Children's Home run by Considerate Care Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 1 SC062674 Registered provider: Considerate Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in February 2006.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 7 November 2024

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2024 Full Good 28/11/2023 Full Good 06/12/2022 Full Good 28/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home and two children remain living at the home. The child who moved on from the home enjoyed a planned move back to live with family. Prior to the child leaving the home, staff did meaningful direct work with the child, including help them to develop independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who moved on has stayed in touch with staff, which is testament to the positive relationships they developed with staff during their time at the home. Prior to moving, the child said, ‘I feel I have changed a lot from when I first moved here and I’m a lot better than I was. I have friends and I am happy now. I will miss the staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since this time, there have not been any further admissions to the home. The registered manager is mindful of the specific needs of one child currently living in the home and how this may impact on the success of subsequent placements. Although admission documents reflect on the needs of all children and how staff will meet their needs, they would benefit further from including staff’s observations of children’s behaviours as well as the wishes and feelings of the children already living in the home and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who live at the home do not have any specific ongoing health concerns, but staff promote children’s health in a variety of ways. They have registered children with relevant health professionals and provide encouragement to children to overcome their specific fears and attend appointments. For example, one child has attended numerous dental appointments to help them become familiar with the setting and people who work there, to build their confidence and allow them to accept dental treatment. The registered manager has also advocated for another child to have a specialist assessment, which has enabled them to access direct funding in line with the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a challenge for both children. While neither child has a full-time education placement, staff are proactive in working with the virtual school and, where necessary, challenge professionals to ensure that children receive the education that they deserve. While one child has not accessed formal education for some time, staff encouraged the child to engage with personal tutoring, which has enabled them to sit two GCSE exams in maths and English. Staff continue to use every opportunity to promote the importance of education with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When safe and suitable to do so, staff work hard with children to help and encourage them to spend time with the people who are important to them. Direct work sessions allow children to discuss with staff any anxieties that they may have. Staff also, at times, work as an intermediary between children and their families to strengthen and maintain relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 4 The registered manager has been successful in promoting the need for, and securing, family therapy for one child and their family to strengthen their relationship prior to the child returning home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

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

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. Their levels of reflection and professional curiosity ensure that they consider a range of possibilities linked to children’s behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have developed strong relationships with children. These enable them to have honest and, at times, difficult conversations with children in their care about their behaviour and the potential impact that this may have on their future aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Risks to children living at the home are low. Children do not demonstrate high-level risk-taking behaviours, but staff remain vigilant in their observations of children’s behaviour and what this may mean.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The property is well maintained. There is a range of management audit tools that ensure that the property remains a safe and suitable environment for children to live in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been some instances where children have misused substances. Although staff have taken appropriate action to safeguard children in these instances, they have not received training about substance misuse. Training in this subject will ensure that staff have a detailed knowledge to promote the health needs of children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is an experienced and qualified registered manager at the home. She is a reflective practitioner who is child focused. She shares this ethos with the staff team, who, as a result, are also reflective in their practice and this is identified in recordings at the home. One social worker said, ‘If I had more [Name of registered manager] in other residential settings, that would be great.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a stable staff team that provides a consistent approach to children. The use of agency staff has been minimal. Where this has been necessary, the registered manager ensures that she has a profile for each individual agency worker to ensure that they are safe and suitable individuals to be around the children in her care. One social worker said, ‘I really, really rate the care; it is an impeccable set up. This is a family based set up where everyone knows what’s happening.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff receive regular supervision. Staff also report that they feel supported by the registered manager and deputy manager. They work closely as a team. This, in turn, helps the children to grow and develop. Staff also have access to a range of training that provides them with the skills to carry out their role. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 5 Regular team meetings provide an opportunity for the team to discuss the needs of children as well as any concerns that they may have for children’s welfare.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from professionals is that communication with the home is positive. Staff keep professionals up to date about the children and share any concerns that they may have, as well as sharing possible solutions to any situation as a suitable way forward. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff receive training about substance misuse. 9 September 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. Staff’s observations of children’s behaviours, as well as the wishes and feelings of the children already living in the home and staff, should also be considered. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: SC062674 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Considerate Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 4AH

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Inspector

Julia Toller, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format

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Inspector

or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for children’s home: SC062674 9

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