Children's Home run by Contemporary Concept Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 1 Registered provider: Contemporary Concept Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. The inspector spoke to both of them.

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 requires improvement to be 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: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making measured progress from their stating points. Their participation in education has significantly improved. As such, they now have the chance to develop skills and qualifications that will improve their job prospects.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to take part in activities that reflect their individual interests. One child who has a passion for horses, regularly goes horse riding and has been supported to access a college to attend equine studies. Another child is supported to maintain positive relationships with their friend outside of the home, which helps them to develop their social skills.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with essential health services. Staff respond appropriately to children’s emotional needs and ensure that they have access to specialist mental health services when they are in crisis. This demonstrates that staff are committed to safeguarding children and promoting their emotional well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to enjoy positive and meaningful time with their family and people who are important to them. This contributes to their sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is sufficient space in the home to allow children opportunities to socialise with each other and enjoy time alone. In addition, leaders and managers have improved the rear garden area, creating a more welcoming outdoor environment for children. However, some aspects of the home environment require improvement. This includes worn carpets in the hallway and bedrooms, damage to skirting boards on the landing and areas of paintwork that need redecoration.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Records do not demonstrate that children are being supported to learn and develop skills that will prepare them for adult life.

p.3

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

Children have individualised risk assessments that identify known risks and outline appropriate strategies for staff to follow. When new risks are identified, the registered manager puts measures in place to mitigate against these, but this is not reflected in children’s risk assessments.

p.3

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

Staff undergo a thorough application and selection process in line with safer recruitment practices to ensure that children are protected from individuals who are unsuitable to work in the home.

p.3

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

Missing-from-home incidents are managed effectively. There is a clear focus on multi- agency working when searching for children. Staff work closely with safeguarding partners and children’s associates to locate and return them to the home safely. Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 4 Leaders, managers and staff exercise careful judgement in balancing children’s right to privacy with the need to safeguard them. As a result, room searches are only conducted in response to concerns around children’s welfare.

p.3

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

There has been one physical intervention since the last inspection, which was used as a last resort to protect a child from harm. Records demonstrate that there was a delay in anyone speaking with the child about their experience following the hold. In addition, leaders and managers did not speak with the staff member involved in the hold. This limits opportunities for staff learning, reflection and thorough management oversight.

p.4

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

Safeguarding incidents are low. When they do occur, records indicate that they are generally managed well. Staff engage children in discussions about risks associated with their behaviour and make appropriate referrals to specialist support when this is required. Although the registered manager reviews all incidents, shortfalls in safeguarding practice are not always identified. This is a missed opportunity to develop staff’s practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is suitably trained and qualified. She continues to lead the team, providing consistent and stable leadership. She speaks passionately about the children and staff and is ambitious for the children to reach their full potential.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers’ monitoring and reviewing systems in the home are not effective as they have not identified shortfalls in staff practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not ensured that the children’s guide clearly sets out staff expectations around the use of vapes in the home. Furthermore, the workforce plan does not include details of the staff induction process and up-to-date records concerning the training that staff have completed.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A significant education meeting for one child was missed, resulting in the registered manager lacking a clear understanding of the decisions made in relation to the child’s education. This lapse in oversight means that care planning and advocacy for the child may not be effective.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The health assessment for one child is significantly delayed. Despite this, the registered manager has not been able to demonstrate that reasonable steps have been taken to escalate the delay with the children’s placing authority. Furthermore, not all placing authority documents are present on children’s files. This compromises the ability of staff to make informed decisions about children’s care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not ensured that direct work with children has taken place when they refuse to take part in key aspects of their care. No direct work has been completed with children who refused to take part in fire evacuation procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 5 Staff say that they feel supported by the registered manager. Supervisions take place monthly and provide staff with one-to-one, focused support. Additionally, staff have access to various training opportunities that provide them with the skills and knowledge required for their role.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings take place regularly and are used as a forum to focus on staff practice and improvement. Some discussions led by the registered manager are inappropriate. On one occasion, staff were directed on how to respond to a question that the regulator might ask during the inspection. This undermines transparency and professional integrity. Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that delays in receiving minutes following PEP meetings are raised with the child’s placing authority and, where necessary, escalated to the relevant managers.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that delays in children having health assessments are raised with the placing authority. Leaders and managers must also use forums, such as children’s LAC reviews to raise this issue where possible. 28 November 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(ii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that internal areas of the home are well maintained. 28 November 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the 28 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 7 children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(c)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that safeguarding incidents are thoroughly reviewed to identify shortfalls in staff practice.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there are systems in place to ensure that care planning meetings for children are not missed.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that direct work is completed with children who are reluctant to take part in fire evacuations.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that they lead and manage the home in a way that discourages closed cultures.

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(c)) 28 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 8

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that new and emerging risks, and strategies to manage these, are immediately updated in children’s safety plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that the workforce plan includes an up-to-date record of the staff training completed and qualifications achieved. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 52, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that there is recorded evidence of work completed with children to prepare them for living independently. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards.’ page 57, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide is updated to include the home’s policy on children vaping in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home

p.8

Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.23)

p.8

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: 2639649 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Contemporary Concept Care Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Wyndham Close, Eastham, Wirral CH62 0DH

p.9

Inspector

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2639649 10 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.

p.9

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10