstrate a good understanding in managing risk and have sound safeguarding knowledge. This helps to ensure that children are kept safe in the home.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home have been minimal. Staff have responded well to these incidents and have been proactive in contacting, searching for and locating children. Children are welcomed back to the home and are given the opportunity to speak to someone external from the home, and there is evidence of direct work completed following these episodes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701209 4 Staff manage incidents well. Where one child has needed support to manage his emotional well-being, this is sourced, and staff work closely with the children to understand their triggers.

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

Recruitment procedures are safe and effective. All staff are checked and vetted before starting work. These checks ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with children in the home.

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

Medication procedures are effective and robust and ensure that children are given the right medication at the right time. Good medication practice helps children to maintain their health. One child is beginning to establish a good sleep routine.

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

Staff support the children with good-quality direct work. These individual work sessions focus on important topics such as healthy relationships, smoking and preparation for school. Staff use a variety of online resources to help children’s understanding. As a result, children’s emotional well-being and confidence are improving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is currently not working in the home. The provider has implemented a management plan in the manager’s absence and the home is being supported by other managers in the company. Staff say they like working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are some staffing vacancies. However, staff are keen to provide consistent care for children and will often cover shifts to deliver this. Staff were observed providing good- quality care in a family-type environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management oversight is in place and identifies areas for improvements. There is a range of training that staff have completed, which is in line with the children’s needs. Team meetings regularly take place. However, the minutes do not always capture the information discussed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers benefit from external monitoring of the home. However, some shortfalls were identified in the internal systems. For example, the manager has not always commented on the effectiveness of consequences used in the home and there has been no review of a child’s time in the community when this was due.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive regular clinical supervision with a clinical psychologist. However, supervision has not always taken place in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Supervision records do not sufficiently detail discussions and does not evidence reflection of staff’s practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are well supported to develop their professional practice and skills. There is a suitable annual appraisal system, which allows staff to focus on their development. However, the appraisals do not include views of children or professionals. A recommendation has been made to address this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701209 5 Feedback from professionals and parents is positive. They said there is effective communication, and staff support children and encourage them to share their views. They say that staff practice is nurturing, and the children have positive relationships with all staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701209 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the paint on the doors and skirting boards is refreshed, and utility cupboard doors are replaced to make the home feel more welcoming. 5 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff receive regular supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose and that supervision is reflective and clearly recorded. 5 September 2025

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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— 5 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2701209 7 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the manager reviews all practice, including consequences, to consider their effectiveness.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff annual appraisals take into account the views of professionals who have worked with the staff over the year and the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standard’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 2701209 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bay View Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Core Assets, Malvern View, Saxon Business Park, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove B60 4AD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Thompson

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Inspector

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2701209 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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