Children's Home run by CFS Care Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: 2796672 1 Registered provider: CFS Care 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 operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who experience emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at 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: 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: 2796672 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have moved into the home have settled in well. Children have developed positive relationships with staff, which have supported them to make progress. Staff work hard to help children settle living in the home in line with their individual needs. Staff identify strategies to help them establish relationships with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children had not attended school for some time. Staff work hard to understand the barriers to education and use incentives to encourage children to attend. Staff work with one parent and their child’s school to identify individualised plans to encourage the child to attend school. Staff support another child to consider employment options.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to attend appointments. When a medication error was identified, the manager responded effectively. The manager identified further training to improve staff practice in this area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use strategies to reduce risks in relation to children. One child has made progress in relation to their emotional well-being. For example, since the child moved into the home, there have not been any incidents of self-harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child uses an electronic cigarette. Staff talk to the child about this and support them to understand the risks associated with using electronic cigarettes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with family and friends when it is safe to do so. Staff understand the importance of these relationships to help children maintain a sense of identity. Family members are complimentary of the communication and support from staff.

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

Risk assessments clearly identify children’s vulnerabilities. They include strategies to minimise risk. Staff assess situations to minimise the risk of harm to children. The manager and staff reflect on their actions, and if necessary, they consider other strategies. This helps staff to develop their safeguarding practices.

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

Staff work hard to ensure that there are consistent rules and boundaries in place for children. Children understand the rules.

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

Staff monitor some children when they use the internet. This helps to reduce any potential risk. Inspection report for children’s home: 2796672 3 When children go missing from home, staff look for them. Staff communicate with relevant safeguarding professionals. However, records do not always demonstrate all the actions that staff take to keep children safe. The manager worked with staff to improve this area of practice. Staff speak to children when they return home and ensure that children can speak to an adult who is independent from the home. However, there are missed opportunities to educate children any further.

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

Door alarms are used on all children’s bedrooms. This is not in line with children’s individual risk assessments. The manager is taking action to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager have worked at the home since it was registered. However, they plan on leaving their posts. There is a new responsible individual in post, who visits the home regularly. Staff say that the responsible individual and manager listen to them and provide support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager acknowledges that the staff team is mostly new to working in residential childcare. Therefore, she has worked with the team to increase its confidence and ability to make decisions effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete various training courses to support them in their roles. For example, they have completed courses on physical intervention, therapeutic practice and substance misuse.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision takes place regularly. However, this is not completed in line with the home’s policy. Records from supervision demonstrate that staff discuss relevant areas, for example their well-being and reflection on their caring practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and focus on the children and their needs. These meetings encourage staff to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reviews and monitors the care that staff provide for children. The manager has regular meetings with the responsible individual and therapeutic professional to monitor children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and the manager do not consistently follow the company’s recruitment policy. This led to gaps in safe recruitment checks. However, this was addressed by the manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 2796672 4

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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 registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 30 June 2025

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; 30 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2796672 5 help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s views, wishes and feelings are sought. This includes in a planned way, to support children to reach the goals and objectives that have been set to reduce risk. Additionally, this includes in a responsive way following incidents, such as times when children go missing from home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand and, where necessary, work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and the use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that good employment practice is maintained. This includes ensuring that staff supervision and employment reference checks are carried out in line with their own policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2796672 6 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: 2796672 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 146 Bolton Road, Atherton, Manchester M46 9LF

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Inspector

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2796672 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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