Children's Home run by Supporting Futures Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 1 Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 13 June 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Good 11/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager carefully considers the needs of children moving into the home, assessing their needs alongside the needs of the children already living in the home and the skills and experience of the staff team. When taking an emergency placement, the manager communicates well with the placing authority social workers. Children who are new to the home are given the opportunity to meet with the other children and staff before moving in. This ensures a smoother transition and helps children to feel welcomed. However, not all children have statutory care plans containing relevant information and signed by relevant professionals on admission. This does not ensure that the manager or staff can act on behalf of the local authority in delivering day-to-day care for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager works with headteachers of virtual schools and social workers to find suitable schools for children. When children are not attending school full time, the manager ensures creative home education plans are in place to supplement part-time timetables. Plans, such as for tutoring, promote engagement and help children to build academic confidence. This prepares children for the structured routines of school, encourages engagement and reduces gaps in children’s learning. However, children’s care plans do not always include details of educational plans and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy various activities, such as cooking, baking, snooker, escape rooms, football and nature walks. Staff include children in their activity planning and are creative in providing options linked to children’s interests to ensure children are taking part in alternative activities and getting out of the home. This helps children to create hobbies and interests and remain active.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children’s relationships with people who are important to them. Staff promote and support good-quality family time between children and their families. Staff make every effort to build relationships with the children’s families and support the relationships between them and their children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals and parents feel that children are provided with good-quality care from staff who are child centred and know them well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create a warm, nurturing atmosphere in the home. Staff ensure they are available in the communal areas of the home, which encourages children out of their bedrooms and to make full use of their home. The children are comfortable in their home and have built positive, trusting relationships with the staff.

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

Children have good relationships with staff and can approach them with their concerns and feel they are listened to. This helps children feel understood, cared for and safe. Through trusted relationships, staff can tackle sensitive subjects with the children. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 4 have discussed relationships, self-harm, race and racism. Children are learning to understand issues that affect their daily lives and to recognise dangers.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the risks faced by the children they care for, and they know how to support them. However, behaviour support plans do not always give clear strategies for staff to follow.

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

Consequences are appropriate, and staff speak to the child so that they understand why any consequences used were necessary. However, children’s views and comments are not always recorded. This does not provide children with the opportunity to reflect on their actions, consider the impact on others and seek solutions to resolve conflict. On one occasion, a child received consequences, but the manager and staff had not taken into consideration the child’s emotional barriers.

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

Allegations from children are investigated quickly and fully. Children’s social workers are notified to ensure that children have the right support during the investigation process, and referrals are made to professionals to allow for independent oversight. Outcomes of investigations are fed back to children. This reassures children that they are being listened to. Development is completed with staff to enhance learning and prevent further occurrences, and necessary action is taken to ensure children are safeguarded.

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

There are clear missing-from-home plans in place, and staff are fully aware of the procedures to follow. One missing-from-home incident has taken place. Staff worked with family members to locate the child throughout the incident. Children are welcomed when they return to the home, and staff ensure that they are safe and well. This shows children that staff care about them and their welfare.

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

Staff are trained to use physical restraint. Physical restraints are used as a last resort to prevent harm to children and others. Reflection with children is carried out by someone not involved in the restraint. However, staff do not always explore appropriate behaviours and behaviour expectations with children, particularly following incidents. These discussions would aid children’s learning and rebuild relationships.

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

Records of incidents and physical interventions are not always accurate. The home’s manager has full oversight of events. She completes reflection with all staff following restraints, addresses gaps and inaccuracy in recordings and provides further development and training in this area to improve learning and prevent further occurrences.

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

Room searches are carried out to ensure the safety of children. Children are made aware, and professionals and parents are notified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the team. She is child centred, committed to the children and knows them well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 5 The manager and deputies have good oversight of the home. They use trackers and checklists to ensure managerial tasks are completed within timescales. Monthly audits are also completed, which ensures the home is operating in line with regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers follow safer recruitment procedures. This confirms staff are fully checked before being able to provide care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Induction programmes for new starters are comprehensive and take place throughout the probation period. Experienced staff members support learning and development. This ensures that staff are gaining knowledge and understanding of the role and the care of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly and are well attended. They are used to reflect on practice and ensure that staff understand and are working with behaviour support plans. The manager also uses the opportunity to reflect on learning from incidents and discuss safeguarding, whistle-blowing procedures and expectations of the role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputies ensure staff receive regular supervision sessions. These are supportive and focus on development, planning for children and providing guidance on support strategies. Annual appraisals are completed by the manager. Appraisals reflect on the past year’s achievements and challenges, focus on strengths and areas of development for individuals and goals are set for the year ahead. The manager seeks feedback from children, parents and professionals to support this. Staff feel they are fully supported by the manager and deputies and enjoy working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals state that the manager and staff communicate effectively and advocate for the children they care for. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 6

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour;

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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 develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff discuss appropriate behaviours and behaviour expectations with children, particularly following incidents and physical interventions. 13 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 13 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 7 are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments clearly detail responses to children’s identified risks and that recordings of incidents are clear, detailing triggers, staff response and outcomes. Also, leaders and managers must ensure that statutory care plans are in place for all children living in the home and that they contain relevant information and are signed and dated by relevant professionals on the date of admission.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. They should also ensure that children’s views on the given consequences are recorded. The registered person must ensure that children are not given consequences as a result of emotional barriers and ensure that only one consequence is given for each action. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that children’s plans form the basis of their care. In particular, the home’s care plan should include details of educational plans and support. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.1)

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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: 2509381 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair, 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Renée Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2509381 9 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 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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