Children's Home run by CF Support Services Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children's home: 2616993 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 one child who cannot be cared for in mainstream residential care or foster care.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since August 2022.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Following the full inspection in June 2022, two compliance notices were served in regard to the protection of children and leadership and management. At the monitoring visit on 26 July 2022, Ofsted found that the steps in both of the compliance notices were met. As a result, the overall inspection judgement was changed to requires improvement to be good. Inspection report for children's home: 2616993 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/06/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2616993 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is one child living at the home. One child has moved on since the last monitoring visit. Staff know the child well and are helping him to achieve positive outcomes. The child benefits from a high number of one-to-one sessions and quality time with the staff. They talk about his likes and dislikes, appropriate boundaries and future goals. This helps the child to feel cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have worked closely with the headteacher of the virtual school to secure an educational place for the child. This has been a success, and he is attending an educational setting every day. This is significant progress for him after being out of education for almost two years.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child struggles to sleep at night. Staff sit with him and play board games in the evening. Spending time with staff at the end of the day helps the staff to build a positive rapport with the child. This helps him to feel calm and settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work well with the child’s parents and welcome them to the home. A parent gave positive feedback on how the child has settled in at the home. Keeping communication open with parents helps to maintain family relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has started to spend time in the local community. Staff are suitably curious about his friends. One friend called to the home and met the staff. The staff are hoping to encourage suitable friendships. This helps him to feel part of the local community and build a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some of the rooms have new flooring and fresh paint and look very homely. There are other areas, including the ground-floor lounges, that need to be decorated. It is important to make sure that all parts of the house are decorated to an acceptable standard to help the child feel valued and cared for.

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

The child’s safety records are well written. They contain up-to-date information and clearly direct the staff. Staff understand the strategies and plans that help them to keep the child safe. This helps staff to provide consistent care.

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

The staff understand the child and are sensitive to his previous experiences. They are putting in appropriate boundaries and helping him understand why these are important. These boundaries help the child to understand safe and acceptable behaviour.

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

Staff are working towards smoking reduction strategies with the child. A high number of key-work sessions have addressed this subject. The staff have used Inspection report for children's home: 2616993 4 strategies to minimise his access to tobacco. This proactive approach to smoking cessation helps the child understand the dangers of smoking.

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

The staff provide consequences that are clear and restorative. The child’s views are recorded. This helps the child to understand appropriate boundaries.

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

Recruitment processes are efficiently managed. There is a structure in place to ensure that all required checks are undertaken and recorded. This reduces the potential for unsuitable people to work at the home.

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

The staff work well with local authorities, and feedback is positive. However, working relationships with the police need to be improved. Effective working relationships with the police help to support and protect children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager left the home in August 2022. There have been some challenges in recruiting a suitably qualified permanent manager. Senior leaders have been proactive in their attempts to appoint a new person. A new manager has started and has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced manager from another home has provided interim management cover. The staff said that she has offered stability and consistency to the team. This support has helped the staff to offer higher-quality care to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses her professional judgement. A difficult placement decision was made, and she coordinated this effectively. This allowed a child to be kept safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of staff supervision is good and covers a variety of important topics. It is child-centred and allows staff time for reflection and planning. This supports staff in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers identified the need for better monitoring. A new independent visitor has been employed, and there are good internal systems for monitoring. Having good monitoring systems in place helps the home to run efficiently and provide measured care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have reflected on the challenges and are open and honest. They will use this learning moving forward for placement planning and staff recruitment. There are clear plans for the development of the home and the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose needs to be updated. The language used around the model of care is confusing. It also refers to voice diaries that are no longer used. It is particularly important to keep the statement of purpose under review so it accurately reflects the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2616993 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home engages proactively with the local police. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.7)  The registered person should ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is kept under review and clearly describes how the home provides individualised care to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)  The registered person should provide a nurturing, homely environment. In particular, modernise and decorate the communal living areas in keeping with the other areas of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2616993 6

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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: 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

Mary Costello, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2616993 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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