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 provides care 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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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 14 December 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: good

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requires improvement to be 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

22/05/2019 Full Good 11/04/2018 Full Good 22/08/2017 Full Good 16/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 3

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improvement to be good

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Since the last inspection, one child’s placement ended abruptly due to staff being unable to manage an escalation in the child’s challenging behaviours. One child has lived in the home for over two years. In December 2021, two new residents came to live in the home.

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improvement to be good

The staff attempt to ensure that all children attend education, with some children engaging well and achieving positive outcomes. Staff transport children some distance to ensure that they can continue to attend their educational provision to maintain stability. The manager is actively monitoring the long-term effects of routinely travelling long distances to ensure that there is no adverse effects on their concentration in school.

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improvement to be good

A child who has historical links to criminal exploitation and gang-related activities is not in full-time education. The provider should challenge education providers to ensure that children are in full-time education or that alternative education provision is provided to make up the shortfall in hours. The home has not provided alternative arrangements to ensure that one child continues to experience positive education opportunities. This would ensure routine, structure and boundaries to help prevent re-engagement in criminal activity.

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improvement to be good

One child, who has a history of criminal exploitation and gang-related concerns, is not building secure attachments with staff. A large amount of their free time is spent outside of the area. This is having a negative effect on their ability to build positive and meaningful attachments with staff. Independence work to support moving-on plans is also affected. The manager is aware of this and has been taking steps to help the child build positive attachments with staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff are addressing the cultural needs of children and ensuring that appropriate hair and skin products are purchased. This helps to support the positive identity of children from dual-heritage backgrounds. The manager is addressing staff responses to providing care to children who are from different ethnic groups to ensure a collective responsibility amongst the staff team.

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improvement to be good

Children are registered with local primary care services to ensure that their overall health needs are met. Following a health assessment by the registered nurse for children in care, one child requires a clear health plan that addresses healthy eating and exercise to ensure positive weight management. Overall, there is a lack of consistency in implementing the plan to ensure that the child has sufficient daily exercise. In addition, preparation and encouragement to attend local groups and activities would help to build social and emotional skills and help to build self- confidence. Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 4 The home is situated in a semi-rural location with beautiful views of the countryside. The home is decorated to a good standard and provides a homely environment for children to develop and grow. There is evidence of signs of wear and tear in the communal bathroom, and the kitchen worktops show signs of extensive wear.

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improvement to be good

One child informed the inspector that he wishes to change his room so that it expresses his personality as he moves into his early teenage years. Another child has expressed that she would like to change the colour of her bedroom.

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improvement to be good

The concrete pathways at the back of the property, leading to the manager’s office and the games room, are on a gentle slope. These access routes are used by children and staff and are potential slip hazards.

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improvement to be good

Risk management plans and strategies for managing children’s behaviour are not effective for managing challenging behaviours and require improvement. Risk management plans are difficult to follow and would benefit from being streamlined for ease of reference. Managers and staff are aware that some changes are required to the paperwork.

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improvement to be good

A child’s placement ended abruptly after a short duration of approximately six months. Staff were unable to manage a significant escalation of behaviours that resulted in extensive damage to the property, staff cars and assaults on staff. The physical restraint measures to ensure safety for the child, other children, staff and property were not effective. The local police were called on to assist with managing the child’s behaviour. A decision was made that the home could not meet the child’s needs.

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improvement to be good

The assessment of risks as a result of free time in the community requires strengthening for children who have a history of criminal exploitation and gang- related concerns. Plans that identify how risk should be managed are vague and there is a lack of scrutiny by staff. One child’s plan indicates that they should have their welfare checked every two hours by phone, or occasionally a video call, by staff. Staff do not routinely do physical spot checks where the child is known to be. There is no record of evidence to show that appropriate safeguarding welfare checks have been carried out to ensure the child’s safety and welfare in the community.

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improvement to be good

A child with known historical concerns of criminal exploitation was missing from the home for two days. Staff remained in contact with the child and missing-from-care logs were recorded in detail. All relevant professionals and family members were notified. However, the provider failed to submit a notification of a serious incident to Ofsted.

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improvement to be good

Children have the opportunity to speak to the in-house therapist regarding difficult feelings. However, there is a disconnect between the therapeutic overview and Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 5 recommendations that support children’s behaviour management plans. Consequently, staff do not routinely follow recommendations from the therapist. This can result in mixed messages and confusion for children who respond well to clear routines and boundaries.

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improvement to be good

Although children are discouraged from taking cups and plates into their bedrooms, children’s bedrooms are not routinely checked for additional crockery. This is important for those children who have displayed self-injurious behaviours using broken crockery found in their rooms.

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good

Following the full inspection in May 2019, and the subsequent monitoring visit in December 2020, the home has had three managers.

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good

The manager registered in November 2021. She is ambitious and has high expectations of herself and her staff team. The manager is aspiring and child focused and wants the best possible outcomes for the children in her care.

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good

The manager was open and honest with the inspector and reflected on the challenges of her role since taking up the position as registered manager. Instability within the staff team has led to some staff leaving due to changes in the management of the home. A few core staff members have remained. The focus of the manager has been to recruit more staff to the home. The manager has access to the home’s therapist to help her to reflect on practice and develop future visions for the service.

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good

Conflict within the team is actively challenged, and the manager has taken appropriate measures to address issues in staff supervision. Where necessary, the manager has appropriately escalated her concerns to senior managers. The manager is working hard to embed a culture of empowerment and collective teamwork in the staff team. Changes to the staff team mean that these initiatives will take some time to become established.

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good

Staff report a positive working environment and that they have welcomed the new management style. Staff enjoy coming to work. Staff are committed and say they love their work and genuinely care about the children they care for. The inspector observed positive and playful interaction between children and staff.

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good

Supervision is offered to staff. Some records are difficult to read due to handwritten recordings. Supervision discussions lack a reflective overview. Reflection during supervision helps to identify areas of strength and areas that require improvement, with relevance to managing conflict and challenging behaviours with children.

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good

Staff report a clear pathway for career development. Some staff have taken on senior positions and gained professional qualifications through the company. Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 6 Staff are eager to learn and are interested in expanding their knowledge to provide a therapeutic service for the children.

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good

Internal monitoring of the home is carried out by an independent person. The independent person does not routinely see and capture the views of children during the visits. Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 7

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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

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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 effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 14 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 8 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

In particular, to ensure that all staff have the relevant experience to safely care for children (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 14 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; and 14 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 9 that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 14 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that the necessary support is given to children to enable them to continue to access full-time education or training. Support may include additional tutoring and/or educational outings to maintain learning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.13)  The registered person must ensure that the home is maintained to a good standard. Communal areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens, should be free from visible wear and tear. The registered manager must comply with relevant health and safety legislations and ensure that pathways are designed to be slip-resistant. Children’s bedrooms should be decorated to personal taste and colours of their choosing. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s

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Recommendations

policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, they should ensure that supervision records are legible or typed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person must ensure that the independent person captures the views of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: SC476008 11

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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

Kamal Bhamra, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC476008 12 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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