Children's Home run by Supporting Futures Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 1 Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home provides care for up to three children who may experience emotional and social difficulties and/or have a learning disability.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted on 17 April 2023.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2024 Full Good 11/10/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home and two children have moved into the home. The registered manager undertakes thorough assessments to ensure that staff can meet the needs of children before they move into the home. The registered manager engages advocates, where necessary, to ensure that children’s views are heard about the plans for their futures. Staff celebrate the successes and achievements of children before they move on from the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they are happy living in the home and are cared for by staff who demonstrate love and affection towards them. Despite this, the registered manager and her team have shared their concerns with professionals about the impact of two children, who are siblings, living together. Staff have been proactive in their approach to monitoring the children’s behaviours and keeping both children safe.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Plans for children clearly outline the arrangements for children to keep in touch with the people who are important to them. Risks associated with this are outlined clearly, with guidance in place for staff to follow should any concerns arise. Plans contain the views of children about how they wish to be cared for, what makes them happy and what they do not like. This ensures that children are cared for consistently.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the physical and mental health needs of children through ongoing health checks and the involvement of specialist professionals as and when necessary. The registered manager is proactive in ensuring that children receive the help and support that they need, including specialist assessments.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experience of education is varied. One child has a full-time placement in a local mainstream school. Although the child is experiencing some challenges, staff are working well with the school to maintain the placement. The other child does not yet have a school placement but does engage daily in tutoring locally. The registered manager has been proactive in her attempts to secure a school placement for this child and is in regular contact with the virtual school to secure a specialist assessment, which will ensure that a suitable school can be identified for the child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive rewards for positive behaviour. Children are clear about what they must do to earn rewards. Rewards are specific to the young age of the children and are rewarded swiftly so that they understand what they are being rewarded for. Staff arrange a daily ‘reward ceremony’ for the end of the school day, where staff remind children of their targets and what they have achieved that day. Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 4

p.3

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

Children rarely receive consequences for their behaviour, as staff prefer to focus on rewards for positive behaviours. Risk assessments clearly outline the risks to children as well as the strategies for staff to follow to minimise these risks. Staff are vigilant in monitoring the behaviour of children and intervening where necessary to ensure the safety of the children in their care.

p.4

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

As a result of the staff’s concerns for children’s safety due to their age and sometimes impulsive behaviours, staff have been routinely locking the front door, thus preventing the children from leaving the home. However, the need for this practice was not identified in the children’s risk assessments and was not subject to a formal review. The registered manager has, however, acted proactively in requesting funding for increased staffing levels to manage the children’s behaviours more effectively. Now that additional staffing has been secured, there has been no further need to lock the doors.

p.4

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

The home is a warm and comfortable place for children to live. Their bedrooms reflect their individual interests. However, the home is located on a busy main road, and this has been a cause for concern for the current children who live at the home. The location risk assessment does not currently include the risks associated with the location of the home.

p.4

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

While records are generally of a good standard, there are times when the registered manager has not fully evaluated the actions of staff and therefore missed opportunities to identify any learning that may improve practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. Staff described the registered manager as providing them with support when they need it. Professionals say that the registered manager is child centred and does her best to keep the children safe.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The children who currently live in the home moved into the home outside of the age range specified in the home’s statement of purpose. Despite this, the children’s placement was suitable, with staff having the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to meet their needs. The registered manager has since updated the statement of purpose to reflect this.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a core staff team that provides consistent care to children. Due to an increase in staffing levels and the introduction of a night staff officer, to ensure that children are safe, the registered manager has needed to use agency staff. The registered manager has ensured that as much consistency as possible has been maintained for children and recruitment is ongoing to secure additional permanent staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 5 Staff also benefit from regular team meetings, where they discuss the needs of the children and the impact of these on each child. The team remains committed to the needs of the children as individuals as well as siblings.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report that they receive regular supervision that enables them to discuss any concerns that they may have with their role and development. Staff also benefit from a range of training. However, as part of the admission process for the current children, the registered manager identified that due to the age of the brothers, staff would benefit from training in play therapy. This has not yet been arranged for staff.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are of a good quality, but the manager’s evaluation does not include whether she believes that staff have acted appropriately and followed children’s plans. This is a missed opportunity to improve practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

p.6

Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

p.6

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (1)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the locking of doors. 23 June 2025

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when establishing the home, they ensure that it is suitably located so that children are safeguarded effectively. The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that all staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Records should all include a clear evaluation from the registered manager that identifies whether staff have acted appropriately and proportionately and in accordance with the child’s plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, specifically play therapy, to ensure

p.6

Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 7 that they have the necessary skills to meet the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

p.7

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: 2719793 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Julia Toller, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2719793 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

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 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 .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9