Children's home run by Crossway Services Limited in Liverpool

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 1 SC064573

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Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for one child with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and managed. The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2016. She also manages another home owned by the same organisation, which provides care for one child.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children

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Information about this inspection

 the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home in an unplanned way. Staff were unable to meet the child’s needs. There was a lack of evidence of planning and support offered to the child with the move.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff did not take effective action to ensure the safety of the child when they were missing from home. The manager did not ensure that independent return-home interviews were offered. Written plans and assessments did not provide clear guidance or strategies for staff to follow when the child was missing from home. This did not ensure the safety of the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have worked hard to develop staff skills and knowledge since the child moved out of the home in an unplanned way. Staff have received training to develop their understanding of the needs and risks of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the needs of the child who is currently living in the home. Staff follow detailed plans and assessments to reduce risks and promote positive outcomes for the child. One social worker said, ‘Staff understand my child’s needs, they are very driven to making positive changes in all aspects of her life.’

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Findings from the inspection

Staff feel supported by leaders and managers. However, supervision is not taking place in line with the home’s statement of purpose and does not provide staff with opportunities to reflect on practice.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has made considerable progress regarding education and health since living in the home. Staff have worked hard to ensure that the child has positive routines to promote the health and well-being of the child. Additionally, the child now attends school daily, which is a significant increase since the child came to live in the home. Staff offer constant positive praise and rewards to the child to encourage their ongoing progress and development.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a stable and consistent staff team in place. This has enabled the child to build positive, trusting relationships with those who care for them. The child says that they are happy in the home and enjoy spending time with staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff promote the child’s positive relationships with those who are important to them. Staff ensure that this is safe and in line with the child’s care plans. The child has been able to enjoy sleep overs at the home with other children.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment is warm and welcoming. The child’s bedroom reflects their personal taste. Since the last inspection, additional items have been purchased to create a more homely environment. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 3 A deputy manager supports the manager. This has provided additional oversight of documents and has allowed for improvement in the monitoring and oversight of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager ensures that internal and external monitoring takes place in line with regulations. However, the independent person’s reports lack evaluation and feedback from children, professionals, and family members. This limits the manager’s oversight of areas for improvement. Leaders and managers have recognised this and have addressed this, which is evidenced in the most-recent independent person’s report.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff rotas reflect the planned and actual hours worked. These include the manager’s hours. The manager does not ensure that there is a record of all visitors to the home and the reason for these visits. This prevents effective oversight.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have made improvements in response to the requirements raised at the full inspection. However, these improvements are not fully embedded into practice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/11/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 5

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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 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

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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff take effective action to safeguard children when they are missing from the home. The registered person must ensure that there are appropriate procedures in place, and that staff follow these, to ensure the safety of children. The 22 December 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 6 registered person must ensure that independent return- home interviews are offered to children.

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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—

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are effective monitoring systems in place so that there is oversight of all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff receive supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 22 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 22 December 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iii)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the appropriate skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that appropriate plans are in place to support children to move from the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are supported to contribute to their care plans and assessments.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a record is kept of visitors to the home, including the reason for their visit.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 22 December 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 8

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that the independent person appointed to complete Regulation 44 visits has the skills and understanding necessary to assess all relevant information, form an impartial judgement about the quality of the home’s care, and make recommendations for the registered provider to improve the quality of care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.8) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Jenni Gadsby, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC064573 10 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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