Children's home run by Care Afloat Ltd in West Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC006010 1 SC006010 Registered provider: Care Afloat Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at 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 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: 26 February 2025

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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: SC006010 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2025 Full Good 23/08/2023 Full Good 11/05/2022 Full Good 06/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC006010 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As part of the inspection, the inspector spoke with the child living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a stable team of staff who provide a consistent approach to the care needs of the child. Staff have warm, caring relationships with the child. They take their time to help the child understand their emotions and experiences through informal discussions, play and humour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff regularly encourage the child to participate in a wide range of activities at the home and in the community, including board games and football. The child was excited to share his passion for football, which he plays once a week with other children in the community. He has enjoyed a trip to his favourite football club and participated in litter picking in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has regular contact with his family. Staff remain in communication with family members who live out of the area. They support the child in having face-to-face and telephone contact. Parents have provided positive feedback about family time and communication with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move out of the home, staff prepare them emotionally and practically for their move. They explore the child’s feelings about moving and expectations of their new environment and provide practical support, such as budgeting and shopping.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff take a proactive approach to understand and meet the child’s health needs. The child is registered with a GP, dentist and optician. Staff engage with specialist health services to further promote and meet the child’s health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child’s education. They encourage the child to engage in home tuition with an independent teaching provider when the child is not in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a warm and welcoming environment. It is well decorated with soft furnishings, and the child’s bedroom is tailored to their preferences, with artwork and family photos on the walls. The manager has a plan to paint and refresh areas of the home and repair small holes at the top of the landing.

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

When a child is missing from the home, staff contact the police and professionals known to the child. They contact the child by telephone. However, staff do not make attempts to locate the child. This does not help the child to quickly return to the home.

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

Staff are creative in their approach to any incidents that occur. They use various strategies, such as distraction, humour and a sensory approach, to manage behaviours. Inspection report for children’s home: SC006010 4 This helps the child manage their emotions with consideration to their age, development, and care needs.

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

Staff use physical intervention as a last resort to keep the child and others safe. When used, physical intervention is fair and proportionate. Staff maintain clear records following every incident of physical intervention. However, managers and leaders do not consistently offer staff the opportunity to debrief following any incidents of physical intervention.

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

Staff implement clear and consistent boundaries for the child. They use rewards and financial incentive star charts to help the child understand positive behaviours. Staff fairly apply consequences and have effective recording systems, which the manager regularly reviews.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably experienced manager. She knows the child and staff well and has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training, and they have access to a wide variety of specialist training specific to the child’s needs. The training offer supports staff development and helps to meet the needs of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff regularly attend team meetings, where they engage in discussions on various topics relating to the child. Team meetings are an opportunity for staff to openly express their views and ideas about what has worked well. Guest speakers occasionally attend team meetings to support staff in understanding topics relating to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions and appraisals, which are practice focused and driven by the child’s plans. Induction activities are not always effective. New members of staff do not receive timely supervision, in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Supervision records for new members of staff lack an understanding of progress in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and experienced staff members understand how to manage allegations and are aware of the role of the local authority designated officer (LADO). However, one new staff member was not familiar with the LADO’s role or the actions to take in response to an allegation. This was raised as a recommendation at the last inspection and has been restated. Inspection report for children’s home: SC006010 5

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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

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 27 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation; and

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of this regulation, “the appropriate person” is the registered person, an officer of HMCI, an officer of the local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b)) 27 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC006010 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any new members of staff are aware of the role of the LADO. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)  The registered person should specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission, as well as how staff should support the child on their return to the home. Specifically, the registered person should ensure that staff are actively attempting to locate the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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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: SC006010 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Afloat Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 158 to 160 Birkrig, Digmoor Parade, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 9HP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michael Fletcher

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Inspector

Vicky Byron, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC006010 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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