Children's home run by Sure Steps Support Services Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 1 Registered provider: Sure Steps Support Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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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 inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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: 2697380 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

The home provides a homely environment and has a calm and relaxed atmosphere. However, there are areas of the home that require repair, including a broken door handle, a broken toilet seat and damage to the garden gate.

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Findings from the inspection

Inspectors observed positive and warm interactions between a child and their staff team throughout the day. They enjoyed activities together and cooked the evening meal together.

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Findings from the inspection

Children say they like the staff team and feel safe living at the home. However, children feel that staff could do more to support their education.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are clear about what to do when responding to concerns about the safety of a child. However, children’s risk assessments are not always updated to include new relevant information.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of this inspection, a new electronic recording system had been introduced and was not yet fully embedded. Staff have all been trained in the new system, but some staff struggle to find information.

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Findings from the inspection

Education outcomes for children are variable. One child has waited too long for a suitable education placement. Staff do not have a full understanding of the child’s educational progress or needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The arrangements for the safe administration and recording of controlled medication are poor. Controlled medication is not always given in line with the home’s internal policy. When children refuse to take their medication, there is no follow-up action taken by staff to address this. Additionally, when controlled medication is given to a child’s family to administer, there is no record of this.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight and monitoring of the home is poor. The management oversight of records and challenge of poor recording are limited. There is a lack of challenge from the manager when looked after children’s documents are not provided by the placing authority.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is appropriately staffed to care for the children currently living there. There is a stable core staff team in place. When additional staff are required, agency staff who have worked in the home before are used. This helps to ensure consistency for the children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 4

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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

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 22 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 5 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children attend educational provision that meets their needs.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s health needs are fully understood.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at a previous inspection and is restated. 22 March 2024

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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— 22 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 6 that staff—

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, risk assessments must be robust and followed by staff. Staff need to understand when and how to take action to reduce the risk of harm 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; 22 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 7 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are robust systems in place for monitoring and overseeing staff practice and that they review and evaluate practice.

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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.

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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

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 22 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

This regulation applies to a child who is looked after by a local authority.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must co-operate with the child’s placing authority in agreeing and signing the child’s placement plan. (Regulation 17 (1) (2)) 22 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when medication is refused there is a protocol in place, and when medication is administered by a family member that this is documented. 22 March 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sure Steps Support Services imited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Steam Mill Business Centre, Steam Mill Street, Chester, Cheshire CH3 5AN

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Inspectors

Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2697380 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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