Children's home run by Crossway Services Limited in Liverpool

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person has settled into his placement and is making good progress across all areas of his life. Initially, there was issues around him engaging with female staff but due the persistence of the staff team, good consultation sessions, and the structures in place he has now built up good relationships with all of the staff team. This means that he is now talking more in depth with staff and has been able to share any worries or concerns he may have. Therefore, staff know him better and realise that he needs additional help around his emotional health. The outcome of this is that the home have been able to source an independent therapeutic service to help him. He regularly engages in these sessions and the staff have seen an improvement in his social skills. In addition to this, the therapist has attended a meeting to share information, strategies and planned work with the staff. This ensures that staff work consistently and are able to support the young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

person well. The young person has made a significant improvement in his attitude, attendance, and behaviour in school. This is because the home have worked closely with his school and are very clear about their expectations of him. They have put in place an incentive chart and natural consequences for positive and negative behaviour. This was done in consultation with him and the school. In line with this, the school complete a daily report, which tells staff how he has been that day. The agreed responses are then given. For example, a score of three earns additional money and a score of one means that he loses his console that evening. This system appears to have had an excellent effect because he has had 100% attendance, no major behavioural incidents and since its implementation he is engaging well with teachers. The young person has supervised contact with his siblings. These visits go well because the home closely liaises with his siblings carers and staff have received

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

training to ensure they can supervise contact safely. There are now good risks assessments in place to ensure that staff can take the appropriate action if an identified unsuitable adult were to make contact with the home or young person. This ensures that young people are able to maintain relationships and are fully safeguarded. Part of the young person’s progress has been the staff’s ability to engage him in activities and including his friends in these. He is a keen fisherman and he often goes fishing with staff and he also went to an angling show. He is currently looking at a camping holiday for the summer based around fishing. Staff include his friends in outings to play darts, pool or laser quest. When the young person is out with his friends, staff ensure they contact him regularly on his mobile and also complete unannounced spot checks to ensure he is safe. These safeguarding checks have been agreed with him, staff, and his social worker. This means all parties

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

understand their roles and responsibilities in this area. There has been no incidents that have required young people to be held. Staff are fully trained in this area to ensure if an incident did occur that they would be able to do this safely. Good incentive schemes and rewards for continuing good behaviour have shown a marked improvement in the young person’s general behaviour. As a result, they have not received any formal sanctions. Young people have not been reported missing from this home and no safeguarding concerns have arisen. However, staff understand the local missing from home protocol, their roles, and responsibilities in reporting and sharing concerns to the appropriate safeguarding professionals and receive regular training in these areas. There is a stable staff team in place who receive regular supervision and support. They have monthly staff meetings to discuss the young person’s progress, to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

reflect on behaviour management strategies, developments within the home and to discuss policies and procedures. In addition to this, the manager looks for further information that may be useful in caring for young people. For example, he has recently come across information on Pervitin which is a methamphetamine hydrochloride drug associated with human trafficking and child sexual exploitation. He has been able to share with staff the associated street names, signs of having taking it, symptoms, its effect, and how long it stays in the body. This ensures that staff are fully updated on current issues within society and have a good understanding of the potential risks this drug poses. At the last inspection, the home was asked to ensure that the registered person actively sought independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of the information from independent monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. This

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

was specifically in relation to the independent visitor providing a clear evaluation of the service, the home, and records. As a result, these reports have improved because the visitor is now consulting with the young person and identified professionals involved in his care. He has also identified some improvements that can be made in the homes records such as having a more detailed account of why a reward was given. However, the manager said, ‘although they have improved I still feel they could be better and we have had some issues were he has not picked up on other things that I have identified within my quality assurance systems. Therefore, we are approaching other agencies to complete these.’ This shows that the manager is actively seeking independent scrutiny of the home to improve and develop the service.

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home can accommodate one young person with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/02/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

20/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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