Children's Home run by St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: SC035971 1 SC035971 Registered provider: St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. It offers short breaks for a maximum of 4 children at any one time. The home provides care for children with physical disabilities and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were 4 children staying at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 2024.

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC035971 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2025 Full Outstanding 20/02/2024 Full Outstanding 14/03/2023 Full Outstanding 07/09/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC035971 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children form strong and positive relationships with staff and feel safe and secure during their stay at the home. Staff treat children with dignity and respect, and they experience exceptional care that is sensitive to their individual needs and abilities. Staff spoken to during the inspection spoke fondly and with pride about the children they support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from well-planned stays. There is robust planning in place to help and prepare children who are new to the home. Children are made to feel welcome; this is done with the best possible planning considering children’s and their families’ individual circumstances. This planning helps children and their families to be confident in the new surroundings and start to build positive relationships. One parent described the home as a ‘lifeline for our family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff make sure that they provide children with enriching opportunities which expand their life experiences. Staff support children to take part in a wide range of stimulating and age-appropriate activities to meet their sensory needs and their hobbies and interests. These activities take place in the home and in the community. This means that children can access experiences which they may not otherwise be able to. Children benefit greatly from spending time at the home and have fun whilst they stay there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff encourage children to enhance and develop their communication through communication aids such as Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS), objects of reference or Makaton but also respect that for some children they prefer to express their views, wishes and feelings in a way which works best for them rather than through a formal communication method. Furthermore, the manager has improved the PECS used by staff, based on recent research which has made the system easier for children to use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have lots of different ways to have their views, wishes and feelings heard and staff actively seek children’s views and input into all aspects of their care. Staff encourage children to express their individual identities and preferences. One parent described the staff team as ‘absolutely fantastic’ and said that ‘they really understand my child as an individual.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported and encouraged during their stay to enhance and develop their independence and life skills in line with their age, ability and understanding which has helped to prepare them for moving into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The physical environment for children is safe and secure and protects them from harm. There are photos throughout the home showing the fun activities children take part in while they have been staying there. These photos capture children’s memories and helps children feel a sense of belonging when staying there. Specialist equipment makes sure that all areas of the home are inclusive for all children who stay there. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035971 4

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

There is a strong and proactive response to safeguarding. Staff are trained in safeguarding and are skilled in identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns. When there are concerns about staff practice these are acted upon swiftly by leaders and managers. Children’s welfare remains a priority throughout these incidents; managers ensure that the relevant professionals are notified. Staff understand whistleblowing procedures and have followed these in practice when necessary. Following the conclusion of any incidents staff are provided with suitable support for their emotional wellbeing and have an opportunity to reflect on difficult situations with managers in the home.

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

Children who stay at the home have wide ranging complex needs. Staff have the appropriate skills and experience to support every child’s individual needs. When needed, external support is commissioned to provide staff with training specific to children’s needs.

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

There are clear and detailed plans to inform staff of children’s health and medical needs. This supports staff to understand children’s complex needs and ensure that they provide suitable and individualised support to each child. Staff work with health professionals to improve children’s health and implement strategies which benefit children in all areas of their lives. Staff are proactive in sharing relevant information and strategies with all professionals involved in children’s lives, which contributes to consistency of care and improvement to the children’s lives.

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

Each child’s individual risks are detailed in their support plans. These are robust documents which are frequently reviewed and updated and give clear information, guidance, and strategies to staff to ensure consistent responses to children’s behaviours. Staff understand these documents and put them into practice.

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

Staff know the children they care for well and can quickly identify if a child is unhappy or upset. Staff use strategies detailed in children’s plans alongside their relationships with children to comfort and reassure them.

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

Children receive help and support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. Staff understand children’s experiences, respond with appropriate boundaries about what is safe and acceptable for each child, and seek to understand the triggers for behaviour. Positive behaviour is promoted, and achievements are celebrated with children.

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

Children receive high levels of close care, support, and supervision from staff. Due to the positive relationships between staff and children and the effectiveness of support strategies, physical intervention has been used minimally. When it has been necessary, the method used has been the least restrictive possible and used for the minimum amount of time needed.

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

There are systems in place for the safer recruitment of staff, this ensures that staff who are new to the home are safe to work with children. However, when staff have Inspection report for children’s home: SC035971 5 transferred to different roles within the organisation additional references have not been obtained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is an experienced manager who is supported by a deputy manager. They are positive role models for children and the team. Staff spoken to describe the management team as available, approachable, and always willing to offer support and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers know children well and have an ambitious vision for what children can achieve. The manager has successfully created a culture in which staff aspire to improve the lives of children they care for and always place the needs of children at the heart of their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are well cared for by a consistent and stable workforce who are suitably trained and qualified. As a team they provide kindness and nurture to children in addition to supporting children to flourish and develop.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a positive ethos in the home. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities and have a shared sense of ownership and accountability; they work well as a team and managers lead by example. Staff enjoy working at the home and feel valued and supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers understand the homes strengths and have systems in place to quickly identify and respond to any areas for improvement. They are constantly looking for ways to improve the home and provide new opportunities for children. Staff strive to understand the children who they care for, and they use research to inform and improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision sessions take place; they are used to support staff wellbeing and to identify tasks and staff responsibilities, but they are not practice related. For some staff these formal sessions do not take place regularly. This reduces the time provided to staff to reflect on their practice and the impact they have on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff are proactive and reactive to children’s changing and complex needs and there is a whole team approach to identifying and introducing creative and new strategies to support children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff are committed to working together with parents, placing authorities, specialist health providers and schools. There is a great emphasis placed on multi-agency and partnership links. These positive and effective working relationships make sure that children consistently receive a high level of care and ensures that there is a wraparound approach to supporting positive outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC035971 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 13 March 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that suitable reference checks take place for members of staff who transfer to the staff team from within the organisation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC035971 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Children & Young Peoples Services, Atlas House, 2 Corporation Street, St Helens WA9 1LD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Paula Swindlehurst

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC035971 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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Inspector

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