Children's Home run by Crossway Services Limited in St Helens

Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 1 SC386810 Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home. It provides care for one child. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2008. She is also registered to manage another home in the organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 25 September 2020) to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 3

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improvement to be good

One child lives at the home. She has lived at the home for nearly two years and has developed a sense of belonging. She said that she feels safe at the home. She has good relationships with staff and the registered manager. The child said, ‘I trust the registered manager completely.’

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improvement to be good

The child’s interests and talents are nurtured. She has weekly singing lessons, and she told the inspector that since living at the home her overall confidence has improved. The child and staff have fun together, enjoying holidays at a caravan park and creating dance routines. Videos of these routines show warmth and affection between staff and the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff seek to understand the reasons behind the child’s behaviour and respond in a way that supports the child to manage her feelings safely. However, the child’s behaviour management plan has not been reviewed, despite recent incidents, meaning it is not clear if the strategies identified continue to be effective.

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improvement to be good

There is no evidence of transition planning by the placing authority to identify her next placement, despite the child working towards a move from the home to a semi- independent provision in the near future. As a result, the child and staff caring for her, do not have the information they need to plan effectively for a positive transition from the home. Although the home is supporting the child to access an advocate, the lack of planning by the local authority has not been escalated appropriately by the registered manager.

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improvement to be good

There have been some staffing difficulties which have led to the child being cared for by people she is unfamiliar with. This does not ensure that there is consistency of care for the child.

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improvement to be good

There has been a lack of challenge when education providers have ended placements previously. A college placement was identified in the child’s home area. However, she was unable to begin this course as the transition plan to move on from the home had not been progressed. The child has not enrolled at a college in the local area due to the plan for her to return to her placing authority. This means the child has been unable to begin any college course at the same time as her peers. Although the registered manager has liaised with involved professionals, this has not been effective as there is still no clear plan in place regarding the child’s education.

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improvement to be good

Staff practice has supported the reduction of known risks. . However, this is not always underpinned by effective risk management plans. Plans lack clear and Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 4 concise strategies for staff to follow. Currently, risk management plans do not indicate when additional staff should be utilised so that a room search can be undertaken to ensure the child is safe. Furthermore, the frequency with which staff should monitor the child, should they have concerns for her welfare, is not identified in risk management plans. Therefore, the plans do not reflect all that the staff should be doing to keep the child safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff take appropriate action when the child goes missing from the home. Incidents of the child leaving the home without permission have reduced during her time at the home. However, records do not consistently show where independent return home interviews have been offered and undertaken by the child’s placing authority.

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improvement to be good

There are pictures of the child throughout the home, and she has chosen the decor of her bedroom. However, during the visit, the inspector pointed out that the child’s bed was broken. There was no evidence that the registered manager or staff had taken any action to replace the bed before this. The registered manager did address this matter during the inspection. This lack of oversight detracts from the homely environment that the registered manager is seeking to provide for children.

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improvement to be good

Although an independent fire risk assessment had been carried out, this did not consider that the front and back doors of the home are locked at night with a key. This prevents children being able to leave the home, in the event of a fire, without staff, who have access to a key. Although some remedial work identified on the fire risk assessment had been carried out, not all identified actions had been addressed at the time of the inspection.

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good

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. She is also registered to manage another home within the organisation. The organisational structure has recently changed so that the home’s deputy manager now works shifts, caring for the child. This has limited their capacity to complete the managerial tasks.

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good

An allegation, made by a child against a member of staff, was escalated appropriately by the registered manager. Information was shared with the placing authority and the local authority designated officer. However, the responsible individual had not shared the outcome of their investigation with the registered manager at the time of the inspection. Furthermore, the leadership team did not have a record of the response from the designated officer. Delays in completing the investigation have had a negative impact on the staffing arrangements within the home, resulting in the child being cared for by an inconsistent staff team.

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good

Staff spoken to describe a supportive environment. They regularly contact the registered manager for support and guidance. However, formal supervision has not always taken place in accordance with the organisation’s policy. Furthermore, records do not demonstrate the impact of any learning undertaken or agreed Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 5 actions. This hinders the registered manager in continually evaluating staff practice to improve children’s care.

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good

The child’s progress is discussed at team meetings, and the child has participated in one team meeting. However, these have not taken place regularly due to the staffing issues within the home. Staff have access to a range of online training. However, records do not demonstrate the impact the training has on their practice, as this is not discussed as part of individual staff supervisions. The registered manager told the inspector that ‘therapeutic parenting’ training is planned for the staff team in the coming weeks. The aim of this training is to support staff to develop a consistent approach in caring for the child.

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good

Shortfalls were identified in management monitoring and oversight. Currently, monitoring systems do not support the registered manager to evaluate the care the child is receiving or evidence the impact that living in the home has had on the child’s progress.

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good

Necessary damp proof work has been undertaken, meaning there is exposed plastering downstairs. The registered manager was unsure when the room would be decorated. Systems for ensuring that the physical environment is well-maintained are not robust. Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 6

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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, The 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that any concerns regarding the child’s placing authority are escalated in a timely manner. 21 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ix)) 21 October 2021

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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 staff— 21 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 7 assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to risk assessments being clear regarding arrangements for room searches and the frequency of monitoring the child and ensuring that thumbturn locks are fitted to external doors.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are effective monitoring and recording systems in place and a consistent staff team to care for the child. 21 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, following investigations into allegations made against staff, the home’s record of the notifiable event includes a description of the action taken and the outcome of any resulting investigation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.14)  The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that supervision records provide a detailed account of discussions, including reflections on practice and training, and clearly identify any actions required. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC386810 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC386810 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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