Children's home run by Crossway Services Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC064573 1 SC064573 Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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 with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2016. She also manages another one-bedded home for the company.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC064573 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/01/2019 Full Good 22/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/06/2017 Full Good 22/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC064573 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

These Regulations do not prevent a child from being deprived of liberty where that deprivation is authorised in accordance with a court order. (Regulation 20 (3))

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, a young person’s liberty should not be deprived without the authorisation of a court order. 06/12/2019

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Specifically, this is in relation to enhancing the staff team’s knowledge and understanding on e-safety, harmful sexual behaviour and deprivation of liberty.

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that all young people’s case records must be kept up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Specifically, this is in relation to updating the home’s records to reflect changes in the young person’s plans and progress; and obtaining all relevant documentation, such as a pathway plan and personal education plan, in a timely way.

p.3

Recommendations

 Under regulation 46 the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Specifically, this is in relation to obtaining information from all relevant services in the local area. Inspection report children’s home: SC064573 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A child centred manager and staff team provide the young person with a high standard of care. The young person is benefiting from increased stability and consistent support, which has helped him to settle and progress.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consistent routines and the staff’s unwavering support are helping the young person to succeed and achieve in his education. This is reflected in his numerous awards and certificates, which are proudly displayed around the home.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff make sure that the young person’s health and medical needs are successfully promoted. As a result, the young person’s physical and emotional well-being has improved from his starting point.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person benefits from participating in a wide range of fun activities and hobbies, for example holidays in Wales and the company’s fun days. The young person was presented with an award at the company’s recent achievements ceremony, for ‘being brilliant’. This demonstrates that the manager and staff value him and celebrate his progress and achievements.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled at developing trusting relationships with young people. This is reflected in the young person’s comments: ‘I like living here because of staff’s hospitality and my relationships [with staff]. They have helped me with my confidence.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have detailed knowledge and understanding of the young person’s needs, interests, vulnerabilities and progress. However, the young person’s placement plan and risk assessments are not routinely updated to reflect all changes, despite this being raised as a shortfall in the last inspection. Additionally, some important care planning documents have not been obtained from the local authority, specifically the young person’s pathway plan and personal education plan.

p.4

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

The staff team has worked tirelessly to keep the young person and others safe. They have nurtured positive relationships with the young person that are built on mutual respect and trust.

p.4

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

The young person’s welfare and safety have significantly improved since he moved into this home. He feels well cared for and valued by the manager and staff team, accepting their guidance and support, which helps him to make safer choices.

p.4

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

Staff follow detailed behaviour management plans that focus on warm, trusting relationships, constant praise and rewards, all of which are enhancing the young person’s confidence and self-esteem. Inspection report children’s home: SC064573 5 To the staff’s and young person’s credit, there have not been any serious safeguarding incidents, such as the young person going missing from home or offending behaviour. However, the staff are alert to potential risk and have suitable safety plans in place should such concerns arise.

p.4

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

The young person is cared for by adults whom he can trust and confide in. He is aware of the home’s complaints procedure and he is confident that the manager and staff would listen to him and act should he raise any issues or concerns. When necessary, the manager seeks support from independent advocacy services to help voice the young person’s views and challenge professionals’ poor practice.

p.5

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

Undoubtedly, helping and protecting young people is the manager’s and staff’s priority. However, safeguarding measures have not always promoted the young person’s rights to the same opportunities as other young people of a similar age, for example being able to go out in the community alone and without staff’s supervision. This is undermining the young person’s potential to develop important independence and social skills, such as meeting up with friends.

p.5

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

The home’s location review continues to lack rigour. The manager has not consulted with all relevant professionals to ensure that her assessment is thorough and well informed. This recommendation has therefore been repeated.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is supported by the deputy manager to lead this home competently.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular professional supervision that provides them with the opportunity to think about their practice and receive management support and direction. Regular team meetings are ensuring that the staff team is updated with changes to the young person’s needs and care arrangements. As a result, the young person is being cared for by a consistent and content team that knows and understands his needs well.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with professionals and parents is strong. All professionals consulted during the inspection spoke extremely highly of the manager and staff. A professional said, ‘Staff have been excellent. He [the young person] has positive relationships with them and they genuinely care for him; he is valued.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager monitors the team’s learning and development. The procedure and documentation used for staff’s annual appraisals are currently under review. The manager intends to simplify this process to ensure that staff have the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to their performance reviews. The value of seeking the views of the young person and stakeholders to inform staff appraisals was discussed with the manager during the inspection.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is suitably qualified and trained. However, additional training on harmful Inspection report children’s home: SC064573 6 sexual behaviour, e-safety and deprivation of liberty would further enhance the manager’s and staff’s knowledge, understanding and expertise in these areas.

p.5

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.

p.6

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: SC064573 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rouse House, Wyther Lane, Leeds LS5 3BT

p.7

Inspector

Marina Tully, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC064573 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8