Children's Home run by Sapphire Futures Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home: 2826005 1 Registered provider: Sapphire Futures 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

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

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection and were spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and provider registered with Ofsted in April 2025. This is the home’s first inspection.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2826005 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children moved into this home shortly after it was registered. Staff supported both children to have a well-planned move into the home. This included opportunities to meet with staff and visit the home before moving in. This helps children to settle in quickly and to start building trusting relationships from the beginning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a clean and comfortable environment. Each child’s room reflects their unique character and interests. The home is decorated well with a variety of photos of the children doing activities that they enjoy. This gives children a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are making good progress from their starting points in the short amount of time that they have lived in the home. Staff provide consistent support, tailored to the children’s needs, which has supported them to make positive choices and develop confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making educational progress. Both children had been out of school for some time and are now attending full time. For one child, this means that they have been able to secure a college place. The other child has begun a transition into school gradually, supported by in-home tutoring. Coordinated transition plans between staff and school staff have supported children’s school attendance. As a result, children are now actively engaging in learning and have brighter futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities in the home and local community. Staff encourage and support their personal interests, such as horse riding and playing pool. Staff arrange activities in the home based on the children’s suggestions and recently took part in a whole-house card game tournament.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from warm, trusting relationships with staff. These positive relationships help children to feel safe and valued. Staff also work proactively to support and maintain children’s family relationships, recognising the importance of these connections for children’s well-being.

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

Children’s voices are central to the culture of the home. Children say that they feel listened to and actively seek support from staff when they need support or guidance.

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

Staff and managers work closely with the wider team around children to support children’s complex needs. Regular multidisciplinary meetings and good communication between professionals prioritise children’s safety and well-being. They also support staff and managers’ understanding of risk, which has enabled them to provide good levels of support to children and has led to a reduction in risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 2826005 3 Staff know the children extremely well. They are attuned to the children’s vulnerabilities and needs. Managers ensure that there are clear plans in place, which are detailed and regularly updated. This ensures that staff have up-to-date guidance on how to effectively promote the children’s safety and well-being and manage behaviour.

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

Incidents in the home are rare. Professionals say this is due to the strong and trusting relationships staff have developed with children and the calm and safe environment. This means that children feel supported and understood by the people who care for them.

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

Staff engage children in regular and supportive key-work sessions. These are written to children in a nurturing tone. They address different aspects of children’s lives, including areas of risk and actions to help them stay safe. The conversations are reflective and give children the opportunity to explore their feelings and different ways to express them.

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

Staff place a significant emphasis on preparing children for adulthood through detailed independence plans that are aligned to children’s individual needs. Staff are skilled in balancing this with a thorough understanding of each child and their plans for the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a focused vision for the children and staff team. She is committed to improving outcomes for the children. Managers prioritise building relationships with the staff team and children to fully embed the model of care. This has been successful, and staff say that they enjoy coming into work. As a result, morale is high in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by managers. Staff receive regular supervision, which is highly reflective. This supervision focuses on the development and training of staff and promotes practice discussions that focus on the safety and care of children. As a result, managers have a good understanding of staff skills and how to support them to develop further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager’s oversight of the home is good. She uses monitoring systems which are reflective and underpinned by seeking out learning opportunities to improve staff practice and experiences for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the strengths and areas for improvement in the home. Any areas for development are actioned and are included in the home’s development plan. This means that the home continues to move forward. Inspection report for children’s home: 2826005 4

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2826005 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sapphire Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 48-52 Penny Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside L18 1DG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Annmarie Harrickie

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Inspector

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2826005 6 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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