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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 1 Registered provider: Continuum Support - Care Services Limited

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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 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. A manager has been appointed but has not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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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Inspection date: 8 September 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 8 September 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors 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: 2593623 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Ineffective safeguarding and risk management.  Leaders do not consistently identify or address shortfalls in staff practice.  The child was refused access to the crisis line when they requested support and was able to purchase items previously used in an unsafe way.  Staff have gone to bed while the child was missing from home.  Leadership and management have not secured timely multi-agency support despite a significant escalation in risk and there is a high reliance on agency staff within the home.  There are concerns regarding fire risk management, including actions identified within the fire risk assessment not being completed, fire doors propped open and a fire-setting incident involving the child not being reported to the regulator.  The condition of the home is poor, and the child does not have a curtain or blind in their bedroom, compromising their privacy and dignity.

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Findings from the inspection

Shortfalls in the leadership and management of this home have resulted in the child not being safeguarded effectively. The child’s experiences of living at the home are not consistently positive.

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Findings from the inspection

The child accesses daily tuition and has a place at a specialist education provision. The child takes part in a range of activities and is due to start army cadets. Staff support the child to see their family and to access health support.

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Findings from the inspection

There is damage and wear and tear throughout the home that has not been addressed. The child’s bedroom is sparsely furnished for their safety but there is no plan about how and when their furniture will be returned. The child’s window is not secure, and they do not have curtains. This compromises the child’s privacy and dignity.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not sufficiently support the child’s mental health needs. After one incident, staff did not allow the child to speak with the external mental health crisis line when they requested. This prevented the child from accessing immediate support at a time of need.

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Findings from the inspection

There are significant weaknesses in safeguarding and risk management. Staff do not consistently follow the child’s deprivation of liberty order, and the required level of supervision set out is not always provided. As a result, the safeguards intended to protect the child are not reliably in place. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 3 On one occasion, inadequate supervision enabled the child to deliberately cause a fire and pour water over electrical equipment, placing themselves and others at risk. The child has also been allowed to buy items that present a known self-harm risk, which the child subsequently used in an unsafe way.

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Findings from the inspection

When the child is missing from care staff generally search for them and report them missing. However, practice is not consistently safe. On one occasion, staff went to bed when the child was still missing. There is no evidence that return home interviews have taken place. This limits opportunities to understand the reasons for the child going missing and reduce future risk.

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Findings from the inspection

When physical restraint is used, this is proportionate. However, unapproved holds have been used, and debriefs for children and staff are inconsistent. Managers do not ensure that staff consistently apply the approaches designed to promote safe practice and reflection after incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Room searches are not consistently recorded despite evidence they have taken place. This limits management oversight of safeguarding practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have not consistently identified or addressed shortfalls in staff practice. Staff say they do not feel supported by leaders and managers. This is beginning to influence how effectively they respond to the demands of the role.

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Findings from the inspection

The home relies heavily on agency staff. This affects the consistency and continuity of care provided to the child and places additional pressure on a staff team already managing complex behaviours.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to obtain multi-agency support in a timely manner despite an escalation in risk. This has reduced the level of coordinated oversight needed to support the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Fire safety management is not sufficiently robust. Staff prop fire doors open, resulting in non-compliance with fire safety regulations and exposing the child to avoidable risk. Required actions from the fire risk assessment have also not been completed, and a fire-setting incident involving the child was not notified to the regulator. As a result, important oversight and follow-up have been missed. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/06/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/01/2026 Full Good 14/01/2025 Full Good 27/02/2024 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 1 Nov 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 6 Leaders and managers must ensure that staff understand and fulfil their responsibilities in relation to the child’s deprivation of liberty order, and that sufficient staffing levels and effective supervision arrangements are maintained at all times to safeguard children and minimise the risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff are able to support the child’s emotional wellbeing and mental health needs and respond promptly to requests for access to appropriate support services.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current risks, provide clear guidance for staff practice, and identify measures to prevent access to items known to contribute to self-harm.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that all room searches are necessary, proportionate, clearly justified, and recorded in accordance with the home’s policies and procedures.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that clear and robust procedures are in place for responding to children who go missing from the home during the night, and that all staff are familiar with and able to follow these procedures.

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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

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 staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 1 Nov 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 7 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; 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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the skills and training to safely undertake physical interventions and that children and staff are de-briefed following incidents.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive effective oversight so that they feel supported and are able to meet the child’s needs effectively.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure any shortfalls in staff practice are identified and action is taken to address these.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staffing arrangements provide children with continuity and consistency of care and reduce the use of agency staff.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must establish effective arrangements for escalating concerns and securing timely involvement from relevant agencies.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that actions identified in the fire risk assessment are carried out, including ensuring that fire doors are appropriately closed and that fire-setting incidents are reported to the regulator in line with Regulation 40.

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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— 1 Nov 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 8 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

Leaders and managers must ensure that the home is maintained to a consistently high standard. Any damage or maintenance issues should be identified and remedied promptly to ensure the environment remains safe, clean and well presented, and continues to meet the needs of the child.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the child’s bedroom window must be repaired without delay, and suitable window coverings, such as a blind or curtain, must be provided to ensure privacy and comfort.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there is a clear plan in place for returning furniture to the child’s bedroom, with guidance for staff about how this will be managed in the future.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 9

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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: 300 St Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspectors

Sonja Vega, Social Care Inspector Kerri Lynch, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2593623 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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