Children's home run by CF Support Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 1 Registered provider: CF Support Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to two children aged between seven and 17 years old who have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since December 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 13 September 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2022 Full Good 07/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. They are making good progress at this nurturing and calm home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children, who previously struggled to engage with education, to gain new skills. Bespoke education packages are tailored to meet the children’s individual needs. The child who moved out of the home enjoyed attending a plastering course. The child who is currently living at the home is engaging in virtual lessons and has recently secured a college place. This focus on education helps children to achieve better outcomes.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living at the home is up to date with their health appointments. Staff encourage the child to eat healthily and be active. The child enjoys going for daily walks with staff and on trips out to the local swimming pool and ice-skating rink. They enjoy playing board games and cards at the home. The staff have taken the time to learn how to play the games that the child likes. These activities enhance the child’s physical and mental well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to develop age-appropriate independence skills. The child is fully included in the planning of their goals and targets. Their achievements are acknowledged and rewarded. Learning valuable life skills will help them in their adult life.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to keep in regular contact with the people who are important to them. The child’s parent said, ‘I visit regularly and staff always make we feel very welcome. The staff organised a barbecue for my birthday. It was lovely to celebrate with my child.’ Staff recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents and professionals to ensure that positive relationships flourish.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The planning for the child’s forthcoming move to an adult provision has been well considered. The child has a thorough plan that includes the daily arrangements leading up to the move. These include spending time with staff from the new home each day and having overnight stays before moving in. This support is helping to prepare the child and familiarise them with their new surroundings. When children leave the home, they take with them a photo album of this important part of their life story.

p.3

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

The child told inspectors that they like the staff, always feel listened to and can speak about any worries that they have. The child recognises that staff care about them and are committed to keeping them safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 4 Risk assessments are detailed and are updated promptly. These provide clear guidance for staff, who follow them well. Staff supervise the child to a high level, and their support has enabled this child to gain the skills to manage their emotions better. This has led to a reduction in incidents in all areas.

p.3

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

When a child goes missing from the home, staff follow the procedures outlined in the child’s individual missing-from-home policy. On the child’s return to the home, staff hold a key-work session with the child, and the manager ensures that an independent return home interview takes place. This work helps to reduce recurrence of the child going missing from the home.

p.4

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

Staff have a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures and the whistle- blowing policy. The provider and managers ensure that any safeguarding incident is reported to the local designated safeguarding officer, is investigated promptly and that the correct procedures are followed.

p.4

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

The home’s location risk assessment is now regularly reviewed and updated with any new information. This ensures that staff have up-to-date knowledge of any local risks to the child and gives them clear guidance to follow. This information helps the child to understand and develop awareness of potential dangers.

p.4

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

Recruitment of new staff is thorough, and all necessary background checks are carried out before a member of staff commences work. This helps to ensure that suitable adults are employed to work with the children.

p.4

good

The registered manager left in December 2022. A new manager was appointed but left in May 2023 before registering with Ofsted. The current manager started in July 2023. She is child-focused and is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

p.4

good

The provider has ensured that senior managers have had daily oversight of the home since December 2022. This has provided effective management and guidance for staff during this time. However, the home has been without a registered manager for over seven months. This is reflected in the judgement in this area.

p.4

good

The managers and staff have built good relationships with external professionals. The professionals spoken with during this inspection said that the partnership and advocacy work provided by the managers and staff has been very good.

p.4

good

Staff receive a structured induction and undertake the home’s mandatory training during their initial induction period. Additional specific training to meet children’s individual needs has been sourced. Staff are encouraged and supported to achieve the required level 3 diploma. Staff are well equipped to care for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 5 Team meetings and supervision sessions are regular and effective. Staff are encouraged to reflect on their practice, and the child’s needs and progress are discussed in detail. This helps staff to develop their practice further.

p.4

good

The independent person visits monthly and provides a detailed report for the manager. However, three of the reports have not been sent to Ofsted. This reduces the effectiveness of the report as a quality monitoring tool.

p.5

good

The manager has reviewed the quality of care provided for the children. The review report details the progress made, actions for development and the opinions of the care that the children receive from parents, social workers and staff. However, one of the reports does not include direct feedback from the children.

p.5

good

The manager has met one of the requirements and the two recommendations raised at the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The 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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the appointed manager registers with Ofsted without delay. 2 October 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 2 October 2023

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home and that includes direct feedback from children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 7

p.6

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 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: 2575713 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: CF Support Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Joanne Henderson

p.8

Inspectors

Lynne Drage, Social Care Inspector Clare Hannah, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2575713 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9