Children's Home run by Considerate Care Limited in Liverpool

Assurance visit report: SC059261 1 SC059261

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care and accommodation for up to four children with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, or who may have learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 22 October 2019

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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:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. 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: SC059261 2

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The care of children

Young people benefit from living in a homely environment. It is a family home, which the young people are able to personalise with their own belongings. This helps them to feel happy and settled.

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The care of children

Young people receive good-quality individualised care and support, which enables them to make steady and sustained progress across all areas of their development. Young people successfully engaged with their educational studies throughout the lockdown period, using a variety of online tools to aid their learning.

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The care of children

Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure that the young people continue to receive the emotional health support that they need during the pandemic. This includes regular calls from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the young people’s advisory service.

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The care of children

Young people said that they can talk to staff about how they are feeling. This means that they receive the help and support that they need, when they need it, for example going for a walk with staff to reduce their anxieties.

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The care of children

Young people are extremely proud that the lockdown period enabled them to demonstrate that they can be responsible pet owners. They carefully researched what type of pet they would like, their pets’ needs and how to care for them. As a result, they are now the proud owners of fish, hamsters and a small parrot. Staff said that this has significantly improved young people’s confidence, self-esteem as well as their mental health and well-being.

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The care of children

Transitions in and out of the home are generally managed well. A young person spoke enthusiastically about their imminent move into their own home. They said that the staff are advocating well on their behalf to ensure the move is right for them. The young person said that this is because the staff care about them.

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The care of children

Impact risk assessments for young people moving into the home are not always sufficiently detailed. This is because they do not explore all of the potential risks associated with the young person and the potential impact on others.

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The care of children

Young people say that they are enjoying seeing their families and friends again. They say that this has been difficult for them, but that they use social media to keep in touch.

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The care of children

Staff are very proud of the young people’s response to the pandemic, and the young people took a proactive approach to lockdown. Young people took on the role of informing staff about the current restrictions and how this would affect them. Consequently, young people took ownership of the rules in place and abided by them. Assurance visit report: SC059261 3

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The safety of children

Safeguarding practice in the home is good. Young people’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

Following a significant incident in the home, staff are particularly alert to the risks for one young person. The young person’s social worker and other professionals are very complimentary about the steps staff are talking to keep the young person safe. However, the home needs to be mindful that the steps they are taking do not constitute a restriction of the young person’s liberty.

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The safety of children

Staff took swift and effective action following a disclosure by a young person. The young person is being supported well as the investigation takes place.

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The safety of children

There is a clear reduction in the young people’s risk-taking behaviours. One young person has returned home late on a few occasions. This was explored with the young person and additional strategies have been implemented, which has prevented a reoccurrence.

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The safety of children

Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff and managers. Staff ensure consistent rules and boundaries. They actively encourage the young people to make the right choices. As a result, young people are happy and settled at the home.

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Leaders and managers

The home is led and manged by a confident, experienced registered manager. She is committed to improving outcomes for young people and in developing the staff team.

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Leaders and managers

Staff said that they feel very well supported by the manager, especially following the recent incident. This is because they have been able to talk this through with her and explore how they are feeling. Staff are reassured by the action the registered manager and other professionals are taking, such as increased supervision.

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Leaders and managers

However, on the morning of the visit, there were insufficient staff in the home to fully support all of the young people. Immediate action was taken to rectify this, and to prevent a reoccurrence.

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Leaders and managers

Staff receive regular professional supervision and access a range of training opportunities. This includes ligature training, self-harm and safeguarding.

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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 provides a critical analysis of what the home Assurance visit report: SC059261 4 does well and the areas for development.

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d)(e)) 27/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation. as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 27/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC059261 5 In particular, that the home’s impact risk assessment for each young person moving into the home is sufficiently detailed.

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Recommendations

 A deprivation of liberty may occur where a child is under continuous supervision and control and is not free to leave the home. A children’s’ home cannot routinely deprive a child of their liberty without a court order. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.63)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Considerate Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 64 Derby Lane, Liverpool L13 3DN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: William Aspinall

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Inspector

Chris Scully, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC059261 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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Inspector

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