Children's home run by Cherish Children’s Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2732651 1 Registered provider: Cherish Children’s Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. The provider states that they provide care for up to two children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since the home opened on 6 April 2023.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2732651 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children are currently living at the home. Staff are aware of children’s individual needs and provide nurturing care. One child said, ‘The staff get me; they are like family to me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has lived at the home since it was registered in April 2023. The other child has only lived at the home for short time, but they are beginning to settle and form relationships with the staff. Prior to the child moving in, staff visited the child at their former home in order to get to know them. A detailed plan was put in place to support the child’s move into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and there is a garden at the rear. The communal areas lack a homely feel and do not contain any photos of children or their possessions. This means that some areas of the home are not very welcoming.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to spend time learning skills when they are not attending school. A child was able to sit her exams in the home and has access to a tutor. There are plans in place for children to go to school or college in the next academic year. Children are encouraged to reach their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to attend routine and specialist health appointments. One child has previously had a bad experience, which makes them worried about attending the dentist. Staff have been sensitive to this and use their skills to support the child to see the dentist when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the impact of the previous trauma that some of the children have experienced. A therapeutic practitioner provides guidance to the staff during team meetings and through supervisions so that staff understand how to promote children’s emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to children’s views and have a say in what happens in the home. When children’s requests cannot be agreed, staff discuss and explain the reasons for this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager has made the decision not to allow one child’s family member to visit their child in the home. The rationale and reasons for this are well intentioned. There are no clear plans to enable this arrangement to be reviewed and to progress to the child being able to have their family see them in their home.

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

Staff know how to keep the children safe. The registered manager and staff understand the risks to individual children before they come to live at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2732651 3 Risk assessments are thorough and consider factors that will lessen the risk to children.

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

Staff know what to do when a child goes missing from care. Staff actively look for children and follow agreed action plans. When children return, they are offered an interview with an independent person. The frequency with which children go missing from care has reduced.

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

Staff are skilled at de-escalating incidents and are effective at managing children’s behaviour. This means that there has been no physical intervention used in the home.

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

At the time of the inspection, a self-closing mechanism on one of the children’s bedroom doors was broken and had been for over a month. The registered manager acknowledged that there had been a delay in getting this fixed. The self-closing mechanism was replaced on the second day of the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has several years of experience of providing quality childcare. He is child centred in his approach to providing this, and has warm relationships with the children living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the strengths and areas for development of his staff team. There is a comprehensive induction plan for new members of staff. The registered manager has plans to complete appraisals with experienced staff. This ensures that staff can develop the skills to provide quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that the staff team are supported. Staff report that they find the manager approachable and always available. There are regular team meetings and supervision sessions are taking place. This means that staff have a safe space in which to identify any learning needs, discuss any welfare issues and develop the care they provide to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff access a range of training courses as stated in the home’s statement of purpose. Staff are also offered training specific to the needs of individual children before they move into their home. Staff have confidence and skills to meet the needs of children as they arrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager communicates effectively with partnership agencies, for example health, education and social care. The registered manager attends any meetings concerning the children’s plans and ensures that they are followed. Children receive consistent support from professionals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2732651 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food, hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that staff help the child develop skills to have positive relationships with family members. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6)

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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: 2732651 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cherish Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8, Skyways Commercial Campus, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 3RS

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Inspectors

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Sue Garner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2732651 6 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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