Children's home run by Crossway Services Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC460761 1 SC460761 Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person. The manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2017.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 5 December 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/11/2017 Interim Not judged 06/09/2017 Full Inadequate 28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC460761 2

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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

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

that the premises used for the purpose of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, take action to identify any known risks in the immediate area. Further to this, the registered person must ensure that they consider the location review when completing impact risk assessments on new admissions to the home. 30/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 30/06/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) In particular, include in the plan the agreed timescales for supervision and for updating staff’s disclosure and barring service certificates.  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) In particular, ensure that the independent person’s visits include consultation with the young people in the home.  The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of

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Recommendations

the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the Inspection report children’s home: SC460761 3 impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.2) In particular, ensure that the registered person’s review of the quality of care includes consultation with the young people in the home, their parents and relevant professionals. Further to this, ensure that the review evaluates the information provided and that it sets actions to improve and develop the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, three young people have been admitted to the home. Two of these young people required short-term placements. The staff team worked closely with the individual local authorities, and the young people settled well. As a result, both young people have successfully moved back to their local areas in line with their plans, and they are doing well. They remain in touch with the staff at the home and know that they can call for advice. Another young person has recently come to live at the home. Members of staff visited him before he came, and he said, ‘It was good to meet them [the staff], and they have been showing me around the area.’ The initial referral request lacked information. The lack of information was challenged by the manager so that they were able to secure sufficient information about the young person’s needs to be able to make an informed decision about whether the home could meet their needs. However, the manager did not

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

use the home’s safer area location assessment to inform the placement decision. At this time, this has not had an adverse impact on the young person’s safety, but if not addressed it has the potential to do so. The previously placed young people received education from a tutor as part of their local authority plan. This meant that their education was not disrupted too much and that they were able to return to their identified educational placements when they returned to their home area. The manager is currently working closely with the virtual head for education to find an appropriate placement for the recently accommodated young person. In the meantime, a tutor has been identified to start while an educational placement is sourced. Members of staff have been instrumental in making sure that young people keep in contact with people who are important to them. This has often included travelling long distances and organising visits with several extended family members. Good contact

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

plans show the agreed arrangements. Members of staff register young people with health services quickly, such as the dentist, optician and doctor. This means that in the first couple of weeks young people can be checked for a clean bill of health or any treatment required. Staff provide young people with suitable information about maintaining healthy lifestyles and encourage participation in activities. For example, young people have joined the gym, and the current young person is looking at joining a boxing club. Young people’s views are sought daily, through formal key-work sessions and house meetings. This gives young people the opportunity to be involved in their care and to Inspection report children’s home: SC460761 4 discuss a wide range of issues. Good transition plans show how young people will move on from the home. This includes being involved in the decisions, preparing for the move and visiting the new

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

placement. On occasions, staff from the new placement have visited the home to meet and talk with the young person. These good transition arrangements help young people to achieve successful moves.

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

The current young person said that he was happy and felt safe at this home. There have been no incidents that have required reporting to safeguarding professionals. Members of staff have a good level of understanding about the action that they would take to keep a young person safe. For example, a new member of staff discussed her recent training regarding child sexual exploitation. She said, ‘The training was really good because children do not often tell you what is going on. But I can now look out for signs, such as changes in their appearance, unaccounted-for gifts or general changes in their behaviour.’ Young people do not go missing from this home. Each young person has a specific risk assessment that is in line with agreed protocols. Staff have the necessary skills to identify and respond to signs that young people may be at risk of harm. They use up-to- date and well-written risk assessments and plans that help guide them in keeping young

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

people safe. Further to this, the manager and staff have developed good relationships with a range of safeguarding professionals they can contact for advice, if necessary. All staff receive regular training in holding young people for their own or others’ safety. Part of this training focuses on de-escalating situations. A member of staff said, ‘We find talking with the young person and making compromises works well.’ As a result of this positive approach, young people have not been subject to restraint. In addition, the staff reward all small achievements. For example, staff recognise each important step young people make, such as when they attend their first day in education and then when they achieve a full week’s attendance. Young people receive items such as console games, DVDs and days out by way of reward, which are much appreciated. The staff’s focus on positive measures has led to improved attendance at education and improved behaviour

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

in the home. There are thorough recruitment practices which ensure that members of staff are suitable to work with young people. Staff complete all mandatory training, such as safeguarding training, during their induction period. This helps to equip the staff with the skills to work with young people. Training is regularly refreshed and updated.

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

An experienced and suitably qualified manager manages the home. There is a full staff team that provides good continuity of care. Staff say that they feel well supported by the manager. Staff either hold or are working towards a relevant childcare qualification. They have regular supervision, but have not received an appraisal of their practice. This means that they have not had the opportunity to reflect, or to identify development opportunities for their future. Staff regularly discuss research, practice and social trends during staff Inspection report children’s home: SC460761 5 meetings and they use these opportunities to reflect on how these matters impact on them and the outcomes for young people. The home is meeting all of its aims and objectives as set out in the statement of purpose. A planning meeting and a review of care are diarised at the point of admission so that any queries about the plan for the young person can be discussed and addressed

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

at an early stage. The manager confidently challenges local authorities and other services effectively in order to ensure that she has all the information she requires and that young people receive the services that they need quickly. Further to this, records are kept up to date and are regularly reviewed so that they show the young person’s journey throughout their time at the home. At the last inspection, the manager was asked to include immediate risks in the local community in the home’s safer area location assessment. This is yet to be completed. The home now has a workforce plan. However, it still requires amending because it does not give the agreed timescales for supervision of staff or for when disclosure barring certificates require refreshing. External monitoring is regularly completed. This helps the manager to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home. However, the manager does not take these

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

findings through to her monitoring review and report. The manager’s report lacks evaluation and it does not identify any actions to develop the service. Therefore, there is not a critical reflective view driving the service forward. Also, both monitoring systems could be further improved by including regular consultation with the young person.

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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

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 children’s home: SC460761 6

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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 LS5 3BT

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC460761 7 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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