Children's home run by CF Support Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2532532 1 Registered provider: CF 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

The home provides care for up to two children who may have experienced childhood trauma and have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2019.

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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: 6 February 2024

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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: 2532532 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Good 09/11/2022 Full Good 05/10/2021 Full Good 11/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2532532 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There were two children living at the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector met with both children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make individual progress. Staff adapt well to meet children’s individual needs. One child is increasingly confident and has made progress in education, independence and building friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do well in education. They have individual education packages that incorporate their interests, such as animal care, cooking and music. A tutor said that the children are always prepared and ready to learn. Staff support children to develop skills for their independence. One child enjoys volunteering, and another has been helped to write and send out their CV.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff model healthy lifestyles. They encourage a daily structure that includes good sleep routines and family-style dining. The children take part in choosing and preparing meals. Children enjoy themed events, such as Greek and Bulgarian nights. They enjoy activities including youth club, dance, drama, going to the gym and walks. This helps with their well-being and sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have trusted relationships with children. Children have meaningful conversations with staff regarding relationships, safety, friendship and other relevant risks. Children said that they can go to staff for help and enjoy spending time with them. Feedback from a number of children’s professionals highlighted strong relationships between staff and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s past experiences and use this knowledge to inform their approach to their care. Staff support children with their life-story work and family relationships. For one child, staff have advocated their wishes and increased family visits. Both families have visited their children at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has had increased periods of stability and improved behaviour. This child has progressed in education and emotional well-being after previous struggles.

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

Staff have a good knowledge of risks to children. Children’s plans are individualised, up to date and relevant. This helps staff to provide a consistent response to children who are unsettled.

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

Staff create children’s plans with them. They evaluate children’s progress regularly so that they focus the help where it is needed most. This includes natural conversations as well as planned conversations. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532532 4 Staff understand online safety and monitor children’s use of internet devices. They regularly support children to think about online risks alongside helping children to enjoy online games. Relevant information is shared with police who visit children to talk about risks and prevent criminalisation. Children benefit from a police-led programme aimed to divert children from exploitation. One child is part of the Children in Care Council.

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

The interim manager works with relevant professionals to manage safeguarding incidents. There are good working relationships between the staff and police. Staff manage incidents at the home without the need for police involvement. Police said they have good levels of regular communication with the interim manager.

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

There have been several missing-from-home episodes for one child. There is a comprehensive individualised missing procedure that is regularly updated. Staff actively look for children until they return home. Children are offered return home interviews and conversations with staff. The missing-person adviser said that staff are all very consistent with their approach to children who are missing from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager was absent at the time of inspection on planned leave and will return in February 2025.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager has established strong relationships with professionals including social workers, tutors, a youth justice worker, police, the crisis team and missing- persons adviser. These professionals are highly positive about the care provided to children. A social worker said, ‘The fact that despite these risks, the children have not become actively involved in sexual or criminal exploitation is due to the relationships they have with staff and their understanding and knowledge of them.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is fully staffed. Staff said that they were well supported by management. The staff take pride in creating a family environment for children. One staff member said the change in management arrangements had been ‘seamless’. There is no use of agency staff, providing consistency for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good access to training for staff. Team meetings are a space to share knowledge on safety issues affecting children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager has clear expectations of staff and challenges any incidents of poor practice effectively. The interim manager uses monitoring to measure and improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager and staff focus on daily structure that includes good routines. The staff create a positive family environment for children that involves spending time together and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532532 5 The deputy interim manager has been in post for several months. However, there has been a long delay in applying to register with Ofsted. This exceeds the required timeframe for covering the manager’s maternity leave, which is over 90 days. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532532 6

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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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the interim manager must apply to register with Ofsted without delay. 30 November

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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: 2532532 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CF Support Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 Three Rivers Business Centre, Felixstowe Road, Foxhall, Ipswich IP10 0BF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Joanne Henderson

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Inspector

Carrie Twinn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2532532 8 and 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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