Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 1 SC440309 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to six children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, five children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/08/2023 Full Inadequate 21/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 3

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improvement to be good

As part of the inspection, the inspectors spoke with the children living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, six children have moved out of the home, and six new children have moved in. Transitions for children leaving the home are well planned and supported. However, staff have struggled to support children in developing positive relationships, and decision-making for children who are unsettled has been delayed. The home has become more settled following one child moving out.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage in learning and attend school. Staff work collaboratively with education professionals to ensure that children have access to appropriate learning opportunities. One child has shown improved school attendance, while another child, who was previously not in education or employment, has started work, which they say they enjoy, and they have ambitions for the future.

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improvement to be good

The home has recently been redecorated, and there are plans in place to make further improvements to the environment. Children are involved in decisions about the home decor. However, not all areas of the home feel welcoming. The heating in two of the children’s bedrooms is broken. Although a request has been made for this to be repaired, no alternative heating has been provided.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to participate in activities and develop hobbies. Children enjoy holidays with staff and experience a range of activities, such as go-karting and going to the gym and theme parks. One child enjoys playing football with a local club, and the staff have taken the child to watch their favourite football team.

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improvement to be good

All staff are trained in de-escalation techniques to manage challenging behaviour. Children receive praise for positive behaviour, and consequences are applied for inappropriate behaviour. However, consequences are not always proportionate or recorded and are not consistently reviewed by the manager.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments and plans do not fully consider all their known risks, and the actions staff should take to reduce these risks are not always clear. Staff do not consistently follow risk assessments when children are missing from home. The manager has begun reviewing risk assessments to ensure that they contain the required information.

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improvement to be good

Children know how to make complaints. Children’s allegations are referred to the appropriate professionals. Investigations into allegations are thorough, and action is Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 4 taken to ensure that children are cared for by adults who are safe and suitable. The outcomes of the investigations are shared and discussed with the children involved.

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improvement to be good

Children have access to the internet, and measures are in place to promote their safety when they access the internet and social media. However, staff do not consistently monitor children’s mobile devices or online gaming activity, and they are not curious about who children are communicating with online.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff have positive relationships with other professionals. Children who struggle to manage their emotions are referred to the appropriate agencies and supported in accessing additional resources. One child now takes their prescribed medication consistently, and incidents of self-harm have reduced.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff educate children about fire safety and have sought support from the fire service, implementing advice to reduce fire risks at the home. Room searches are carried out when necessary to ensure that any items that could pose a risk to children are removed. However, the searches are not always recorded appropriately and lack management oversight.

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

The manager has clear expectations for staff regarding their roles and responsibilities. However, they do not regularly engage in collaborative discussions with staff to ensure that they understand expectations. The manager demonstrates some awareness of the areas for improvement.

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

Staff receive monthly supervision and annual appraisals, providing opportunities to reflect on practice and identify further learning needs. These sessions include discussions on areas for development and focus on the quality of care provided to children.

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

Structured team meetings take place monthly. They provide an opportunity to discuss children’s needs and progress, as well as any issues at home. However, these meetings are not reflective, resulting in missed opportunities to improve the quality of care provided to children.

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

The home has a permanent staff team with a wide range of skills and experiences. Agency staff are used as additional support when there is an assessed need to maintain children’s safety. When permanent staff are absent due to sickness, regular casual staff who are familiar with the children provide cover.

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

The manager has systems in place to monitor staff practice and the quality of care provided and identify areas for improvement. The manager carries out the quality of care reviews every six months and shares them with the regulator as required. However, they have not sought children’s views as part of the review. Additionally, there has been a delay in notifying the regulator about serious incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 5

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 9 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 6 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed and include all current and emerging risks. Missing-from-home risk assessments should have clear actions and include details of known associates.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are educated about appropriate internet use and that systems are in place to monitor children’s social media and internet usage.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that the home is a welcoming, family-oriented environment that is well maintained. The registered person must ensure that all areas of the home, including children’s bedrooms, are adequately heated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— 9 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 7 the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s care plans are regularly reviewed and take account of staff’s skills in meeting their individual needs. This includes reviewing decision-making, taking into account the day-to-day lived experiences of all children and identifying where staff are unable to meet those needs.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 9 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 8 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have the necessary information to consistently meet children’s needs and understand the expectations of their roles.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff are provided with opportunities to learn from incidents. Team meetings should include reflective discussions about improving the quality of care provided.

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

any punishment involving the consumption or deprivation of food or drink;

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Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation;

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Requirement Due date

any measure involving punishing a group of children for the behaviour of an individual child. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(a)(f)(j))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all consequences are recorded in full, including a clear recording of the manager’s oversight. All consequences must be appropriate and proportionate. 9 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

If there is a referral of a person working in the home pursuant to section 35 (Regulated activity providers: duty to refer) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 M1, the registered person must without delay notify—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI; 9 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 9 the placing authority; and

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they notify the regulator of serious incidents at the home without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 9 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 10 After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they consult children and include their views in their review of the quality of care.

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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: SC440309 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lancashire County Council, PO Box 100, Preston PR1 0LD

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Inspectors

Sarah Probert, Social Care Inspector Justina Henry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC440309 12 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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