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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support – Care Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was no registered manager in post at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 20 January 2026

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/01/2026 Full Good 14/01/2025 Full Good 27/02/2024 Full Good 29/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 3

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Summary of findings

The child is settled in the home and benefits from positive relationships with staff. The deputy manager has provided stability during a period without a registered manager, and staff work effectively with other professionals to meet the child’s needs.

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Summary of findings

However, safeguarding practice is inconsistent. Staff have not always followed procedures, and some incidents have not been appropriately recorded or reported to Ofsted.

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Summary of findings

There is no registered manager in post, the home’s documents and recruitment records require improvement, and further maintenance is needed to improve the home environment.

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improvement to be good

The child has lived in the home for over nine months and is well settled. They have developed positive and trusting relationships with the adults who care for them.

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improvement to be good

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s health needs. They ensure that the child can access universal healthcare services when required. Managers advocate effectively on the child’s behalf to secure specialist assessments and therapeutic support when this is needed.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage and support the child to attend education. They arrange tutoring sessions and provide reassurance when the child is reluctant to engage. Staff work closely with education professionals and partner agencies to reduce barriers to learning and to improve the child’s educational engagement.

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improvement to be good

The child is supported to maintain important family relationships. Staff actively promote and facilitate time with family members in line with the child’s care plan. The child is also offered a range of activities and experiences that support their social development and emotional wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

The child’s bedroom is personalised to reflect their interests, helping to create a sense of belonging. However, the wider home environment requires improvement. Several maintenance issues remain outstanding from the previous inspection, including decorative work, woodwork repairs and the replacement of an external light fitting. Although some work had begun at the time of the inspection, a significant amount of maintenance is still required to ensure that children live in a welcoming and homely environment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 4

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improvement to be good

The home has experienced a period of instability due to the registered manager’s long- term absence. Despite this, the deputy manager has provided continuity of care and support for the child, contributing to a reduction in incidents of concern.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is used only when necessary and proportionate to keep the child safe. However, there have been occasions when staff have physically prevented the child from leaving the building, and these incidents have not always been recorded as physical interventions. This reduces management oversight and limits opportunities for evaluation and learning.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the child’s vulnerabilities and risks. However, practice is not consistently effective. On one occasion, staff did not follow established procedures and did not immediately remove an unsafe item from the child during a period of distress. This increased the potential risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff generally respond appropriately when the child goes missing from care. However, on one occasion, records do not show the efforts made by staff to locate the child. In addition, daily room searches are not routinely documented. These recording shortfalls reduce management oversight and hinder leaders’ ability to assess the effectiveness of safeguarding practice and the actions taken to support the child’s safe return.

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improvement to be good

The child receives regular key-work sessions that cover a range of relevant topics. They are encouraged to express their wishes and feelings and are supported to reflect on incidents. This promotes learning, self-awareness and risk reduction.

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

There is no registered manager in post. Day-to-day management responsibilities are undertaken by the deputy manager, who is supported by an experienced responsible individual.

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

New staff receive an induction before beginning the recognised childcare qualification. Staff have access to a broad range of training opportunities that help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to meet the child’s needs.

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

Staff say that they receive support from the deputy manager. Regular supervision provides opportunities for reflection, discussion and professional development. Team meetings further support learning, information and reflective practice.

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

The deputy manager has developed positive working relationships with relevant agencies. However, since the last inspection, there have been shortfalls in the notifications of serious incidents to Ofsted. This has reduced opportunities for external scrutiny and oversight of the provider’s decision-making and actions to safeguard the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 5 Risk assessments do not consistently provide staff with clear, specific guidance on the actions needed to manage identified risks. In addition, management oversight and monitoring systems are not sufficiently robust. As a result, shortfalls in recording and evaluation are not consistently found or addressed, reducing managers’ ability to assess the effectiveness of care and risk management practices.

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place. However, detailed employment history and specific start and end dates were not clearly recorded and potential gaps in employment were not explored for some staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 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 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

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

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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)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that thorough room searches are undertaken by staff to identify and remove items that may be used for self-harm, and that all room searches are clearly recorded in the home’s records. 9 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 9 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all incidents involving the use of physical restraint are fully, accurately and contemporaneously recorded within the home’s records.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that risk assessments clearly set out the required actions and expectations for staff in relation to welfare checks, and that staff maintain clear records when welfare checks have been completed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to,

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; 9 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 8 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that significant incidents are notified to Ofsted in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home is maintained to a high standard, that any damage is repaired promptly and that the environment remains clean and well presented in order to meet the needs of the child. This requirement is restated. 6 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— 9 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 9 employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that robust recruitment procedures are followed. Application forms should include the precise start and end dates for each period of employment to ensure that any gaps in employment histories for new members of staff are identified.

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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: 2593623 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Continuum Support – Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair Accounting Co Ltd, 300 St. Mary’s Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Sonja Vega, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 11 regulates and inspects 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 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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