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

Unique reference number SC022438 Inspector Maria McGranaghan 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 Kelly Torpey Date of last inspection 30/06/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 20/03/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

The home was judged as good on 17 July 2014. Since the last inspection there have been no changes in the staff team or residents.

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This inspection

At the last inspection three recommendations and one requirement was made in order to further develop the service provision in the home. The shortfalls identified related to, external monitoring, feedback from complaints and pathway planning.

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This inspection

The manager and staff have made suitable progress in addressing the shortfalls. Pathway planning is improved with young people being clear about their responsibilities including moving the plan forward. Plans are also regularly updated in accordance with the progress young people make. There have been no further complaints since the last inspection. However, records now clearly detail the date feedback is given to young people and a record of their comments. External monitoring reports are now forwarded to Ofsted in accordance with regulation. Reports are more detailed although fail to include an analysis of the service provided to young people living in the home. This is an area for further development.

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This inspection

Young people’s care is consistently assessed and planned in order to generate and achieve positive outcomes. Regular monitoring of the progress young people make ensures that plans are updated and tailored to meet the presenting and changing needs of young people. Consequently, young people continue to make good progress in the home.

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This inspection

Safeguarding arrangements for the protection of young people are clear and are developed through collaborative management. Consistent liaison with external agencies continues to ensure that young people’s safety is prioritised in the most appropriate way. As a result, there are no instances of physical intervention and young people being missing or absent is extremely rare in the home. 3 of 5 Educational attendance and attainment are prioritised in the home. Young people have suitable educational placements and achieve well. It is clear that although the young people have a previous history of none attendance and disengagement in education, they have developed a commitment to personal achievement.

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This inspection

Suitable activities are made available to young people including, attending the gym, visits to places of interest and visits to the cinema. Young people have also made friends in the community and spend time socialising away from the home. However, staff are not always clear who young people are socialising with or what they are doing when they are away from home. Although staff maintain telephone contact with young people while in the community, this does not inform them of the company they are keeping or how they are spending their time. Therefore, the current risk management arrangements do not suitably ensure the welfare of young people while away from the home.

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This inspection

Consultation with young people is part and parcel of the day-to-day function of the home. Young people feel consulted and that their views are important to the home. Likewise, arrangements for family contact remains suitable. Young people, their families and placing social worker ensure that contact is suitable, appropriate and in the best interest of the young people resident.

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This inspection

Young people are assisted to develop independence skills in accordance with their age and abilities. Specific plans ensure that young people only take on tasks that they are ready to try out and able to succeed in doing. This promotes young people’s sense of achievement and assists in building self-esteem and confidence.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager monitors the care of young people living in the home. Internal monitoring provides a suitable overview of the progress young people make and the action needed to develop their plan further. The Registered Manager works hard to maintain the continued development of young people and this is evident in the progress they make. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company and provides care and accommodation for one young person with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2014 Full good 25/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 24/06/2013 Full good 14/02/2013 Interim not judged

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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 staff actively promote the welfare of young people living in the home with specific regard to time spent outside of the home (NMS 4.2)  ensure visits carried out under Regulation 33 include an analysis of care provided and areas for development (NMS 21.7) 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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