Children's Home run by Footsteps a Path to Change Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 1 SC476008 Registered provider: Footsteps A Path To Change Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider. The home’s statement of purpose states that care is provided for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in November 2021.

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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: 22 February 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/05/2019 Full Good 11/04/2018 Full Good 22/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in this home are making positive progress in education. Staff continue to drive one child some distance to ensure that they can attend their education provision. This maintains stability for the child and will support their upcoming move back to live with family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another child recently sat their end of school exams and has been accepted into college. Younger children are regularly attending education and have good levels of engagement at school. Children also regularly engage in fun educational activities in the home. In doing so, children are helped to understand a variety of different cultures and to celebrate events such as the Queen’s Jubilee, St Patrick’s Day and Autism Awareness Day. Children do this through cooking and baking activities, quizzes, parties and educational games. These creative methods widen children’s awareness of individual differences while socialising and having fun with others living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have been helped to access health services. This has had a positive effect on their physical and emotional health. For example, one child has undergone a series of dental treatments to improve their dental health and the appearance of their teeth. As a result, this child’s confidence has significantly improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Sports days and ‘bootcamps’ have helped children take an interest in sport and fitness. The home employed a personal trainer who has helped to make physical activity and health fun and engaging. Children took part in a six-week programme, specifically designed to encourage them to increase activity and learn about health- related topics. This has helped children to understand health and fitness and has improved their overall physical and mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, not all local authority plans were available for children. One child required a pathway plan, and other plans viewed were not up to date. Because of this, it is unclear whether the home is working to meet the aims and objectives outlined by those with responsibility for children.

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

There have been two incidents that were escalated by leaders as allegations and referred to the local authority designated officer. However, comments made by children were not deemed as allegations of abuse by professionals and no further action was required. It is positive that leaders and managers inform the necessary professionals when there may be cause for concern. This demonstrates transparency and ensures children’s safety.

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

At the previous inspection, there were concerns in respect of the monitoring of one child. This has now improved and staff are completing regular safety checks. This Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 4 child now has positive relationships outside of the home. Staff build open lines of communication with those people who are important to children, to ensure that they can maintain regular contact with children and are aware of their whereabouts. As a result, there have been no incidents of the child going missing from home and the child is adhering to the rules and boundaries in place.

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

Staff know children well. They can identify triggers and indicators which suggest children may display challenging behaviours. Because of this, staff make use of preventative strategies to reduce incidents in the home. Shortfalls were identified in behaviour management strategies in respect of children’s access to communal areas in the home. Staff were found to have locked doors to prevent access to areas of the home at times when children were in crisis. These restrictions were not proportionate in relation to the risks posed and unnecessarily restrict children in the home.

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

Children’s risks have significantly reduced. There have been few incidents in the home since the previous visit. Children are helped to learn about risks through direct-work sessions and online training. Staff have also delivered presentations to children in relation to risk, such as child sexual exploitation. This gives children a wider understanding of potential risks and consequences and serves to prevent harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was registered in November 2021. At the time of the inspection, the manager was not available due to being on leave. Senior managers and the home’s deputy manager supported this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children know how to make a complaint and have used these procedures. It has only been necessary for children to use these procedures on one occasion. When they have, issues have been resolved fairly and children have been happy with the response provided and action taken. This demonstrates that children are listened to and their views and feelings are considered and acted upon.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have taken action to address the shortfalls identified at the previous inspection. In respect of children’s key documentation, leaders and managers have failed to escalate and challenge professionals effectively when the required documents have not been received within appropriate timescales. A requirement has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The team in place to support children is consistent. There is no need to use agency staff and those working in the home are well known to children. This has helped to provide children with good continuity and consistency of care. As a result, children have close and positive relationships with staff. Furthermore, the morale of the team has improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and are provided with the necessary training to support children. They feel well supported and are confident in leaders and Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 5 managers. As a result, staff understand children and are well equipped to meet their needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 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

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)) 5 August 2022

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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;

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure the home has the necessary local authority plans for children. Plans should be current and reflective of the child’s needs. 5 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and 5 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 7 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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Recommendation

 The registered person should seek to meet children’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met. In particular, ensure that fridges and cupboards are well stocked at all times, providing children with a larger variety of appropriate snacks in line with healthy eating advice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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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: SC476008 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Footsteps A Path To Change Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Landmark House, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme SK8 7BS

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Charlotte Davies

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Inspector

Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC476008 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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