Children's Home run by Continuum Support - Care Services Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2714558 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services Ltd 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 provider and offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since October 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 requires improvement to be 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: 2714558 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2714558 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a good quality of care, which means they make progress from their starting points. Staff know children well and understand their needs. This enables children to build trusting relationships and have consistency of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to ensure that children’s views are acknowledged, and their entitlements and rights are promoted. Staff ensure that children take part in their care planning. Children have a child-friendly version of their placement plan which helps to understand what to expect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff work well with partner agencies. This promotes a comprehensive approach to meeting children’s needs. Staff are proactive in addressing any concerns with external partners. Feedback from professionals is positive about the care that children receive and the progress that they are making. One professional said, ‘[child’s name] is doing extremely well in her home. Her confidence is improving, and she has become much more resilient.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and welcoming and there are photos of the children around the home. Each child has their own bedroom which has been personalised to their individual tastes. This allows the children to develop their sense of identity, belonging and pride.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see their families and those that are important to them, in line with their individual plans and assessments. This supports children to understand their identity and heritage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children arrive at the home, children’s needs and risks are not always fully considered. In addition, statutory documents are not received in a timely manner. This limits staffs ability to understand and deliver effective care.

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

Safeguarding is a strength of this home. Children have not been at risk of harm since the last inspection. Staff have a detailed understanding of children’s specific needs and risks. Children have not been missing from the home.

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

Behaviour management is effective. Behaviour support plans are up to date, clear and provide direction to staff. The use of physical holds to keep children safe are only used as a last resort. Records of incidents are clear and show how staff have tried to de- escalate situations. Children and staff are supported after incidents to reflect and consider their feelings. This supports learning and the reduction in physical interventions. Inspection report for children’s home: 2714558 4 Self-injurious behaviours are understood, taken seriously and monitored. Staff understand the risks to children and are proactive in putting measures in place to reduce risks.

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

Allegations are managed in line with statutory guidance and the homes policies and procedures. When there have been safeguarding concerns, these have been appropriately investigated and any learning outcomes identified are shared with relevant professionals.

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

The manager has completed a review of the location of the home, but has not included the views of relevant people. This means the risks posed within the community have not been fully considered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has been in post since January 2024. However, they have not yet submitted their application to register with Ofsted. Managing without registration is an offence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has clear aspirations of what he wants to achieve. He has a focus on promoting children’s safety and wellbeing. The staff team share the same vision. This means that there is a team approach when considering children’s futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff team are stable and offer consistency of care. The team has a range of experience and knowledge. Agency staff are not frequently used, and when they are, this tends to be the same person, who the children have got to know. This means that children are cared for by people who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are child focused and understand how their practice impacts on the children. They are keen to offer the children the best quality of care. They use staff meetings and supervisions to reflect and develop their practice. Staff feel valued and supported by their manager. One staff member said,’[Manager] is a brilliant manager and he is doing a good job.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has not completed a review of the quality of care. This means that an opportunity to gather feedback from the children and relevant people has been missed and the care they receive has not been evaluated. Inspection report for children’s home: 2714558 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, 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 registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that they consult with relevant persons and include their views when reviewing the location of the premises. 4 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 4 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2714558 6 In particular, the registered individual must ensure that the person appointed to manage the home makes an application to register.

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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 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that recent care plans and information is accessibly recorded.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, when children arrive at the home, their risks and needs must be assessed to consider the children that already live here and staff strengths. 4 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality-of-care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 31 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2714558 7 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality-of-care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality-of-care review (“the quality-of-care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality-of-care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality-of-care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality-of-care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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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: 2714558 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services 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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Inspectors

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Angeline Clarke, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2714558 9 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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