Children's Home run by Supporting Futures Limited in Liverpool

Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care and accommodation for up to two children who have social and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since February 2020 and became the registered manager in June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:  children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: 2509381 2

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The care of children

The young person benefits from living in a homely environment. It is a small family home which the young person is able to personalise with their own belongings. This helps them to feel happy and settled here.

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The care of children

The young person receives good-quality individualised care and support that enables them to make steady and sustained progress across all areas of their development. Attendance at school is improving, and this is recognised by the young person’s teacher. The teacher said that the home is proactive in supporting the young person’s education and works well with them to overcome any barriers to learning.

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The care of children

The young person’s emotional health and well-being are improving. They are more able to talk to staff about how they are feeling. This means that they receive the help and support that they need, when they need it.

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The care of children

The appointment of a health champion has enabled the staff to think creatively about how to support the young person’s health and dietary needs. As a result, the young person enjoys a healthier diet and has established, effective daily routine.

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The care of children

Staff ensure that the young person keeps in touch with their family. Family contact has continued in various formats during lockdown to ensure that these important relationships are maintained. This included safely organising days out with family and friends who were in the young person’s ‘bubble’. Family members are complimentary about the support that they and their child received during the pandemic.

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The safety of children

Safeguarding practice in the home is largely good. Children’s risk assessments alert staff to their high-risk behaviours and the best strategy for managing these. These documents are regularly updated so that staff are aware of escalating behaviours.

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The safety of children

There is a clear reduction in the young person’s risk-taking behaviours, following their admission to the home. The young person does not go missing from home and said that they felt safe here.

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The safety of children

The young person enjoys positive relationships with staff and managers. Staff ensure consistent rules and boundaries. They encourage the young person to make the right choices. Consequently, the number of incidents in the home has significantly decreased in number and severity.

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The safety of children

One physical intervention has taken place; this was proportionate and in the best interests of the young person. However, the physical intervention record does not demonstrate that the staff involved in the incident were spoken to.

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The safety of children

Staff have received training in safeguarding. The registered manager has sourced online training for the staff. However, not all staff have completed their mandatory Assurance visit report: 2509381 3 training. The home’s workforce development plan does not provide timescales for when training should be completed, the staffing structure, frequency of supervision or the process for managing and improving poor performance.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. He demonstrates a commitment to improving outcomes for the young person and in developing his staff team. The stability of the staff team reflects his success.

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Leaders and managers

Staff are positive about working in the home and feel well supported. They receive regular supervision and report that the manager champions their career progression.

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Leaders and managers

The creation of various ‘champion’ roles has empowered staff to tap into their interests such as health and safety and education. This is proving successful in enhancing the care and support provided to the young person. The staff supported each other well during the pandemic to ensure continuity of care for the young person.

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Leaders and managers

Monitoring of the home by the independent person is sound, and the registered manager feels this is helping to bring about positive change. The registered manager’s monitoring of the home does not yet provide a critical analysis of what the home does well and the areas for development. Also, Ofsted has not received the registered manager’s report for the last monitoring period.

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Leaders and managers

Record-keeping is improving. However, some records are not signed and dated by the author. Staff need to be mindful of the language that they use in reports, such as using the word ‘absconding’ to describe when a young person is missing from the home.

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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

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")— 06/11/2020 Assurance visit report: 2509381 4 has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)) The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)) 06/11/2020

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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) The plan should:

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Recommendations

- detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the homes Statement of Purpose;

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Recommendations

- detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications); Assurance visit report: 2509381 5 - detail the process for managing and improving poor performance;

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Recommendations

- detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home.

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Recommendations

The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  Case records must be kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraphs 14.3 and 14.4)  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring

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Recommendations

(including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair, 300 St Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool, Lancashire L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Chris Scully, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2509381 6 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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