Children's Home run by Astar Care Group Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 2794333 1 Registered provider: Astar Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in November 2024 and is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 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: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2794333 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who lives in this home says they like it and are happy, even though they initially expressed otherwise. The staff have been able to establish a good relationship with the child, and they demonstrate a strong commitment to providing good-quality care and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to engage in a range of activities to help them build confidence. The child has joined a gym, and staff have helped them to make choices relating to leading a healthier lifestyle. This approach by the staff ensures that the child has opportunities to explore new interests and develop new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have had meaningful conversations with the child that have addressed several issues and helped them understand more about the restrictive legal order that is in place. Other work carried out has helped the child develop an understanding of the steps they need to take to ensure that the legal order is relaxed further.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is registered with all local health services, and the staff support them in understanding their own health needs. The child has attended several health appointments, which they did not previously attend. Staff’s effective relationships with the child have enabled this positive step.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have taken time to understand family relationships that are important to the child. They recognise the strong bonds and are in regular contact with extended family to ensure that these relationships continue. Staff understand the key role they play in this area and have prepared the child well for attending a significant family occasion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child does not currently participate in formal education and does not receive consistent educational activities that would support their return to a learning environment. The child has registered with a local alternative education provider. However, there is no clear routine for the child, and incentives are not geared towards enabling the child to have a routine that would support their academic and personal development.

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

The staff are supportive and aim to create an environment in which the child feels secure, valued and heard. Staff’s relationships with the child have allowed them to address sensitive topics, such as relationships, health matters and having appropriate conversations. As a result, the child is developing their self-awareness.

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

The child has been missing from home for two short episodes, which is a marked improvement from where they were previously living and demonstrates the child feels secure in the home. Staff understand the procedures to follow to keep the child safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794333 3 Regular risk management meetings are held to ensure that all professionals are working together to keep the child safe and their plan relevant. These meetings have been reduced from weekly to fortnightly, as the child has felt safe and secure in the home, and there have been no incidents that require intervention. The child’s risk management plan is kept up to date, and staff maintain vigilance as the legal order relaxes.

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

Weekly reports provide evidence of staff interventions in managing the child’s behaviour. These include addressing respect for others and the use of pocket money and incentives to ensure adherence to rules. When incidents occur, the child and staff are given time to discuss the issues so that learning can take place to avoid them happening again.

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

The manager has established working relationships with external professionals to help the child learn more about the areas of work they may wish to enter once they reach the end of this school year. This has included providing the child with information relating to the legal requirements to enter the construction industry, which has been very useful for the child and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced and qualified manager. She demonstrates strong leadership that is consistent with the responsible individual’s high expectations for the home. They are committed to improving outcomes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well presented and is a warm environment for the child. The manager and staff aim to enhance the overall feel of the home, and a planned garden project aims to improve the home’s environment and offer therapeutic activities for the child’s well- being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff have access to a comprehensive training package that includes all mandatory training to prepare them for working in the home. This empowers staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond effectively to the child’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular supervision sessions support staff development and include reflective practice to help staff develop their practice. Child-focused team meetings take place, which include reflections that can further enhance the care provided by the team and promote positive outcomes for the child. However, the workforce development plan does not reflect the level of supervision and staff skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good overview of the progress being made by the child. There have been small positive steps in a short length of time. The child’s mother acknowledges that these are big steps for the child and said, ‘This has been the best home [name of child] has been in.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good relationships have been established with professionals, and the manager challenges external agencies when necessary. This was evident when the minutes from Inspection report for children’s home: 2794333 4 the risk management meeting were not forwarded to the manager. This tenacity ensures that staff have the most up-to-date information needed to care for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2794333 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 25 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2794333 6 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that routines are in place to support children who are not accessing education.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan that can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of regulation 16. In particular, the plan should detail the processes and timescales for staff to achieve induction and include the experience and qualifications of staff currently working as part of the team. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2794333 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Astar Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5a Warbreck Avenue, Liverpool L9 4RL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Alexander Dingle

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Inspector

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2794333 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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