Children's home run by Supporting Futures Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 1 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

This is a privately owned children’s home. It was registered in January 2022 to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in January 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Children were spoken to as part of this inspection.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is a newly registered children’s home which opened in January 2022. Since then, three children have lived at the home. At the time of the inspection, two children, who are siblings, had recently moved into the home. Staff are building relationships with the children and the inspector observed this throughout the inspection. Children were comfortable with staff. One child told the inspector that he likes the staff team and that he can choose his key worker.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s education. They take the children to and from school. Therefore, children’s punctuality at school has improved since they moved into the home. This is important for one child because late attendance at school can have a negative impact on his behaviour in school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the health and well-being of the children living in the home. The registered manager quickly identified that the children may need specialist support. She has made referrals for assessments from a variety of professionals. This ensures that children’s physical and emotional health needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff talk to children about a variety of things, including healthy eating and safe relationships with others. Staff ask children what they like to eat and what activities they like to do. Children chose a gift when they moved into the home. This helps children settle into living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff have a good relationship with the children’s mother. The children’s mother was positive about staff and described the staff team as supporting her relationship with her children. This helps children maintain a relationship with their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child had an unplanned move out of the home. Leaders and managers subsequently reflected on this. As a result of this learning, leaders and managers have improved their planning and assessment processes.

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities. Staff are consistent in managing situations when children are in crisis. Therefore, staff provide children with consistent guidance and boundaries. This is helping children settle into living at the home.

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

Children’s risk assessments include children’s vulnerabilities. The risk assessments include strategies for staff to follow to reduce risk. However, risk assessments have not been fully updated to include new risks. This is particularly in relation to new strategies to keep children safe from the busy road outside the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 3 Children are supported to understand the actions that staff take to protect them. Staff talk to children about the risks. They help children understand how to keep safe and prevent them from harming each other. One child told the inspector that staff help him and his brother to stop fighting. As a result, children feel safe.

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

There have been incidents of physical intervention. Records demonstrate that staff intervene to keep children and staff safe. Incidents are managed in line with regulation.

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

Leaders and managers have safe recruitment processes in place. This prevents unsuitable people from working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home opened in January 2022. The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. Staff spoken to are positive about the manager and describe a supportive environment. Staff spoken to describe the manager as readily available to provide advice and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This is a newly formed staff team. The manager is aware that there are some gaps in staff training. The manager needs to ensure that all staff have had the relevant training as identified in the home’s statement of purpose. Furthermore, some shifts are covered by agency staff. The registered manager is aware of the impact of inconsistent staff on children being able to form relationships. The provider is recruiting new staff to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff meetings are informative and there is an appropriate agenda. Records demonstrate that staff talk about children and any incidents that have occurred. This demonstrates reflective practice. Staff spoken to say that team meetings are helpful and support them in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager makes effective use of external monitoring reports. Staff discuss any actions from the reports in team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager escalates concerns with other agencies when she has any concerns in relation to children’s care. She is proactive about children’s education and health needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work proactively and positively with other agencies. School staff say that staff share relevant information about children. This means that communication is effective to ensure that children receive effective all-round care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 4

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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 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 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

This is particularly in relation to ensuring that children have clear strategies in their risk assessments for staff to follow in practice. 26 September

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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)(a)(c)(e)) 26 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 5 In particular, the registered manager must ensure that all staff have had the relevant training as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. The registered manager should ensure that children receive care from a consistent staff team.

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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: 2658895 6

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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 Mary’s Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 7 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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