Children's Home run by PIC Children’s Services in St Helens

Unique reference number SC022464 Inspector Marian Denny Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person PIC Children's Services Limited Registered person address 2 North Street Haydock ST. HELENS Merseyside WA11 0TW Responsible individual Carol Fletcher Registered manager Gregg Dinsmore Date of last inspection 01/07/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 12/01/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged adequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection the home was ‘not judged’ .

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This inspection

The home has not provided accommodation to children and young people since Tuesday 2 September 2014. This inspection focuses on whether the children's home meets its statutory requirements in order to maintain its registration and is ready to accept placements.

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This inspection

The home was last inspected on 1 July 2014 and this resulted in overall effectiveness being judged as adequate. In the last inspection, one requirement was made which related to the Statement of Purpose. In addition four recommendations were made. One was regarding maintenance issues and the re-decoration of some areas in the home. The second was in relation to ensuring staff have access to support and advice, and are provided with regular supervision. The third was ensuring staff's appraisal takes into account any views of children that the service is providing for. The fourth was making sure the home has a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and to take action when needed.

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This inspection

Since this inspection, the requirement has been met as the Statement of Purpose has been revised and now contains all the information required. Some of the recommendations have also been met, for example, regular supervision is provided to staff. An effective quality assurance system is now in place to monitor the quality of records and to take remedial action where necessary. Annual appraisals have not yet been carried out though as there is a new staff team. Some areas of the home have been redecorated and some of the maintenance issues addressed. However, there is still further work to be carried out, for example there still remains some damp on the wall surrounding the kitchen window and the outside walls surrounding the back garden have not yet been painted. This is now though being actively addressed by the home’s manager. 3 of 5 Since the last inspection, a new manager has been appointed to the home. The

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This inspection

staffing team has also changed, as a new staff team has been recently recruited. The manager has clear plans in place to establish and develop the team, with a view to ensuring the team works well together so the needs of any young person placed in this home can be effectively met.

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This inspection

There are still some outstanding maintenance issues and further work also needs to be undertaken in relation to the development of the staff team. However, both the senior managers and the manager of the home are well aware of the need to address these issues before a young person is admitted to this home.

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This inspection

The home provides a detailed Statement of Purpose and children's guide. These comprehensive documents give a clear overview of what placing social workers, parents, children and young people can expect from the service. There are clear plans in place to ensure the recently recruited staff team have the necessary training to ensure they are professionally competent and well equipped to meet the complex needs of any child or young person placed in this home.

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This inspection

Records are in place to support health and safety measures within the home, including effective environmental risk assessments. Checks, such as appliance testing, fire tests, electrical and gas certificates are in place; this shows that facilities and services within the home are assessed as safe.

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This inspection

Since the last inspection, the home has developed its policies and procedures. Its record systems have also been totally revised. This is to ensure appropriate and effective records are implemented and maintained in respect of children and young people living in this home. It is intended that these improved recording systems will provide young people with a real synopsis of their experience and time while living at the home. The organisation is also intending to further develop its records system and there are plans for them to be electronic in 2015.

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This inspection

The children's home meets its statutory requirements. However, a progress judgement has not been made on this occasion as there are no children or young people accommodated at this time. One recommendation has been made to address the outstanding maintenance and decoration shortfalls within the service. The Registered Manager confirmed that no young person would be admitted to the home until this work has been carried out 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home, which is privately run, provides care and accommodation for one young person with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2014 Full adequate 24/02/2014 Interim not judged 23/08/2013 Full good 15/02/2013 Interim satisfactory progress

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated, including the immediate outdoor space. (NMS 10.3) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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