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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2750005 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support

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Full inspection 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. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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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: 3 September 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: 2750005 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2750005 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has lived at the home for over a year and benefits from living at a home where staff practice is nurturing and personalised to meet their individual needs. Staff have built excellent relationships with the child, which contributes to the child feeling happy. These strong relationships have contributed to the progress the child continues to make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a safe, child-centred home with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Photos of the child and their family are proudly displayed on the walls. The child’s bedroom reflects their individual likes and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s relationship with their family is sensitively supported. Staff have a real understanding of the significance of these relationships and how they impact on the child’s well-being. Staff ensure that, when possible, the child is supported to spend quality time with their family in the right environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff demonstrate a strong understanding of the importance of a consistent routine in helping the child feel safe, secure and settled. Staff are given clear guidance on the structure of the day and the child’s individual needs, which they follow with confidence and consistency. As a result, the child experiences greater stability and predictability, which has contributed to a reduction in incidents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is progressing in education, supported by the consistent encouragement from staff. When the child was not attending school, staff worked closely with the home’s tutor to deliver creative and engaging educational activities tailored to the child’s interests and learning style. This proactive approach helped maintain the child’s motivation and supported their continued development. As a result, the child is now settling into a school well and is re-engaged with formal learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff manage the child’s health needs with sensitivity. They work closely with health professionals to ensure that the child receives the right support and guidance. Through this coordinated approach, the child is gradually learning about the importance of health and is beginning to make healthier choices. Staff use everyday opportunities to promote positive health habits, and their consistent encouragement is helping the child build a better understanding of how to take care of themselves.

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

Staff have a good understanding of how the child’s feelings and experiences underpin their behaviours. Staff recognise when the child’s worries may affect their behaviour. They listen, empathise and help the child to work through their feelings. As a result, behavioural incidents have reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: 2750005 4 Well-planned key-work sessions are undertaken with the child to address individual needs. These sessions contribute to the good progress that the child has made. Staff are not afraid to tackle sensitive subjects with the child. Staff use these sessions to empower the child and develop their understanding.

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

A minor fire in the home was quickly and appropriately managed by staff, demonstrating their calm and effective response in an emergency. All staff are suitably trained in fire awareness and follow clear procedures to ensure the safety of everyone in the home. Regular fire drills, which include the child, help to reinforce a safe evacuation routine. This proactive approach promotes a strong culture of safety and preparedness within the home.

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

Allegations and complaints are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. The child is kept informed throughout the process. This means the child feels listened to and valued.

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

Staff have had to hold the child to keep them safe. This intervention has only been used as a last resort. On each occasion, staff have completed important restorative work with the child to help them understand what happened and why. This approach helps to maintain the child’s positive relationships with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team is strong and effective, with a manager and deputy manager who complement each other’s skills and bring a balanced approach to leadership. The registered manager is experienced and appropriately qualified, providing clear direction and high expectations for the quality of care. She is well supported by an experienced deputy manager, and together they provide consistent oversight and guidance to the staff team. Their combined knowledge and collaborative working style contribute to a well-run home where the child’s needs are prioritised and progress is closely monitored.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have high aspirations for the child living at the home, which are shared by all staff. Staff say that they find the managers knowledgeable, approachable and supportive. They offer clear guidance, which helps to enhance staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular training that helps them to better understand and meet children’s needs. This helps staff to develop their skills to enable them to implement good practice. Training is regularly reviewed by leaders and managers to ensure that it meets the changing needs of the staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers test staff knowledge and understanding in a variety of effective ways, including supervision, team meetings, scenario-based discussions and reflective practice. Managers support staff to learn from incidents and how to apply this learning in practice. Managers use this information to check that staff know what to do and can respond appropriately in challenging situations. This ensures that staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2750005 5 are continually developing their skills and that learning is embedded in day-to-day care, contributing to improved outcomes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers use systems that are effective to monitor care. They typically identify areas for improvement and take decisive action to improve the quality of care provided to the child. The manager has strong oversight of staff practice, offering constructive feedback to support development. Children’s voices are heard and valued by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they are supported by leaders and managers, and they work together to make child-centred decisions. Supervision takes place regularly. Staff reflect on their practice and the progress the child is making. Managers have recognised when the child has struggled to build relationships with certain staff and have worked creatively with staff to successfully address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are no requirements or recommendations following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2750005 6

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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: 2750005 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: 2750005 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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