Children's home run by Supporting Futures Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC381667 1 SC381667 Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states in its statement of purpose that this home provides care for four children who may suffer from behavioural, emotional, social, and learning difficulties.

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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 12 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

Date of last inspection: 12 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: SC381667 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2020 Full Good 06/06/2018 Full Good 05/10/2017 Full Good 30/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC381667 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are very settled and they are making progress. One child told the inspector, ‘Moving here has changed my life and the opportunities for my future.’ Staff work hard to treat each child as an individual and set clear goals for them that are regularly reviewed with the child. As a result, children gain life skills and have built positive relationships with people they trust.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three out of four children are making progress with their education. Staff have been creative in trying to explore a range of potential options for one child, but he has not engaged with this. However, staff have not made structured plans for each day, to ensure that there is a consistent approach and a clear aim to help him achieve each day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to explore their own identity. When necessary, staff have requested additional support from specialist teams to ensure that staff are consistent in their support. As a result, staff have been very considerate in their approach and planning. One parent wrote, ‘They have helped my child develop into the person they’re meant to be. They listen to my child’s needs and meet them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to build their support networks. Staff work closely with immediate and extended family members, who feel included in the children’s lives. As a result, children see family members more and are more likely to have a support network in place when they move on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager also creates a culture in the home where children are encouraged to be an active part of their local community. For example, children gave some of their pocket money to contribute to a local charity. Staff support children at the child’s pace in order to build their confidence in being more independent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been renovated and decorated since the last inspection. Friends are allowed to visit and children feel comfortable with this. Children are proud to show their bedroom to their friends. However, locks on internal doors make the home feel more institutional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff plan carefully prior to children moving in. As a result, children live together for lengthy periods of time, providing them with stability. The manager has shared information to ensure that a suitable level of care and/or support is in place for children when they move out. However, children’s plans include information that is not written in a sensitive way, and so they are not accessible to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC381667 4

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

Children feel safe. Staff work with each child to reflect on times and events that they have struggled with, and to identify new coping strategies. Positive behaviour is recognised and reinforced using personal incentive plans. As a result, children are more able to self-regulate, and the need for physical intervention and sanctions has hugely reduced.

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

Physical intervention is used as a last resort. Clear records are kept detailing any incidents that occur. Time is taken to reflect with children after any incident in order to find ways to reduce reoccurrence. The manager has oversight of the records in the home, but does not always review the actions the staff have taken with the aim of identifying improvements in practice.

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

Children are able to spend time with friends in the community. Staff review the potential risks and put steps in place to reduce them, without being over restrictive, and based on each child’s needs and age. If children do not return at the agreed time or there are concerns, staff follow the risk management plans. Plans are regularly updated and reviewed. Children have the opportunity to speak to someone independent when they have returned home.

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

Staff follow safeguarding procedures when an allegation is made. The manager has also professionally challenged other agencies when the response to allegations has not been appropriate. No complaints have been made about the care provided at the home. On the contrary, parents and professionals have often taken time to give positive feedback.

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

Staff communicate well together to ensure consistency of care. Staff also work closely with other agencies to support children’s mental health needs, learning needs and safety needs. Throughout COVID-19, there have been times that staff shortages have been covered by agency staff. One agency staff member told the inspector, ‘I love working here. I am given all the information I need, and [I am] made to feel like one of the team.’

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

Staff understand the signs and indicators of child exploitation. Information is shared in multi-agency meetings to review the risk level as a group, using local and shared soft intelligence for example, mapping names and places to build understanding of the risks. Staff also understand the increased risk of exploitation when children are not in education, employment or training. The manager has also followed procedure when needed to raise concerns regarding criminal activity, and has supported children to complete sessions with the youth offending service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and qualified. He has been registered with Ofsted since 2015. A new deputy manager has joined the team, replacing a deputy who moved on to manage another children’s home. Staff feel supported by the management Inspection report for children’s home: SC381667 5 team. Staff meet managers regularly for supervision. One staff member said, ‘I look forward to my supervisions. It is a great chance to explore our feelings.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are given specific roles and responsibilities, and are supported to complete them successfully. Careful planning when changing children’s key workers means that staff are aware of the expectations of the role. All staff are either qualified or currently completing the relevant qualification. Staff also complete a range of training to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to meet each child’s individual needs. Any training needs are assessed prior to children moving in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views are central to the decisions made. The manager promotes a culture and ethos where staff act as a good parent would. One social worker wrote, ‘Hard work has been put in by [name of manager] and the staff team in building and maintaining a positive relationship, providing consistent boundaries and including this young person in all decisions.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has reviewed the quality of care but has focused on collating data rather than evaluating what it means. As a result, the report written lacks evaluation. This is a missed opportunity for reflection and learning. The home is also visited on a monthly basis by an independent person. A report is produced evaluating the strengths and weaknesses. The manager is open to feedback and uses the report to make improvements to the care provided for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is keen to build networks in the local area to seek and share good practice. He also works closely with the responsible individual. Staff then encourage children to access the learning opportunities available. This has included crime prevention programmes, support with mental health and services for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Inspection report for children’s home: SC381667 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

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that the registered person makes sure that internal locks on the doors of communal areas are removed. 30 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that young people who are not in education or training should be engaged in suitable structured activities relevant to their individual needs and interests. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that evaluation is undertaken for all incidents to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)  The registered person should ensure that the review of the quality of care is an evaluative process that is used as a tool to make continuous improvement in the Inspection report for children’s home: SC381667 7 home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that plans are written in a sensitive way that is accessible to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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: SC381667 8

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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 Accounting Co Ltd, 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC381667 9 regulates and inspects 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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