Children's home run by Omega Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2567272 1 Registered provider: Omega Care Group 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 home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

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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: 14 January 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2567272 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2025 Full Good 07/11/2023 Full Good 06/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/11/2021 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2567272 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make excellent progress at the home. They are supported to engage and achieve in education and children have aspirations for their future. Staff are passionate about children’s prospects and are proactive in encouraging and supporting their success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When children struggle to attend school, staff work persistently to support, encourage and advocate for them so they can attend and succeed. Staff demonstrate strong multi- agency working and ensure that children remain at the centre of their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have excellent relationships with staff. Staff know children exceptionally well and they speak about the children with affection and pride. Children are involved in their care planning, and their voices are clear throughout records and in discussions with staff. This shows children that they are important, their views matter and staff see them as experts in their own lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are pivotal in building and maintaining relationships between children and their family. Since children have been living in this home, staff have supported children to nurture new relationships with family members and existing relationships are strengthened. These relationships are progressing in line with the children’s wishes. Staff recognise the importance of these relationships both now and as a future network of support for when children live independently. One family member said that maintaining a relationship with their child would not be possible without the support from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s health and well-being in the home are promoted. Children are helped to have a healthy diet and exercise is encouraged. Children enjoy a variety of activities, including playing football with staff and using the home gym equipment. These opportunities support children to lead healthy lifestyles and learn new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children can share their wishes and feelings freely and are confident that they will be acted on. One child described their home as ‘happy, safe and trustworthy’, which they recognised as being a ‘big thing’ having previously struggled to trust others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Professionals and parents are exceptionally complimentary about the care that children receive and the progress they make. Staff provide children with consistency and stability, and professionals say that children’s self-esteem is improving. One parent said that living in the home is ‘the best thing that ever happened for [name of child]’.

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

There are very few incidents at the home. When incidents occur, staff responses are thorough, and children are kept safe. Staff know the children extremely well, so they Inspection report for children’s home: 2567272 4 recognise issues early and take effective action to mitigate incidents and reduce further occurrences.

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

Risk management plans are updated regularly and outline clear steps for staff to take to keep children safe. Children’s plans are updated regularly to ensure that they are relevant and effective.

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

When children harm themselves, staff respond in a prompt and effective way that is sensitive to children’s well-being. Staff speak to children about developing strategies and skills for managing their emotions and these are followed through with consistency across the staff team. The strategies are creative and child led, and staff follow these consistently. Staff ensure that children have access to support from external services. This has led to a reduction in incidents.

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

Staff are extremely proactive in talking to children about risks to support and educate them on how to keep themselves safe. Conversations are purposeful and well planned, and staff use external resources to build on children’s knowledge about risks.

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

Staff use their own initiative and personal time to explore relevant research and theories to better understand children’s needs. Staff then share what they learn with the team to develop practice. There is a culture of responsibility and accountability for children across the whole staff team, which ensures that children feel genuinely supported and cared for.

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

Children are well supported in preparation for independence. Staff complete independence work with children that is creative and adaptable. Children are given skills and knowledge to support them to flourish when they live independently. Children say that they will feel ready and prepared to take those next steps.

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place to ensure that only safe people are employed to care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is dedicated and passionate about providing excellent care for children. He drives a positive culture in the home and uses research-based practice to support staff to meet children’s needs to a high standard. Leaders and managers are aspirational for children and ensure that children remain at the forefront of their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision that is delivered consistently to a high standard. Team meetings take place regularly. These provide time for staff to reflect on children’s progress and share research-based strategies about how to meet children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager’s oversight of children’s progress and staff practice is strong. There are effective monitoring systems in place to ensure that the home operates smoothly. Leaders and managers know the service well and consistently strive to improve the quality of care for the benefit of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567272 5 Staff have annual appraisals that are reflective and of good quality. However, they do not always include the views of children or feedback from external professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s documents are not always received in a timely manner from external agencies, and the manager has not escalated this in line with their own escalation policy. This does not impact on the quality of care provided to children, and the manager took swift action to address this during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There were no requirements made during this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567272 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they challenge (under regulation 5(c)) any placing authority when a child’s care plan and other relevant documents are not received when updated, in line with the home’s escalation policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.5)  The registered person should ensure that all staff appraisals take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member. The appraisals should also include the children’s views where practical. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2567272 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Omega Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 40-42 Kemble Street, Prescot L34 5SQ

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Inspector

Danielle Allen, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2567272 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 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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