Children's Home run by Continuum Support - Care Services Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were 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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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/09/2023 Full Good 27/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children who live in the home are making good progress from their starting points. One of the children has lived at the home for over two years. This child is settled and happy and with the good support from staff, has made significant progress with their education and developing independence skills. The second child moved into the home recently and is starting to develop some positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good experiences of moving into the home. The registered manager completes comprehensive assessments before children move in, to help staff understand the child’s needs. There is careful consideration of the impact on all children involved. Children are supported to meet the registered manager, other children and some staff before moving in. This helps children settle into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a welcoming, homely and well-decorated home. Photos of children, their adventures and achievements are displayed throughout the home. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and comfortably furnished. This helps children to settle into the home and develop a sense of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children enjoy activities in the home and community. One child went on a trip of a lifetime to Turkey with staff. The child made amazing memories, which they will cherish for a long time. The child has numerous photos from their trip, which have been put into a memory book for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff are tenacious advocates for children’s education. Both children regularly attend school and one is being helped to prepare for GCSEs. The children have clear ambitions for their futures and staff help them to achieve their goals. Staff take the children to visit local colleges, helping them to make informed choices about the next stages of their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff use creative methods to educate children in response to worrying behaviours and in supporting independence skills. Children are encouraged to access a training package to educate themselves on a range of relevant subjects. This has directly resulted in a reduction in concerning behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager demonstrates a strong commitment to ensuring that children are supported to maintain meaningful relationships with people who are important to them. This includes not only family members but also trusted adults from previous homes. In circumstances where children’s contact with family is limited, the registered manager is proactive in seeking alternative forms of consistent emotional support. This includes advocating for the involvement of an independent visitor. This reflects the manager’s determination to prioritise children’s emotional well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 4

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

Risk management plans include all known risks and detail strategies for staff to follow. Strategies for keeping children safe are amended when required. Staff understand children’s risks and are knowledgeable about what actions to take to keep them safe.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. Staff know the individual missing plans for the children and follow them. Staff remain in contact with children when they are missing and encourage their return home. Staff look in known areas. This lets children know that staff care about them. Children are welcomed warmly when they return home, and staff ensure that they are safe and well.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. One child who complained received a detailed and personalised response from senior leaders. Consequently, the children know their complaints will be listened to and taken seriously.

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

Incidents of concerning behaviour have been managed well by staff. Different strategies are used to defuse situations before they escalate. Staff rely on their knowledge of the children to use the techniques they have been trained in and which have been successful before to ensure that children feel safe and cared for. Physical intervention is rarely used.

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

Staff have good relationships with children. Children receive regular praise for their behaviour, and they take pride in their progress and achievements. Children rarely receive consequences but when they do, they are proportionate and appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an extremely dedicated and conscientious registered manager. She is supported by an enthusiastic deputy manager. Together, they have built an excellent leadership team, and all have high aspirations for the children in their care. The registered manager shows great ambition for the home and where it aims to be in the future. She actively assists staff, demonstrating expectations and offering additional support when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate about the service and advocating for children’s views. She has a good knowledge of the children’s starting points and what they have accomplished since living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are warm, nurturing relationships between staff and children. Interactions are characterised by genuine affection, patience and mutual respect, contributing to a happy and supportive atmosphere. Children appear relaxed and confident in the presence of staff, seeking them out for reassurance and conversation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager demonstrates a clear understanding of the individual strengths and development needs of the staff. Through regular supervision and day-to-day coaching, staff are guided to reflect on their practice and build their confidence in Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 5 managing complex situations. This strong leadership supports a consistent and child- centred approach to care, which helps children to feel safe, valued and well understood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have recently undergone a period of reflection and development following a complaint. Leaders responded promptly and took appropriate steps to investigate. As a result, staffing arrangements have been reviewed. The registered manager has used this as an opportunity to strengthen systems for raising and addressing concerns, ensuring that staff are aware of expectations and reporting protocols. These actions have contributed to a more transparent and reflective culture, demonstrating the home’s commitment to ongoing improvement and safeguarding the welfare of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive an annual appraisal to evaluate their performance and identify areas for professional development. However, this does not incorporate feedback from stakeholders such as children, parents or external professionals involved in the child’s care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and of children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 2509800 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair Accounting Co Ltd, 300 St Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2509800 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 children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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