Children's Home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 1 Registered provider: New Horizons NW Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private company. The home provides care for up to four children with social, emotional or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home, and one child has moved into the home.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were four children living at the home. The inspector was able to speak to all the children about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 4 February 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Outstanding 30/01/2024 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive an exceptionally high standard of care from a stable and experienced staff team that knows them well. Children live in this home for a long time, which provides them with extended periods of stability. When children move on from this home, they move on to semi-independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The positive and trusting relationships staff have built with children enable the children to thrive. As a result, children make great progress in all areas of their lives and are supported to develop a strong sense of belonging and a positive sense of self. Professionals say that staff are child focused, put their heart into their role and do an amazing job.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s education is prioritised. The manager works with children’s education provisions and virtual school heads to ensure that children receive the resources and encouragement they need to achieve their full potential. Additional tuition is in place to help bridge gaps in children’s learning, and staff read with children daily to aid their progress. This has resulted in significant improvements in one child’s reading age. Educational attendance for all children has improved, which has enabled them to make significant progress from their initial starting points. One child has completed a one-year course at college and is enrolled on a further course. When children are enrolled in part- time educational courses in college, they are also supported in gaining employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Weekly discussions capture the children’s views and wishes and cover subjects such as mindfulness exercises, communicating worries and planning routines to support children’s well-being. The manager and deputy always provide a written response to these discussions. This encourages children to contribute their thoughts and feelings about their day-to-day care, which helps them to feel listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager is innovative in her approach to communicating key information to children, taking into account their individual needs, abilities and levels of interaction. Professionals say that staff explain situations fully in a way that children can understand. Children are encouraged to attend activities and groups that interest them, such as football, cadets and youth clubs. This is helping children to build their confidence in social situations. They are also able to invite friends for tea and sleepovers, which encourages positive social interactions and helps them make and maintain friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There are good transition plans in place for children moving into the home, even when they move in as an emergency. The manager carefully considers the needs of children moving into the home, assessing their needs alongside the needs of the children already living in the home and the skills and experience of the staff team. The manager speaks to children, their parents and their network before children move in. This helps children to feel valued and welcomed into the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 4 When one child moved on from the home, they experienced a planned move to semi- independence. Staff completed work with the child to prepare them for independent living, helping them develop skills such as budgeting, cooking, travelling and household chores. This ensured that the child had the skills to live independently. The child’s time in the home was celebrated with a mini-break, a meal and thoughtful gifts. The manager

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

worked with other professionals to provide a structured transition, and staff provided outreach support following the move. This provided the child with a level of stability from trusted adults at a time of significant change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff create a warm, homely environment for children, which enables them to feel relaxed in their home. The home is well maintained and well furnished. There are some areas of the home that need repainting, and there are plans in place for this to be carried out.

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

The extremely positive, kind, caring and trusting relationships children have with staff help them to feel safe and secure in the home. Children identify staff as trusted adults and speak to them about any worries or concerns. Staff respond to children’s worries and concerns with warmth and sensitivity.

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

Children’s views are considered and are central to every aspect of their care. The manager and staff sit with children and discuss risks, helping children to reflect on difficulties, learn to identify triggers and coping techniques and communicate with adults about what helps them in difficult situations. Behaviour support plans are informed by research related to children’s individual needs.

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

Staff use research effectively during direct work with children to identify risks. Direct- work sessions help children to identify appropriate coping mechanisms and strategies to keep themselves safe. This has helped children with self-harm, online safety, substance misuse and peer relationships. Senior managers organise fun days, and guest speakers with lived experiences are invited to speak to children about specialist subjects, such as anxiety, body image, criminality, online safety and care experiences. This provides children with alternative perspectives and guidance from those with similar experiences.

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

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the home. Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding and whistle-blowing procedures.

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

Significant incidents are managed well, and staff respond appropriately and sensitively to children’s risks. Staff know and follow behaviour support plans. The manager provides a detailed overview of incidents that have taken place and works with children’s networks to implement plans to reduce risks.

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

Incidents of self-harm and low mood are managed well. Staff understand and follow detailed self-harm protocols. Support plans are in place as required. Staff know when to escalate concerns and seek additional support. Staff monitor children’s mood and Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 5 provide emotional support. Staff reflect on incidents with children and sensitively discuss their feelings and alternative coping mechanisms.

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

Staff know and follow children’s missing-from-home protocols. Staff make every effort to locate children when they are missing. The manager and staff work with placing authorities, parents and children to reduce missing-from-home episodes and associated risks. This ensures that children’s and parents’ views are considered, and professionals are able to support children’s time with their families.

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

The manager notifies the regulator when there is a serious incident. However, some notifications are delayed, which prevents the regulator from having prompt oversight.

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

The manager is proactive in ensuring that children have access to specialist services for support in areas such as substance misuse, diet and mental health. Staff ensure that specialists are updated with relevant information and that multi-agency meetings take place when issues arise. This enables the child’s network to be collaborative and proactive. Staff encourage children’s engagement with specialist professionals. This means children have access to the adults who are most able to help them with their specific issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and deputy manager leading the staff team are both experienced. The manager is highly motivated and ambitious in her vision for the children. She speaks very highly of the children and their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is strong managerial oversight of the home. Weekly team leader meetings take place to plan appropriately and ensure that staff meet the children’s individual needs and follow their plans. All reports and plans have evidence of management oversight. The manager and deputy complete monthly audit reports, with clear actions identified and set. This ensures that the home is operating within the regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and deputy have high expectations of the staff team and focus strongly on staff development to ensure improved outcomes for children. Staff receive regular comprehensive supervision that focuses on improving outcomes for children. Supervision sessions are reflective and detailed with clear actions set. Annual appraisals have a clear focus on staff development and personal progress. Staff feel fully supported by the management team to develop in their role, and they enjoy working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers follow safer recruitment checks and undertake additional checks and assurances when necessary. This ensures that leaders and managers are fully assured of staff’s integrity and character before they provide care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Induction programmes for new starters are comprehensive and well structured. This ensures that staff are aware of role expectations, key information and processes. New Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 6 starters are supported through induction periods by experienced staff members to fully support their learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings are regularly held and well attended. The manager uses research to ensure that staff understand children’s individual needs and implement effective support methods. Team meetings are also used to discuss current issues for the children, reflect on practice, review policies and procedures and ensure that all staff are aware of and are working to follow children’s behaviour support plans. This results in collaborative working and consistency in the care of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14:13)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s bedrooms are repainted to provide a clean and homely environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2670262 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons NW Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 17-18, Navigation Business Village, Navigation Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

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Inspector

Renée Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2670262 9 regulates 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 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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