Children's Home run by Crossway Services Limited in St Helens

Unique reference number SC063498 Inspector Pamela Nuckley Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Crossway Services Limited Registered person address 8 Black Brook Close Heapey Chorley Lancashire PR6 9AJ Responsible individual Pauline Ann Croft Registered manager Peter Byrne Date of last inspection 10/02/2014 2 of 7 Inspection date 14/05/2014

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Previous inspection inadequate progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection the home was ‘not judged’ .

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This inspection

At the last inspection the home received a judgement of inadequate progress and four requirements and four recommendations were set. Three requirements were actioned immediately and the response supplied to Ofsted was found to meet the Children’s Homes Regulations 2001. As a result, young people were fully safeguarded.

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This inspection

The home is not currently providing accommodation to young people. Young people have recently left the home and their files have gone with them. As a consequence, one requirement and three recommendations have been repeated, as they were directly in connection with documents held on a young person’s file. In addition to this, the inspection methodology relies essentially on users’ views about the service. As there are no young people present a proportionate inspection has been completed; the purpose of which is to decide that should an admission be made the service would be able to work to a satisfactory standard.

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This inspection

The manager of this service was registered with Ofsted in March 2007. He has a vast range of experience in caring for young people. He is a qualified social worker and has completed the Level 4 Diploma in management. He also manages two further children’s homes that provide single accommodation. In his absence, a suitably qualified team leader ensures the smooth running of the home.

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This inspection

Two requirements were set to ensure that robust risk assessments were in place in regards to promoting the welfare of young people and young people being missing from the home. These have been met. The risk assessments address all known risks and gives guidance to staff on what action to take in light of these risks. As a result, young people were fully safeguarded and staff were clear of their role and responsibilities. 3 of 7 A requirement was set to ensure that young people were offered a balanced diet. The home liaised with the young people’s parents to find out what foods they were eating at home. However, this was not fully successful as they had eaten a poor diet at home. However, the staff continued to offer a variety of food for young people to try and ensured that they were taking a vitamin supplement. As a consequence, young people were tentatively trying new wholesome foods. A requirement was set to ensure that the young person’s placement plan showed on

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This inspection

a day to day basis, how they would be cared for, and their welfare safeguarded and promoted by the home and any arrangements for contact. This requirement has been repeated as the inspector was unable to view the young person’s placement plan.

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This inspection

A recommendation was set to ensure that the registered person takes action to address any issues of concern that they identify or which is raised with them. This has been met. Recent concerns, in connection to a young person’s emotional health were reported appropriately to the young person’s social worker. Therefore, this information was shared with the new placement and additional supervision and support was put into place for the young person.

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This inspection

Three recommendations were set in regards to having; a personal education plan, access to independent advice and records being clear, up to date and contributing to an understanding of the child’s life. Young people's files were not available at the time of inspection, so the inspector was unable to view these. Therefore, these recommendations remain in place.

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This inspection

All areas of the home are currently being redecorated. This ensures that young people live in a comfortable environment.

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This inspection

The home has a full staff team. They have completed all mandatory training and continue to attend training to support their development. The staff team is currently working in the company's sister homes and are supervised by the home’s manager. The home’s Statement of Purpose shows that the staff team are diverse and have a wide range of qualifications and skills.

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This inspection

The home continues to make sure that health and safety requirements are met. For example, the gas, fire equipment and electrics are well maintained. Regulation 33 reports are completed in timely manner and received by Ofsted as required. The home has a good development plan in place which outlines their strengths and improvements that are needed to continue to develop the home.

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This inspection

A further requirement and a recommendation have been set as a result of this inspection. The manager said he was fully aware of the new changes within the Children’s Homes Regulations 2001. However, he has not supplied Ofsted with a Regulation 34 report within timescales. This does not ensure that Ofsted have a good overview of the home between inspections. In addition to this, there has been one recorded missing from home since the last inspection. The record does not 4 of 7 show the action staff took; there is no evidence that a safe and well-being check or return interview took place and the manager has not signed the record. The manager states that all the information and chronology of events was recorded within the young person’s risk assessment. However, the record within the home does not demonstrate how the home safeguarded the young person. This has the potential to impact on the home and young people in the future.

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This inspection

The home remains fit for registration and is able to accommodate young people in the near future.

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This inspection

A progress judgement has not been made on this occasion as there are no children and young people accommodated at this time. 5 of 7

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Information about this children’s home

This service is managed by an independent company who provide a number of small children's homes. The home provides accommodation for one child with emotional or behavioural difficulties and is staffed in accordance with their assessed needs.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/02/2014 Interim inadequate progress 27/11/2013 Full good 22/01/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 23/07/2012 Full good

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that a placement plan is prepared in consultation with the child's placing authority. In particular in how, on a day to day basis, he will be cared for, and his welfare safeguarded and promoted by the home and any arrangements for contact (Regulation 12 (1b) (a) ( c)) 31/07/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the registered person supplies to Ofsted a report of any review conducted by him for the purposes of paragraph (1). This is specifically in relationship to ensuring that they are sent at least once in every 3 months. (Regulation 34 (1) (a) (2)) 30/06/2014

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Recommendations

6 of 7 To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure staff engage and work with schools, colleges, other organisations and placing authority to support children's education. This is specifically in relation securing personal education plans for all young people (NMS 8.7)  ensure that young people have access to independent advice and support from adults who they can contact directly and in private about any problems or concerns (NMS 1.5)  ensure that records are clear, up to date and contribute to an understanding o the child's life (NMS 22)  ensure that written records kept by the home when a child goes missing deta the actions taken by staff, the circumstances of the child's return, any reasons given by the child for running away from the home. (NMS 5.10) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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