Children's home run by Footsteps a Path to Change 08 Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2545082 1 Registered provider: Footsteps A Path To Change 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

The home is owned by a private provider and can provide care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 23 December 2022 and is also the registered manager of another home owned by the provider.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out and one child has moved into the home. There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection. One child spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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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: 19 September 2023

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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: 2545082 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/09/2023 Full Good 22/06/2022 Full Good 22/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2545082 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff ensure that children have a relaxed and happy environment to live in. Staff care about the children, and their practice is responsive to the children’s needs. This means that children build trusting relationships with the adults caring for them and make good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff understand the importance of the children’s views being heard. Children are actively encouraged to feed back on their care and are responded to effectively when they share their thoughts. This ensures that children are involved in the planning of their care and know their wishes are taken seriously by professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to access the healthcare they need. When children struggle to access health appointments, staff are patient and nurturing in their approach with the children. Consequently, children are helped to overcome any challenges and attend all their health appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff encourage children to seek out new experiences they wish to try. One child has recently visited New York at Christmas time after thoroughly planning the trip with the staff. This means that children feel valued and ambitious about their future achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff to build and maintain relationships with family and friends. Children regularly invite their friends to the home to socialise and for sleepovers. As a result, children are able to make positive memories with the people important to them.

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

Managers and staff ensure that children’s behaviour management plans are clear and tailored to each child. Staff use the plans effectively to support children when they are experiencing episodes of distress. However, some risk plans for children do not include essential steps staff need to take to keep children safe. While this has not compromised the safety of the children, it does mean that children’s risk plans do not always underpin staff practice.

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

Managers and staff keep children safe effectively. Staff have the skills to hold meaningful conversations with children about their individual risks. This means that children can talk openly about their vulnerabilities and develop strategies to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff take necessary action when children are at risk. When children go missing from home, staff go out to look for them and notify the relevant professionals. As a result, Inspection report for children’s home: 2545082 4 children return home safely, and the number of missing-from-home incidents has reduced.

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

A number of new staff have joined the home since the last inspection. Leaders and managers have ensured that all staff complete a thorough induction and probationary period. In addition to this, staff complete training that is relevant to the children’s individual vulnerabilities, which enables staff to understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe.

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

Leaders and managers undertake safer recruitment practice before new staff begin working in the home. This ensures that there is a safe and suitable staff team caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a consistent and effective presence in the home. Staff say they feel well supported and value her feedback in helping them improve their practice. Children seek her out to express their views and feel heard by her. As a result, the children live in a positive environment in which they can flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers consistently evaluate actions taken by staff when children are at risk. This means that any areas of development in staff practice are identified and addressed. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that all notifications of serious incidents have been submitted to Ofsted. This limits the effectiveness of external oversight of the provider’s safeguarding actions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are skilled in working with partner agencies effectively. They advocate for the children and challenge decision-making when it is not in the interests of the child. This ensures that there is a consistent professional approach to children’s care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers complete thorough and effective planning for the children moving in and out of the home. As a result, when children move into the home, they have already made positive connections with staff and the other children. Children who move out of the home do so with confidence and the skills they need to live independently. Inspection report for children’s home: 2545082 5

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure that when there are safeguarding concerns for a child, staff are provided with clear steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious. This includes incidents where allegations have been made about members of staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)

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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: 2545082 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Footsteps A Path To Change Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Landmark House, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire SK8 7BS

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Charlotte Davies

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Inspector

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2545082 7 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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Inspector

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