Children's home run by Supreme Start Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 1 Registered provider: Supreme Start Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company and provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection. The home and manager have been registered with Ofsted since April 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have lived at the home since it opened. The child currently living at the home is making progress. They are starting to build trusting relationships with staff as they now can communicate their wants and needs more openly. One professional said, ‘[The child’s name] has been able to build a positive relationship with staff, they seem secure and are able to be more open. They no longer communicate via their teddy all the time; they are now able to speak for themself.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager completes a robust assessment before children move in. For one child who was new to the home and to being looked after, the information the local authority provided did not identify the child’s complexities and vulnerabilities. This led to the child leaving the home prematurely, as the manager quickly identified that the staff could not meet the emerging needs and risks, and could not ensure the child’s long-term safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is registered with relevant health services and staff support them to work through their anxieties and attend appointments. Access to in-house therapeutic support enables the child to begin to address past experiences and current concerns around their emotional health, relationships and behaviour. The therapist also provides support and guidance to staff, enabling them to reflect on and understand the child’s needs and the reasons underpinning their behaviours. However, the manager has not ensured that she has arranged for the child to receive all their outstanding immunisations as requested from the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child now lives too far from their school to attend daily. The manager is working with other professionals to identify an alternative school closer to the home. In the meantime, the manager ensures that the child has a clear routine to their day. A tutor visits the child in the mornings and staff support the child to complete educational activities in the afternoons.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to build relationships with the child’s mother and sisters to promote and maintain positive and safe family time. The child regularly spends time with family members in the community, taking part in different activities supported by staff. This develops positive shared memories for the child and their sisters.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child can struggle to access activities out in the community due to their anxieties. Staff encourage the child and look at ways to build on their confidence by attending activities at quieter times in the day. Staff celebrate the child’s successes, no matter how small, to help build on their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff regularly encourage the child to express their wishes and feelings. This is achieved through regular discussions. Staff support the child to be involved in their day-to-day care, including choosing activities and meals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 3

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

The child said that they feel safe in the home and they are starting to build trusting relationships with staff. They can identify a staff member they would go to if they had any concerns or worries. There have been no complaints.

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

Staff prioritise the safety of the child. Staff are developing their understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities and needs. However, the manager has not ensured that all known risks are detailed in the child’s risk assessments. This does not give clear guidance to staff to manage all risks if they should occur.

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

Staff understand the risk associated with children going missing from the home. Staff take appropriate action including looking for the child and working with other professionals to ensure the child’s safe return. After each incident, children are spoken to by an independent person to seek their views on why they were missing from home. The manager has clear oversight to look at any learning opportunities. This helps to support children to reduce the risk of further incidents.

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

Staff are calm and caring in their approach and use preventative behaviour management techniques and positive relationships to help children to manage their anxieties and frustrations. Overall, children respond positively to this approach. For one child, self- harming behaviour has reduced. When consequences are given to children, the manager reviews them to ensure that they are appropriate and fair.

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

Occasionally, physical intervention has been used when necessary to prevent significant damage to property or assaults on staff. All incidents are well managed and records are detailed. Children are spoken to after the event so that they understand why the hold was necessary to keep them safe, and to explore how they can express their frustrations in a safer way.

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

The child enjoys a comfortable, clean, tidy and physically safe living environment. The staff have supported the child to decorate the home for Halloween. The manager also ensures that any damage is quickly repaired. This ensures that the home is a safe place for children.

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

Recruitment records are clear. The manager ensures that all necessary checks are carried out before staff start working in the home. This helps to ensure that adults working with children are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a manager who has high aspirations and expectation for children. She has a strong focus on the care provided in the home. There is a good working relationship between the manager and an experienced deputy manager. This helps the management team to have a clear oversight of the day-to-day running of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 4 The manager has completed a review of the quality of care provided. However, this review does not contain the feedback or opinions from the child, parents, professionals or staff. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to have a complete overview of the quality of care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose is regularly updated to reflect any changes. It clearly outlines the team’s aims and objectives and how they will be met. However, the manager has not shared this with the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable staff team in the home that provides consistency for the child. Staff are committed, work well together and share the manager’s high aspirations. Staff said that they feel supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A comprehensive training programme is in place that is varied and equips the staff with the knowledge and skills to meet the child’s individual needs. Staff value the training and feel this gives them confidence in their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions. This gives them the opportunity to reflect on their practice and identify any additional learning needs. New staff to the home receive additional supervision sessions as part of their induction to help them develop their knowledge and understanding of their role and responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly to give staff an opportunity to come together and share their skills and knowledge. The in-house therapist attends the meetings to offer support to staff. This improves consistency in staff’s practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is visited each month by an independent person who scrutinises the care provided to children. However, the manager does not ensure that the independent person clearly identifies in their review if the arrangements for safeguarding children and promoting their well-being is being met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the children’s individual risk management plans provide staff with clear strategies to manage and reduce any identified risks. 23 December 2024

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 23 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 6 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

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the child is supported to keep their immunisations up to date.

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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

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Requirement Due date

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

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the review of the quality of care includes the views of children, staff, 23 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 7 external professionals and family members to help inform the strengths and any areas for improvement.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should ensure that when the statement of purpose has been reviewed, that a copy of this is shared with the regulating body. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: 2779761 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Supreme Start Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3.10 3rd Floor, Devonshire Street North, Manchester M12 6JH

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Inspectors

Simon Jones, Social Care Inspector Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2779761 9 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 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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