Children's home run by Crossway Services Limited in Liverpool

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC064573 1 SC064573 Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home can accommodate one young person who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness. The home continues to be led and managed by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. She ensures that the young person living in the home has positive experiences and that his needs are fully met. This results in him making good progress in all areas of his life. There has been an improvement in the quality of the records at the home, in that they are now signed and dated by the author. For example, updated plans and assessments now include the date that they were updated and the name and signature of the author. This demonstrates that suitable action has been taken to address the recommendation made at the last inspection. However, there continue to be shortfalls in the frequency of staff supervision sessions. Therefore, this requirement has been repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Educational progress for the young person is good. The manager and staff support him well with his education. The young person has good routines that enable him to attend Interim inspection report children’s home: SC064573 2 school regularly. His attendance is not far short of 100%, which is a significant improvement to what it was before he moved into the home. Discussions have taken place with the young person’s school to plan a suitable timetable for him that includes a woodwork placement and increased physical education, which are particular subjects that he enjoys and excels at. Daily communication between staff from the home and the school results in low level behaviours in school being tackled immediately. Consequently, the young person is making progress in education and his behaviour is managed well. Staff work closely with the young person in guiding and supporting him to learn to look after his health, make good lifestyle choices and to understand the importance of good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

diet and exercise. For example, he is supported and encouraged to attend routine health appointments and seek appropriate medical advice when necessary. The young person does not always have a varied and balanced diet and often wants to miss mealtimes. However, the staff always prepare healthy meals for him and advise him about his diet. Furthermore, he is encouraged to engage in various forms of physical activity, such as being part of a local football team. Consequently, the young person’s diet and exercise are improving and he has a greater understanding of the importance of these improvements for his health and development. The manager and staff have developed strong relationships with the young person and know him extremely well. A member of staff said, ‘It is really important for us to know the young person well.’ The staff spend quality time with the young person and do lots of activities with him in and out of the home. Consequently, the young person does not

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

spend time alone in his bedroom other than to sleep and he enjoys the time that he spends with staff. The young person talks regularly to staff who listen to him and they offer him good advice, guidance and support. Safeguarding practice in the home continues to be effective. There have been no safeguarding concerns since the last inspection. Risk assessments continue to be updated monthly and demonstrate a reduction in the levels of risk. The young person has successfully completed risk reduction work with the youth offending service, which has contributed to the reduction in risk. Furthermore, the manager, staff and the young person’s parents have also been involved in this work. Consequently, all significant people in the young person’s life have a clear understanding of the strategies in place that contribute to the reduction in risk. Consequently, the young person is now allowed to have a mobile phone and to have access to the internet with appropriate safeguards

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

being in place. Partnership working supports the manager and staff to make sure that the needs of the young person are met. The manager and staff work collaboratively with professionals in the host and placing local authorities to ensure that appropriate support and interventions are in place for the young person specific to his individual needs. This includes social workers, the youth offending service and education and health professionals. Consequently, the effective partnership working meets the needs of the young person and contributes to improved outcomes for him. Although the staff team members feel supported by the manager, they do not always receive regular supervision in line with the company’s supervision policy. For example, supervision records for one member of staff indicate that she did not receive supervision for over three months. This does not demonstrate that the staff receive regular

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC064573 3 supervision to enable them to reflect on their practice and meet the needs of the young person in their care. Furthermore, mandatory first aid training is out of date for the manager and a member of staff. Consequently, on some occasions, staff are not provided with the competencies to effectively fulfil their roles. The monitoring and review systems support the manager to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home, themes and trends and any shortfalls in practice. She takes prompt and appropriate action to deal with any shortfalls and to implement measures to improve on areas of weaknesses. For example, the independent monthly monitoring identified a shortfall in the staff recording consultations that take place with the young person. The manager has spoken to the staff about this in team meetings and individual supervision sessions. Consequently, arrangements are now in place for the staff to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

improve on recording consultations that they have with the young person. Furthermore, the monitoring systems enable the manager to regularly review the quality of care and experiences of the young person and to monitor the safeguarding practice. Consequently, the manager is able to identify the impact that the quality of care and safeguarding practice is having on promoting the welfare of the young person and outcomes for him. The manager recognises that the monitoring and review systems in place help her to improve the standards and quality of care for the young person.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2017 Full Good 22/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 03/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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, 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

33: Employment of staff The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; 04/05/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC064573 4 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11.)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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

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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC064573 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rouse House, 2 Wyther Lane, Leeds SS5 3BT

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Inspector

Lisa Mulcahy, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC064573 6 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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