Children's Home run by Continuum Support - Care Services Limited in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC473375 1 SC473375 Registered provider: Continuum Support

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home 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.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

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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: SC473375 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Good 18/07/2023 Full Good 01/11/2022 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC473375 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they like living in the home and they like their staff. Children develop a sense of belonging because staff understand the importance of stability for children. Staff provide individualised care to children which supports them to make good progress.

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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 in. When children move out of the home, they are well supported by staff. Transitions are planned carefully. Children receive support to adapt to their new environment. This begins with independence work, where children are supported to develop the skills they need to care for themselves and move on to independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children arrive at the home, their risks and needs, as well as those of the other children living in the home, are not fully considered. Consequently, staff are unable to plan and prepare effectively for their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support and encourage children to engage in education. When challenges arise, the manager and staff work collaboratively with schools to identify and implement strategies that meet individual needs. A more suitable placement was identified for one child, and a tailored education package has been implemented for another. This demonstrates that children are supported to overcome barriers to learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff speak positively and with affection about the children. They treat them with dignity and respect. Children’s identity needs are managed with sensitivity, and children are able to safely explore who they are. Children are consulted regularly to ensure that their views are fully captured. This enables children to feel heard and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard. There is space for the children to engage in activities. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and contain items that are important to them. This helps to give the children a sense of belonging and a home they are proud of.

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

Support plans and risk assessments are comprehensive and outline individualised strategies to guide staff in delivering consistent care. These plans are implemented effectively in day-to-day practice, ensuring that each child’s unique needs are met.

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

Children’s mental health and emotional well-being are fully understood. Staff understand children’s mental health needs well and recognise when they might need additional support. Actions are put in place to ensure children remain safe.

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

When children are missing from the home, staff take suitable action to search for them throughout the night to ensure they return as quickly and safely as possible. Staff work Inspection report for children’s home: SC473375 4 with external professionals, such as the missing-from-home team and the police, to support a safe return.

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

Key-work sessions cover important safety topics, including online safety and safe relationships. However, some information shared during sessions is not always factually accurate.

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

Following incidents, staff speak to children about what happened and reinforce expectations of appropriate behaviour. Records of discussions demonstrate the strength of the relationships between staff and children, with staff showing appropriate curiosity and sensitively helping children to explore their feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is ambitious and has high aspirations for the children living at the home. They lead by example in encouraging staff to keep children at the centre of their practice. The manager knows the children well and has a good understanding of their experiences and how to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home and feel valued and supported. There is a positive ethos within the home, and the staff aspire to improve the lives of the children who live there. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities and have a shared sense of ownership and accountability. They work well as a team, and leaders and managers lead by example.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager values the input and views of external agencies. To support a multi-agency approach, the manager holds joint meetings with social workers. These positive relationships are effective in helping staff and external professionals work together to promote good care and consistency for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that there are sufficient staff to meet the needs of the children. Additional overnight staff have been used at times when children have been unsettled, which has provided them with stability and reassurance. These arrangements are closely monitored and regularly reviewed to make sure staffing levels remain appropriate and responsive to the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by managers. Regular supervision sessions provide ongoing support to staff and include reflective discussions covering children’s needs, staff development and overall well-being. This supports staff in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers carry out annual performance appraisals with staff, however, these do not include feedback from children or other professionals. This limits opportunities for staff to reflect on their development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC473375 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they only accept placements for children where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that appraisals are completed in timescale and include the views of the children and other professionals. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that records of key-worker sessions are purposeful and are helpful to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC473375 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair Accounting Co Ltd, 300 St Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC473375 7 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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