Children's Home run by Crossway Services Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 1 SC063498 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

This home is owned by a private provider and provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. The previous manager has not submitted her application to cancel her registration.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

An assurance inspection took place on 21 November 2023. Serious concerns were identified in relation to safeguarding and risk management practices and the leadership and management of the home. Two compliance notices were issued under Section 22A Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 2 of the Care Standards Act, under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on 4 January 2024 to monitor the actions taken by the provider in meeting the steps issued in the compliance notices. The provider had taken sufficient action to meet the notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2021 Full Good 19/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 4

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improvement to be good

One child has lived in the home since the last inspection. The child moved out of the home in January 2024. Staff worked hard to support the child to move on from the home in a positive way. They spent time with the child in their new placement. This helped the child to settle in and familiarise themselves with their new home. Arrangements were made for the staff and children from other homes in the organisation to spend time with the child before they moved on from this home.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s educational needs when they do not attend full-time education. In-house education plans provide guidance for staff to follow to provide educational activities and trips in addition to formal learning. However, leaders and managers do not escalate concerns when children are not provided with the required time in education or the opportunity to access educational provision that meets their needs. This means that the child previously living in the home did not receive the level of education needed to reach their full potential.

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improvement to be good

Staff identify children’s physical and mental health needs. Children are supported to maintain good physical health. Staff attend health appointments with children after they have moved out of the home. This ensures that information is shared with health professionals by those who know children well. Staff support children to access specialist support to meet their emotional needs. However, psychological support provided to children is not embedded in the care that they receive in the home. This means that staff lack the knowledge required to support the child’s therapeutic needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff respect children’s relationships with family and those people who are important to them. Staff support children to maintain relationships with family members in line with their wishes. However, staff do not maintain positive relationships with family members. The manager took action to address staff practice when measures were implemented to prevent open lines of communication with parents.

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improvement to be good

Social work professionals say that the child liked living in the home. However, the child’s records do not reflect the child’s voice or that the child was consulted on their views of living in the home. Systems are not in place to provide opportunities for children to express their views on their daily experiences or to promote their involvement in the running of the home.

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls in safeguarding practice in the home since the last inspection mean that the decision was made by the placing local authority for the child to move on from the home. Changes to the staffing in the home mean that the child did not receive a Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 5 consistent level of care. As a result, the risks for the child increased before they left the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff worked hard to implement a detailed transition plan for the child to move on from the home. Liaison with staff from the child’s new home meant that the child would be cared for by staff who know and understand their risks and vulnerabilities.

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improvement to be good

Staff develop strong relationships with children. This means that children have adults who they can trust and confide in. As a result, staff understand children’s behaviours and the factors that impact them. Staff understand the risks posed to children in the community. Staff recognise when children are at risk of exploitation and seek support from external agencies to safeguard the child. Strong communication with external professionals means that there was a multi-agency approach to safeguarding the child when they were in the community.

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improvement to be good

Positive behaviour is promoted by staff’s attempts to implement boundaries and routines for children. However, action was not taken to support the child to overcome barriers in engaging with this. There is oversight of incidents by leaders and managers. However, this oversight lacks analysis and does not identify further support that is needed.

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improvement to be good

Staff look for children when they are missing from the home. However, plans for staff to follow do not provide clear guidance to ensure that staff take appropriate action. Records of incidents lack detail and do not reflect the actions taken by staff to locate children. Staff advocate for children to have access to independent support following incidents of being missing from home. However, leaders and managers have not challenged decisions when this support is not provided.

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improvement to be good

Children’s records provide detailed information in relation to children’s risks and vulnerabilities. However, risk assessment documents do not reflect all known risks for children and the guidance is not clear for staff to follow. Furthermore, they have not been updated following incidents.

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

A new manager has recently been recruited from within the organisation. The manager is also managing another home in the organisation. However, she does not have the required qualifications to fulfil this role.

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

Changes to the staffing and management of the home mean that the child was not provided with care from a consistent or stable staff team. Since the child’s move from the home, the staff have been redeployed to other homes within the organisation. Plans are under way to recruit a new staff team before a new child moves in. As a result, the home is currently non-operational. Action has not been taken to update and share the home’s statement of purpose to reflect these changes.

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

The manager is passionate about recruiting a new staff team before any child moves in. She recognises the need for the team to have access to a robust training plan to equip Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 6 them with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of any child moving into the home.

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

Leaders and managers have reflected on previous shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. They recognise improvements that are needed and have implemented a plan to rectify these shortfalls before another child moves into the home. Some progress has been made in respect of managerial oversight of incidents and the practice in the home. However, systems are not in place to ensure that any shortfalls in practice are addressed.

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

Staff working in the home benefit from regular team meetings. The in-house psychologist attends these meetings on occasions. This provides staff with support in their practice and daily interactions with children. However, records of these meetings lack detail and do not identify actions moving forward. This means that the information from these meetings is not available for staff who are not able to attend. Systems are in place for staff to receive regular supervision.

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

The independent visitor has continued to visit the home since the child moved out. However, reports of these visits have not been sent to Ofsted within timescales. Furthermore, the reports do not meet regulation in respect of the level of detail and evidence of independent scrutiny. A new independent visitor has been recruited. However, the manager does not know if this is a temporary measure. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 7

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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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the registered person ensures that children’s records are regularly reviewed and updated, that they reflect all known risks, and that staff are provided with clear and specific guidance to manage children’s risks. 6 August 2024

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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

promotes their welfare. 6 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the registered person ensures that there is effective oversight of practice, the work being undertaken with children and the recording of this work in children’s records.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s 6 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 9 best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the registered person ensures that any psychological interventions provided to children are reflected in the children’s plans and that this is used to guide staff practice in the home. 6 August 2024

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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

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. 6 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 10 (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 6 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 11 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 6 August 2024

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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: SC063498 12

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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

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC063498 13 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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