Children's Home run by Continuum Support - Care Services Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has recently joined the home and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 27 and 28 February 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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers 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: 27 February 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved from the home to semi- independent living. These moves were planned and the children were well supported by the staff team. As a result, they experienced positive transitions. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in all aspects of their lives. Staff actively support children’s education with a culture that encourages learning. Children’s attendance at school is good. The manager has challenged one child’s school provision to ensure that he is treated fairly and receives the support that he needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience child-centred and individualised care. The consistent approach of the staff helps children feel safe, secure, able to express their individuality and to try new things. Staff encourage children to attend activities outside of the home. The child currently living in the home has a full and varied activity plan in place which means that he is kept occupied and has exciting activities to look forward to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living in a well-maintained, comfortable and homely environment. Children’s rooms are personalised, clean and tidy. Staff work exceptionally hard to create an atmosphere that is full of warmth, respect and laughter. As a result, the child has excellent relationships with staff and actively seeks staff out to spend time with them. The current child is cared for on a two-to-one basis, which ensures that staff are always available to him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the challenges of COVID-19 and changes in the staff team, children have received good care from a consistent group of motivated staff. This has helped the current child to settle into the home and another two children to move on successfully.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The independent visitor has not regularly consulted with children or professionals as part of their monthly visit. This affects the quality of their report and ability to evidence the experience of children living at the home. Managers were aware of this shortfall and have taken steps to address this issue.

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

Since living at the home, the child’s emotional well-being has improved. The positive relationships that staff develop with children mean that they feel safe and secure. The home provides a stable, nurturing, long-term base for children.

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

Overall, staff respond to incidents well. Incidents of aggression from children are low. When incidents do happen, children are helped by staff to de-escalate and become calm. Staff show children nurture and care through their responses when children are upset or angry. Staff use key-work sessions to encourage children to Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 4 reflect and learn from incidents. Staff sensitively discuss concerning issues with children and the potential consequences of their actions. This approach helps children to understand their behaviours and make better choices.

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

Risk management plans are in place and updated following any incidents. Staff apply clear routines and boundaries, which help children to understand what is expected of them. The inspector observed that the child was relaxed and confident with the staff team.

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

In this reporting period, there has been one missing-from-home episode. When a child does go missing, staff take appropriate action to safeguard them and follow the correct procedures to bring about their safe return.

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

Since the last inspection in 2020, there have been only three physical interventions. Staff use intervention only when necessary to keep children or others safe. Children and staff are appropriately supported following incidents. However, on occasion, the manager has failed to identify or record how he has addressed practice issues with staff.

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

On the whole, staff take swift and effective action to safeguard children when the need arises. However, on one occasion, the manager has not documented the actions he took when inappropriate images were found on a child’s phone. As a result, it is not possible to verify if appropriate action was taken at the time to safeguard the child.

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

The recruitment of new staff coming to work at the home is carefully considered; however, managers have not verbally verified the reason why one member of staff left a previous post working with children. This has not compromised the safety of children as all other checks have been completed.

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

On inspection, it was observed that staff permit the child to enter the staff office. On one occasion, he was able to remove a mobile phone. This oversight has the potential to place children and staff at risk and enable access to confidential information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new manager joined the home in February 2022 and is in the process of registering with Ofsted. The previous registered manager is now the responsible individual. Managers have a clear understanding of the children’s needs and how staff work to meet these needs. Managers have good systems in place to monitor the home and the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported in their roles by managers. They receive regular supervision, which considers children’s progress as well as staff well-being. Managers provide debriefs for staff after challenging incidents. Regular team meetings provide a forum for staff and managers to discuss and plan for children. Good support for staff helps create a supportive environment better equipped to meet children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 5 Staff receive a good level of training, which is relevant to the needs of the children and helps to increase staff knowledge. Staff have completed the level 3 diploma within the required timescales or are working towards this award. As a result, staff have the relevant skills and knowledge for their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have developed comprehensive plans for children, which focus on their needs. All staff speak of children in a warm and positive manner and are driven to support children to achieve positive outcomes. The caring and motivated approach places children at the centre of what they do.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have failed to ensure that there is an accurate roster in place that records the planned and actual hours worked by staff. As a result, these documents cannot be relied on to identify when staff have been at work. Despite this oversight, children have been cared for by a consistent and dedicated staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 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, 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that, as part of the recruitment of staff, managers verbally verify the reason why staff have left previous posts working with children or vulnerable adults. 31 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the staff rota shows planned and actual hours worked by all staff. This also relates to ensuring that the register of children is accurate. 31 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff document fully what action they have taken to safeguard children, should there be any signs that a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 7  The registered person should ensure that the independent visitor seeks the views of children, professionals and any other relevant person as part of their monthly visit. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should ensure that children are not permitted into the staff office where there is confidential paperwork and other stored items in the office that could present a risk to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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 for children’s home: 2509800 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 9 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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