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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 1 SC386810 Registered provider: Crossway Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

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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: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Good 09/08/2022 Full Good 28/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 3

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improvement to be good

Children have different experiences of living in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home, and one child has moved in. When children move into the home, risk assessments are not thorough. The registered manager does not fully explore information about children’s risks and previous behaviours. As a result, their needs are not clearly understood. This means that staff are ill-prepared to provide the level of care needed to meet children’s individual needs.

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improvement to be good

Support for children to ensure that their health needs are met is variable. For the child living in the home, there are no plans in place to address how staff meet their identified emotional health needs. The registered manager is unclear what therapeutic support the child’s placing authority has requested from the organisation.

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improvement to be good

Children who are living a considerable distance from their placing authority are not always supported to keep in touch with people who are important to them. In addition, the child’s family details are not known. The registered manager has not challenged the placing authority to ensure that the child can maintain all important relationships to them.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education is supported in line with their needs. When barriers to attending education are identified, the registered manager works with external agencies to ensure that the arrangement’s in place are the most beneficial for children. Children are supported to choose college courses that support their individual interests.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with warmth and affection by a nurturing staff team. Staff encourage children to do things that they enjoy and are of interest to them. The child who previously lived in the home regularly enjoyed activities with staff.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a homely environment, which they are encouraged to personalise. The registered manager has made improvements to the home since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

Children are not consistently helped and protected in relation to their individual needs and areas of identified risk. The registered manager has not effectively planned how to support one child’s needs, and staff are unsure how to meet their needs.

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improvement to be good

Risk management plans are variable and do not always provide staff with the information needed to manage known risks effectively. For example, there are no plans in place to address concerns around online safety. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 4 Children’s views are not consistently known or understood. Staff do not know how to support the child’s communication needs, and this has limited staff’s ability to engage and communicate with the child effectively.

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improvement to be good

Allegations are appropriately managed and referred to wider agencies when necessary. Records demonstrate actions taken by the registered manager to resolve issues, and they evidence a clear rationale for decision-making. However, it is not always clear that the outcome of these matters has been communicated to the child.

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improvement to be good

When staff carry out searches of the child’s bedroom, actions taken by staff to remove harmful items are well recorded. Children are consulted before room searches are undertaken, and work is completed with the child around any emerging risks.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage positive behaviour and use natural consequences. Where they are used, these are appropriate for children. Physical intervention has not been used since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has implemented new systems for the recording and monitoring of children’s medication. This is fully embedded into practice.

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

There have been changes to the management of the home. The registered manager has been in post since May 2024 and manages another home within the organisation. She is supported by a small but dedicated staff team.

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

Staff say that they enjoy coming to work and feel supported by the registered manager. However, staff, including the registered manager, do not receive regular one-to-one supervision or an annual appraisal. This means that staff do not have regular opportunities to reflect on their care of children or discuss their development needs.

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

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. Staff speak about the children and can highlight any areas of concern. However, actions necessary to address any specific areas of concern do not always take place. This is a missed opportunity to improve practice.

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

Staff do not receive training specific to the children’s needs. An alternative communication programme has been identified for the child but not progressed. This has limited staff’s understanding and exploration of ways in which they can meet the child’s communication needs.

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

There is an inconsistent approach to multi-agency working. The registered manager does not always challenge wider agencies or escalate concerns when it is appropriate to do so.

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

Leaders and managers do not have access to all necessary information regarding staff working within the organisation. This has led to one incident where concerns around Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 5 staff conduct were not communicated between managers, and appropriate oversight was not in place. The registered manager was still unable to access relevant information relating to this matter during the inspection.

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

Staff rotas do not include the actual hours that the manager has worked in the home. There is limited evidence of the time spent in the home by the manager. This makes it difficult to fully understand if her management oversight of the home is sufficient.

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

The quality of care report lacks feedback from children and reflection on any learning to support the development of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 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 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

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)(ii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments are relevant and up to date. 10 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.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 10 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must know what the expectations of the placing authority are for the home to meet the child’s health and well-being needs.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that there are services in place to meet the child’s health and well-being needs.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff receive relevant support to meet the child’s health and well- being needs.

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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

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Requirement Due date

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 each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; 10 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 8 that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that information is accurate and reviewed before a child moves into the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the registered manager must develop care plans that are clear and evidence progression.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children are supported to maintain important relationships.

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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;

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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

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— 10 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 9 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff receive relevant training to meet children’s needs in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must challenge the placing authority when documents are not received.

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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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)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff receive regular supervision and appraisals. 10 December 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

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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

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 10 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 10 result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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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) (3) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the quality of care report contains feedback from children and evaluates children’s progress.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff rotas include the hours worked in the home by the manager. 10 December 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: SC386810 11

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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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Inspectors

Justina Henry, Social Care Inspector Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC386810 12 regulates 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 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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