Children's Home run by Supporting Futures Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children's home: 2812627 1 Registered provider: Supporting Futures 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 provides care for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024. Five children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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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: 2812627 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2812627 3

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Summary of findings

Children feel happy and safe living in this home. The home is spacious, homely and has shared areas that are tailored to children's needs.

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Summary of findings

Children's health needs are well met. They also make good progress in their personal care, independence and social development.

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Summary of findings

Staff enjoy their role and feel fully supported by the manager and deputy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved out of the home and 4 children have moved in since the last inspection. When children move into the home, staff implement planned introductions and welcome arrangements to help them settle, feel comfortable and develop positive relationships. While some children have experienced unplanned endings, staff have worked to ensure that their moves are managed as sensitively as possible, with consideration given to each child's individual needs and circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have an education provision and enjoy attending. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure that children make meaningful progress. An assistant headteacher praised staff for offering ongoing stability for a child who moved to the home, describing the support and communication as 'brilliant'.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's health needs are well promoted. One child has been given encouragement and support around eating habits, enabling them to progress from a limited diet to eating a wider range of foods. This has resulted in increased weight, strength and overall wellbeing. Another child was supported to manage their lifelong health condition, enabling a greater level of self-care and independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain meaningful relationships with people who are important to them, including family and friends. When children experience bereavement or loss, staff provide sensitive support by recognising significant events and memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a cosy and welcoming home. They spend time with staff sharing meals and participating in activities and games together. Children are encouraged to contribute to the planning of their summer trips and holidays, ensuring that their views influence life in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's bedrooms are highly individualised and personalised to their interests. They provide a sense of identity and belonging. The home displays many photographs of children enjoying their hobbies and achievements. Staff recognise children's progress and plan activities to celebrate it, so children feel valued and care for. Inspection report for children's home: 2812627 4

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

Children have formed trusting and positive relationships with staff, who know their needs and vulnerabilities well. Children are happy and safe.

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

Staff know how to escalate safeguarding concerns. When allegations are made, the provider takes swift action, follows procedures and liaises with partner agencies, so investigations are completed in a timely fashion.

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

Medication is managed well. There are systems in place to ensure that children receive the right medication for their needs. Staff consult with medical professionals to ensure that medication is regularly reviewed.

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed at the home.

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

Staff are able to defuse incidents in line with their training. As a result, the use of physical intervention has significantly reduced and children are happier. When it has been necessary to physically hold a child, children are offered opportunities to reflect on incidents with staff. Records of physical intervention do not always include the duration of the hold. Managers have not consistently identified this shortfall through their monitoring.

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

Children's risks and vulnerabilities are reviewed and, when appropriate, children have behaviour support plans. However, the guidance in risk assessments is not always clear or sufficiently individual to each child.

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

Measures to reduce online risks are not always implemented. Staff do not always carry out planned checks on children's electronic devices. This reduces opportunities to identify emerging risks and to implement safeguarding strategies at the earliest opportunity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. He is a visible presence in the home and children's needs are at the heart of his practice. He is approachable and, through his caring approach, has built trusting relationships with children and staff. The manager is supported by a strong leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable staff team that has completed training that is individual to the children's needs. Staff are suitably qualified or have been enrolled on the relevant qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported and receive regular, reflective supervision sessions, where they have the opportunity to discuss and reflect on their work with the children. Inspection report for children's home: 2812627 5 Children's wishes and views are sought regularly by the introduction of a children's 'Sunday morning group'. Children's choices about food and activities is incorporated into weekly menu planners.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management audit process provides comprehensive oversight of both care practice and operational matters. Regular monitoring supports the identification of areas for improvement and promotes accountability. The registered manager maintains oversight of actions arising from audits and external monitoring activities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager reviews significant incidents. However, oversight of significant events once concluded do not always identify follow up actions for children or staff that could strengthen the quality of care provided. Inspection report for children's home: 2812627 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 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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that individual risk management plans provide staff with clear strategies to manage and reduce risk.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all measures are put in place to ensure that children are safe online. 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2812627 7 a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when physical intervention has been used, the record is reviewed and all information required is completed, including the length of the hold.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that monitoring and review of significant incidents identifies whether any further follow-up action is required to improve the quality of care provided. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,' page 54, paragraph 10.23)

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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: 2812627 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Supporting Futures Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair, 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspectors

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Sadie Green, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2812627 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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