Children's home run by Supporting Futures Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 1 Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. The provider states in its statement of purpose that the home provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child is currently being cared for in this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and has been registered since January 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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well, invest time and have developed strong relationships with them. The child experiences a sense of permanence and belonging and said, ‘I like the staff; I trust them and love living here. This is the most settled I have been.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff place children at the centre of their practice. Consistent and clear boundaries are in place. Reward systems, positive behaviour plans and incentive charts are used to celebrate and encourage positive behaviour. This helps children to manage difficult feelings with the support of staff who they trusts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have made referrals to specialist services, such as child and adolescent mental health services, when this has been necessary so that children can access the right support at the right time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff have strong relationships with parents and professionals involved in the children’s lives. Regular communication means that there is a consistent and shared responsibility to help children understand the plans for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff understand the importance of education. Several exclusions have resulted in one child now being home tutored. Managers have consulted with the virtual school head and challenged decisions about education placements. Managers and staff are advocating for a return to a provision that will meet the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to choose a range of activities, supporting them to have new experiences and follow their One child goes horse-riding each week. The child currently living in the home has been to concerts, museums, bowling and the cinema and has been on holiday during the summer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Identified health needs are understood by the staff team. Staff are trained in first aid, and there are clear risk assessments in place so that all activities inside and outside of the home are managed safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is supported. Managers and staff are committed to making sure this happens for children. Staff are flexible when faced with any barriers and will adapt plans so that children do not miss out on seeing people who are important to them.

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

Managers and staff understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. Allegations made by children have been managed well. Procedures are followed, and allegations are responded to quickly so that children are safeguarded. Managers and staff take time to help and support children to understand risk. Discussions are planned but also happen when concerns arise, such as incidents of self-harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 4 Detailed plans are in place so that risks and behaviours are understood by the whole staff team. These are completed in consultation with the child, parents and professionals. Clear guidance sets out ways of working for staff to follow.

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

Clear processes are in place when children go missing from the home. Staff understand the need for area searches and actively complete them. However, children are not being given the opportunity to have missing-from-home interviews. This does not allow for children to discuss the missing-from-home episodes with someone independent from the home, so that future incidents can be understood.

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

When children have needed to be held, this has been proportionate and reasonable to keep children safe. Records are detailed and set out the reason this has happened. Children and staff have debrief sessions, and the manager evaluates their effectiveness. This is analytical and used to identify potential triggers for incidents.

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

The manager has monthly consultations with a clinical psychologist so that incidents can be reviewed. Emerging patterns are identified, and plans are revised and updated to include new approaches. This has been effective in reducing incidents of physical intervention for the child.

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

Recruitment processes are in place. All relevant checks are completed to review staff’s suitability to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively and efficiently by a permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. The staff team is suitably qualified and skilled. Managers and staff have an in-depth understanding of children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are consistent and adequate staffing levels. This ensures that the children are cared for by staff who know them. Agency and bank staff have been used; however, they are known to children, which promotes consistency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the manager and say she is available to provide advice and support. One staff member said, ‘This is the best home I have worked in. The staff team are cohesive; it is a nurturing, supportive environment. I love working here.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly reviews the progress children are making and takes effective action to challenge professionals so that any shortfalls in children’s plans are addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that mandatory and specialist training has been completed. This reflects individual children’s specific needs, such as global development delay, so that staff have the skills to care for the children. Staff have regular supervision sessions. These are used as an opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and develop their skills. Team meetings take place and are well attended. They include development sessions for staff to enhance their Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 5 knowledge. This includes understanding children’s individual needs and recording processes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has used a range of feedback from parents, children and professionals so that areas of strengths and weaknesses have been identified. This has been used to inform the development plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous requirements made at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 6

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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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that arrangements are in place for missing-from-home interviews to be completed within 72 hours. 14 December

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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: 2658895 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair, 300 St Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2658895 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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