Children's home run by Continuum Support - Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2750122 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services Ltd

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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 by a private provider and offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was 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 October 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection, and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2750122 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2750122 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work hard to build positive relationships with the child, based on trust and respect. These relationships provide a strong foundation for the child’s development. The child views the home as their own and refers to staff as family. One staff member told a child, ‘We are not your staff; we are your people.’ Staff show genuine care and warmth, which is reflected in the quality of care provided. Managers understand the importance of these relationships and prepare the child carefully for any changes, while helping them maintain important connections. For example, a staff member on maternity leave wrote a song for the child to support them with difficulties they are experiencing at school. The child keeps this song on their phone and plays it regularly, showing the lasting impact of these relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has made exceptional progress in all areas of their life due to the high standard of care provided. Staff understand and meet the child’s health needs effectively. They work hard to help the child understand changes to their body and health, supporting the development of skills to manage their own needs. Staff know the child well and are responsive to changes in their wellbeing. They support the child to learn safe strategies for managing difficult feelings. As a result, incidents of self-injury have reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is prioritised by staff, who quickly identify and address barriers to the child’s engagement. Managers work closely with education professionals and provide appropriate challenge when the child’s needs are not met. This has led to a full review of the child’s educational needs and the implementation of suitable support. As a result, the child has progressed from a part-time timetable with 11% attendance to a full-time timetable with 96% attendance. This improvement has enhanced the child’s future opportunities and increased their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have a clear understanding of the child’s social needs and celebrate their achievements. As a result, the child is supported to pursue personal interests and hobbies. This has enabled the child to progress from being unable to manage social situations to successfully leading craft stalls and selling items they have made. These experiences build the child’s confidence, strengthen social skills, and create links with the local community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide the child with opportunities and experiences that create positive memories. Photographs of these experiences are displayed throughout the home, adding to the homely environment. Staff nurture the child’s relationships with their family, supporting them to maintain important relationships. This helps the child to build support networks for the future. For example, staff accompanied the child on a family holiday, enabling them to celebrate their sister’s birthday. Staff also include the child’s family in Christmas celebrations and ensure that the child’s mother is involved in decisions about the child’s care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2750122 4

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

The child’s known risks have reduced because of the care provided by staff. The child’s plans are detailed and give staff clear guidance on the steps required to keep the child safe. This ensures consistency in staff practice. Staff are confident in identifying changing or emerging risks and are able to avert or de-escalate these effectively.

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

When incidents occur, staff work closely with the manager to reflect on the learning and implement necessary changes. Managers seek the views of the child, staff, and other connected persons to identify and embed learning. As a result, staff practice continues to evolve to meet the child’s changing needs, thereby reducing risk.

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

Staff work with the child to establish routines, rewards, and boundaries. As a result, the child understands decisions made about their care. Consistent routines and boundaries are maintained, with incentives and rewards used effectively to support positive behaviour. Staff hold important conversations with the child to support their understanding of risk, teaching strategies to stay safe and skills to recognise potential dangers. As a result, the child is increasingly able to recognise and respond to risk, seeking staff support when needed. This has led to a reduction in incidents of risk- taking.

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

The child is encouraged to take manageable risks appropriate to their ability and level of understanding. They are supported to develop essential life skills for the future, such as cooking and travelling. Staff recognise that as the child moves towards independence, they will encounter risk. Staff embrace life opportunities to guide the child through these situations, using their knowledge and skills to provide support. For example, staff have supported the child during holidays abroad and accessing social activities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a manager and deputy manager who manage two homes. The manager is child-centred, highly visible and leads the staff team by example. She is ambitious for her staff and promotes high standards through effective management monitoring systems. These systems enable her to maintain a clear understanding of the quality of care provided. When shortfalls in practice are identified, the manager addresses them promptly and decisively, ensuring that issues are resolved quickly. This approach promotes high standards of care and reinforces a culture of accountability within the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is committed to continuous staff development, offering a range of opportunities for staff to build on their skills. Reflection and research-informed practice are used effectively to support staff learning and professional growth. Staff say they are proud to work in this home. Staff morale in the home is exceptionally high. Staff enjoy their work and feel well supported by managers. One member of staff said, ‘They [the managers] invest in us so we can invest in [name of child].’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2750122 5 The manager leads a strengths-based approach to staff development, fostering a positive working environment built on mutual respect. Staff are trusted to use their initiative, including assessing emerging risks and identifying strategies to mitigate them. This approach enables staff to work collaboratively in responding to the child’s changing needs. For example, one staff member researched how the child’s specific health needs,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

when combined, may influence behaviours. This prompted a reflective team discussion and a review of the strategies used to support the child. Staff routinely share their ideas in team meetings and supervisions. As a result, the adults who know the child best actively contribute to recognising when adjustments to care are required, ensuring that care planning remains responsive and tailored to the child’s evolving needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager demonstrates effective partnership working with external professionals, making a strong contribution to multi-agency assessment and planning. Professionals who know the child well are overwhelmingly positive about the quality of care provided by staff. The social worker reflected that the child is a ‘completely different child’ because of the care and support offered by staff. Similarly, the independent reviewing officer stated that ‘[name of child] wouldn’t be where [name of child] is now without them [the staff].’ This feedback highlights the significant progress the child has made as a direct result of the staff’s consistent care and the manager’s effective leadership in ensuring collaborative, child-centred practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2750122 6

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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: 2750122 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services Ltd

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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 Griffiths, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2750122 8 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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Inspector

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