Children's home run by CF Support Services Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2532532 1 Registered provider: CF Support 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 home provides care for up to two children who are unable to live in either mainstream residential care settings or a foster placement.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2532532 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/10/2021 Full Good 11/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2532532 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection. The managers and staff know the children well and talk about them warmly. Both children are making progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals and a parent said that they are pleased with the care that staff provide. Staff are experienced and confident. They are keen to introduce the children to new experiences. As a result, the children’s lives have been enriched.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, five children have moved in and five children have moved on from the home. Three children experienced a detailed, well-planned move on. However, for two children, difficult circumstances meant that they moved on quickly, in an unplanned way. The managers ensured that the children were well informed of the reasons why they had to move, so that they experienced a positive ending to the placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who did not previously attend school or found their school environment challenging are now engaging in bespoke education packages. Managers and staff have engaged with education professionals to identify the right educational provision for the children. For one child, changing schools has led to a dramatic reduction in the number of times they have gone missing. The child is now engaging with learning in a more supportive environment. Actions like these ensure that children achieve their potential and continue to make progress with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy creative outdoor opportunities to engage with their local community. Both children enjoy dog walking as part of a dog-sharing scheme. Children regularly visit swimming pools and gyms. Physical exercise and healthy eating are encouraged. The staff are continually looking for new clubs and activities for the children to try, such as boxing, trampolining and horse riding. This exposure to community engagement broadens the experiences and social development opportunities for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are attentive to the children’s health needs. They support children to attend dental and optician appointments, which they did not attend before living at the home. Vaccinations and health appointments are taken care of. One child had been waiting for over a year for a hospital consultation. Staff have followed this up, and an appointment is now booked. Tenacious care and attention to the children’s health mean that previously neglected health needs are now being met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy the family-style atmosphere that the managers and staff have created. Children are listened to and respected, and they are involved in making decisions about the running of the home. One child said, ‘I don’t know what I’d do without the staff. They mean the world to me.’ There are photos of the children with Inspection report for children's home: 2532532 4 their families and with staff displayed throughout the home. The children take pride in their home and want to spend time with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Extensive renovations in the garden have been completed, taking the children’s preferences into account. One child requested a basketball court; another child suggested a cycle track around the garden. Both requests have been incorporated into the garden’s design. The garden is now a fun and stimulating area for the children to enjoy.

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outstanding

Staff take the time to develop strong, trusting relationships with the children. They have a thorough understanding of each child’s history and how their life experiences affect their behaviour and needs. These relationships, supported by rewards and consequences, enable staff to set consistent boundaries for the children.

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outstanding

Staff understand trauma and the behaviours that are associated with traumatic experiences. Children are supported to make sense of their previous experiences and to reduce negative coping strategies. One child has made remarkable progress in becoming safer. The staff’s nurturing approach and encouragement to try new activities have considerably reduced the number of incidents, which would have previously resulted in considerable damage to property or harm to others. Activities such as going fishing and cycling around the local community help children to manage emotional circumstances and deal with difficult situations in a more positive and productive way.

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outstanding

Highly effective support plans and risk assessments ensure that staff are well informed and consistent in how they support children to be safer. The staff are not risk-averse. They use risk assessment processes to enable children to take balanced, age-appropriate risks. This includes gaining trust to have time out of the home without staff supervision. One child regularly walks or cycles to the local shops independently. This increases the child’s self-esteem as well as their understanding of how to be safe when out on their own.

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outstanding

Managers work proactively and effectively with external agencies. The managers provide a tenacious challenge when they consider that decisions made by partner agencies are not working in the children’s best interest. Professionals, including youth justice workers, psychotherapists and the local area safeguarding officer, consistently gave strong feedback about the quality of care, excellent communication and the positive impact that the home has on children’s lives.

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outstanding

Physical intervention is used appropriately to keep children safe. Children and staff involved receive debriefs. Inspection report for children's home: 2532532 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have a clear understanding of the progress that children are making. They are a highly visible presence. As managers are available on shift, they act as positive role models to the staff and establish trusted relationships with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have established a stable and committed staff team. The staff cover additional shifts and support each other to make sure that there is always the required number of staff available. Children benefit from consistent and familiar staff at the home each day. This helps children to feel safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel well supported by the managers. They receive regular supervision sessions and annual appraisals. In addition, the whole team benefits from monthly opportunities to explore practice with a clinical psychologist. Staff value the manager’s commitment to developing their practice. Morale at the home is good. This positive team culture and permanent, stable workforce provide children with consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

High-quality levels of monitoring support the managers in having a full understanding of the strengths and areas for development for the home. The manager’s development plans for the coming year include strengthening and embedding the staff’s knowledge of the secure base model used at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Notifications to Ofsted have been sent promptly. This enables Ofsted to have an in- depth overview of serious incidents and how well they have been managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not reviewed the home’s statement of purpose effectively. Therefore, some information regarding training is incorrect.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On some occasions, debriefs following restraint have been completed by managers involved in the restraint. This reduces the opportunity for objective oversight. Inspection report for children's home: 2532532 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is regularly reviewed and updated. In particular, ensure that training details are correct. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair. In particular, ensure that debriefs for children and staff are provided by an authorised person not involved in the restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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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: 2532532 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CF Support Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C F Support Services, 11 Three Rivers Business Centre, Felixstowe Road, Foxhall, Ipswich IP10 0BF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Joanne Henderson

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Inspector

Rachel Watkinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2532532 8 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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