Children's Home run by Homes for Support in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home: 2526004 1 Registered provider: Homes for Support Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to six children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2526004 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2023 Full Outstanding 01/03/2022 Full Outstanding 20/11/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2526004 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team promotes positive relationships with children and knows them well. The staff take time to listen to the children, understand their needs, promote their welfare and provide them with enriching experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are new to the home are welcomed sensitively to help reduce anxieties. When children leave the home and where endings are unplanned, staff keep the child central to the plan and consult effectively with the local authority during this time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have individual plans which detail their progress monthly. This enables the child to have an overview of what has worked well for them and what may need to change. This plan is a good consultation tool that encourages participation of the individual child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make a complaint. Children easily identify members of staff who they feel they have positive relationships with and who they can go to if they have any worries or concerns. One child said that they would go to the registered manager if they felt that they were not being heard or listened to by a member of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good physical health and are supported to attend routine appointments. Children’s emotional health and welfare are actively promoted. Where further assessment is required, staff liaise with health professionals to address any concerns and to promote positive emotional well-being for individual children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend education and engage in learning. When children refuse to attend school, staff support them to explore the reasons behind this. Staff work directly with education professionals to help the child return to school as soon as possible. When there have been delays regarding a child’s education plan, the registered manager has been proactive in escalating concerns with the placing local authority. This professional challenge ensures that children receive the services to make progress and achieve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop independent living skills through a variety of activities, key-work sessions and significant discussions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support family time arrangements. Children are central to the plans around family time and their wishes and feelings are considered. This builds trust between the child and the adults who care for them. When a child may want to have their family time reviewed, the registered manager is quick to involve an independent advocate.

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

Children are safeguarded and protected from harm. Risk assessments are clear and understood by the staff team. When a serious incident takes place, there is a clear plan Inspection report for children’s home: 2526004 4 of action to protect the child and to reduce further risk of harm. The registered manager and staff team have regular oversight of working documents to ensure that plans are reviewed regularly.

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

Physical intervention is only used when it is necessary to protect the child and those around them. Recordings are detailed and consider the views of the child. Management oversight is clear and debriefs with children and staff take place after the incident to identify any learning.

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

The staff have developed a consistent approach in the way that they work with children and reinforce clear guidance and boundaries. This helps to reduce the risk of harm to children. When consequences for behavior are required, these are reasonable, timely and proportionate. When room searches are necessary due to a serious incident occurring, they are carried out sensitively and aim to remove any hazards that may present a risk to a child.

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

Staff understand that the internet poses a risk to children and there are strategies in place to ensure that children are kept safe online. Children receive support and guidance about managing interactions on social media, including how to keep themselves safe from harmful content and behaviour from others.

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

Safe recruitment practice takes place to prevent unsuitable people from being recruited to the home. When allegations occur, concerns are shared with the appropriate professionals and investigations take place without delay.

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

The staff have positive working relationships with professionals such as the community police officers, who support children to understand how to keep safe in the local community.

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

The children live in a home which is maintained to a high standard. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and communal areas are well kept. The physical environment for children is safe. Location risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager are dedicated to providing good-quality care for children. The management team is visible in the home. Children know the managers and have confidence in them. Staff say that they are well supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good monitoring systems in place. This enables her to track the quality of care provided to the children and consider what new ways of working may be required to ensure that children continue to make progress and develop .

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

T he registered manager considers the needs of children coming to live at the home by ensuring that staff have the skills to meet these needs. When a new child is coming to Inspection report for children’s home: 2526004 5 live in the home, discussions with the staff team and the children already living in the home take place. This ensures that everyone is appropriately prepared.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals speak positively about the commitment to the children from the registered manager and the staff team. The registered manager is a strong advocate for children and challenges key stakeholders if children do not receive the services they need to progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that she is meeting the aims and objectives of the home’s statement of purpose. The manager and staff team provide the care that children need to make positive change and improvement in their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has sufficient staff to support the children effectively. The registered manager has a good understanding of the skills and experience of each member of staff. This informs her decision-making around rota schedules to ensure that there is a good balance of leaders and experienced staff on duty each day.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not receive regular supervision. Records do not demonstrate that staff can reflect on their practice during supervision sessions. The registered manager does not ensure that staff have an annual appraisal. This is a missed opportunity to consider staff’s progress and set clear targets for staff to work towards. Inspection report for children’s home: 2526004 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 30 May 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that there are systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2526004 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homes for Support Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Northern House, 3 Kennerleys Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5EQ

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Inspectors

Michelle Greenhalgh, Social Care Inspector Louise Redfern, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2526004 8 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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