Children's Home run by Continuum Support - Care Services Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services LTD

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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 company. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have social or emotional challenges.

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Information about this children's home

There were two children living here at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke with one of the children.

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Information about this children's home

There is currently no registered manager in this home.

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Information about this children's home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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'. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

This home does not currently have a registered manager. However, an experienced and knowledgeable interim manager is currently supporting the staff team and children. The interim manager has taken swift action to address previous requirements, although three have been reissued as further work is required.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff develop fun and nurturing relationships with children. They understand each child's risks and vulnerabilities and know the best way to respond to each child. This means that staff can help children to calm quickly and have not had to hold children to keep them safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have updated children's risk assessments and support plans to ensure that these reflect children's current needs. They include strategies for staff to follow should a risk arise and enable any new staff to quickly know how to keep children safe. Children's files are clear and easy to navigate, which will provide children with a clear understanding of their time living here, should they choose to read these later in life.

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Findings from the inspection

The supporting manager has a good understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and has responded well when concerns have been raised. Social workers and the regulator have been kept informed as needed.

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Findings from the inspection

Safeguarding information is available to staff. However, because children are settled and staff have not had to manage many serious risks in this home, staff are not confident in what they should do if children become unsafe. This has meant that when a child self-harmed, staff had to call the manager several times to understand how to proceed.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has made a minor allegation during this period. This was not immediately shared with the manager. When this was shared, the manager took appropriate action and identified learning for staff. Staff were provided with training to help them better understand how to manage allegations. However, staff were still unsure of how they would respond if a child were to inform them of an allegation.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have not gone missing from this home. Each child has a missing from home protocol in place for staff to follow should they go missing. However, staff are unsure of the protocols for each child, with one member of staff assuming that both children would be treated identically despite different ages and different needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff encourage children to try new activities and explore their interests. Children enjoy weekly clubs and classes and can make their own choices about what they do. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 3 Staff have started speaking to children about culture and heritage. They have started working with one child around understanding that child's dual heritage.

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Findings from the inspection

Both children attend school full time. When schools haven't responded to children in the best way, this has been quickly challenged by the interim manager. Similarly, when meetings and documents are overdue, the interim manager has challenged to get these in place so that all professionals are working together in the best interests of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Children's health and wellbeing need are met and the interim manager chases for appointments when needed. Staff have spoken with children about a variety of important topics, but work around sex, body boundaries, and healthy relationships has not been consistent. This means that children do not have the information they need to navigate healthy relationships.

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Findings from the inspection

The interim manager maintains clear oversight of safeguarding concerns and work completed with children. The manager evaluates staff practice and identifies areas for the team to improve. The manager has ensured that staff have completed their mandatory training and has provided additional training to meet children's individual needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager provides staff with regular opportunities to discuss children's needs and their own wellbeing. The interim manager ensures that staff have signed documents and meeting minutes to confirm their understanding and agreement with what has been written.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager makes good use of internal and external monitoring. Any actions recommended by external professionals are actioned, and reports are shared with the regulator. Similarly, other home's documents are updated and shared with the regulator as required.

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Findings from the inspection

The interim manager has reviewed and updated the home's location report to understand risks to children in the area that they live. The interim manager has reached out to some professionals to gain their knowledge to include in the report, however no meaningful responses have been received. Other professionals who could have been contacted to provide feedback for the report have not been. This is a missed opportunity to understand all risks to children in the immediate area.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff write children's documents in an empathetic and nurturing way. Similarly, staff who were observed interacting with children did so in a child-centred manner. However, one member of staff spoke about children using outdated language. This could impact on how children view themselves if they were to hear this language in their home. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/06/2024 Full Good 01/08/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 5

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff and supporting managers know and follow all safeguarding protocols. 19 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— 19 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 6 mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child's age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that targeted work is consistently completed with children to help them understand sex and healthy relationships. The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children's home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that they consult with all relevant persons and include their views when reviewing the location of the premises. 19 May 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that language used when speaking about children is non-stigmatising and child focused. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards' page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 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

Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2714558 8 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 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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