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

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

Summary of findings  young people continually make good progress from their starting points across all aspects of their development, as leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the plan for them

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good. Leaders and managers prioritise the needs of young people very well. They present as a child centred organisation that is run in the best interests of the young people they are working with.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Ensuring the young person is safe and protected is well established and their welfare is promoted by the staff; they have a good understanding of the young person’s needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are settled and positive comment positively about their relationships with the staff, that they are safe here and have made some progress.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 They would benefit from a telephone to make and receive calls in private; subject to any safeguarding arrangements in agreement with the placing social worker.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The organisation have recruited new staff;However, this means that staff can be working alone during their probationary periods; in some cases with little or no experience of working in a children’s home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The monitoring of the home is not sufficiently robustShortfalls identified have not had an impact upon the young person placed but they have the potential to do so.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must: 13. 2 (d)(e) ensure the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child and that the workforce provides continuity of care for the child. 31/03/16

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that when the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person conduct interviews and (a) if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and to inspect the premises. (Regulations 44 (2) (a) (b)) 31/03/16

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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

 provide access to a telephone that children can use privately). This can include the provision of a mobile phone where appropriate and safe for the child, as long as an alternative is in place for the child to make telephone calls in private if their personal mobile phone is lost, out of credit or broken. ( Guide to the Quality Standards, page 58, paragraph 11.17)  ensure that a report of the quality of care allows for the report to be generated at least once every six months. The generated report should be sent to Ofsted and the placing local authority of all children in the home who are looked-after children. (Guide to the Quality Standards, page 65, paragraph 15.3)  provide access to a computer to support young people’s education and learning, unless there are specific safeguarding reasons why this would be inappropriate. (Guide to the Quality Standards, page 29, paragraph 5.19)

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Information about this children's home

the home is registered for one child in the category of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD).The home is privately owned and there are a number of other similar homes in the area, also registered with Ofsted

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/02/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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good

The young person receives well-planned individualised, care which helps them grow in confidence. They are effectively supported and are working alongside staff in key worker sessions to successfully manage their dealings with others; which has led to less frustration and improved outcomes regarding behaviour management. The young person is encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle. Individual health needs are generally well met. They have access to a range of health professionals such as the substance misuse team and sexual health support. This helps to ensure that they are well informed and learn about health issues, such as sexual relationships and the dangers of substance misuse in an age appropriate way. However, smoking cessation has not been effective and they continue to smoke despite staff’s best efforts. The young person’s engagement in educational activities has improved significantly since their admission to this home. Education is positively promoted. It is

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good

unfortunate that the home does not benefit from a computer, this would be helpful in supporting the young person with additional study and research, and to the staff for their development. The young person is involved in all aspects of their care; their views are listened to and respected. Informally on a day-to-day basis and formally in their care meetings. Where staff decline some requests this is explained in a sensitive manner in a hope to improve the understanding and patience of the young person. Young people are appropriately supported in all aspects of their care and wellbeing. They benefit from carefully planned and well supported contact with family. Staff maintain close links with families and involve them where appropriate in the overall planning of the young people’s care. Detailed contact plans ensure that contact only takes place with those whom it has been agreed and this is reviewed on a regular basis. This helps ensure young people are able to maintain

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good

important relationships in a safe and supportive way.

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good

The young person says that they feel safe in the home. They receive an appropriate level of support in order to maintain their overall safety and as a result there has been a significant reduction in being missing from the home. Staff are clear about the young person’s vulnerabilities and good risk assessments identify what action staff should take in such circumstances. The young person knows how to make a complaint and can identify adults that work with them they can speak with if they have any worries or concerns. They would benefit from a telephone to make and receive calls in private; subject to any safeguarding arrangements in agreement with the placing social worker. Staff help to protect the young person’s welfare by implementing the home’s safeguarding procedures, risk assessments and reporting procedures well. They demonstrate a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping

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good

young people safe and have a sound awareness and knowledge of key issues such as child sexual exploitation and the possible indicators that young people may be at risk..

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good

The young person lives in a safe environment and has become increasingly safe because of the actions staff take to support and protect them. They feel protected and are protected from harm, including neglect, abuse, sexual exploitation, accidents, self-harm, bullying and radicalisation. There is a strong, robust and proactive response from all those working with the young person that reduces the risk of harm or actual harm to them.

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requires improvement

The registered manager has been in post for one year seven month, but has been registered with Ofsted in other similar settings. She currently holds NVQ level 4 in care and management and is currently undertaking the level 5 Diploma in Children and Young People and Residential Management to further her professional development. Leaders and managers prioritise the needs of young people very well. They present as a child centred organisation that is run in the best interests of the young people they are working with. This extends to supporting a leaving care project in which young people can make a steady transition with staff who know them well; this is very good because it provides continuity of care into adulthood. The young person has made noteworthy progress from their starting point across all aspects of their development. This is because leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the progress they are making in respect of the plan for

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requires improvement

Staff regularly receive supervision. Induction is quite brief in terms of shadowing shifts prior to becoming a lone worker; this can be as little as two or three shifts. Staff say that they are supported in their role by management and it is clear that they enjoy working in the setting.

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requires improvement

The senior management team have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The operations director helps to identify weaknesses and ensures that effective action is taken to remedy any shortfalls once identified.

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requires improvement

The quality of professional relationships between the home, families, placing and host authorities, independent reviewing officers, police, schools and health services is good and it ensures the best possible all-round support to young people in all areas of their development

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requires improvement

The organisation have recruited new staff; this means that staff can be working alone during their probationary periods; in some cases with little or no experience of working in a children’s home. Some do have experience of working with younger children in other settings. They say they have additional staff support from ‘on call’ manager’s. These managers can be on duty in another home whilst on call; this could impact upon care delivery, but as yet has not done so. Remedial action has been taken by the organisation and they are currently in the process of recruiting experienced, qualified staff. Reports of monitoring by an independent visitor are basic and lack a clear evaluation in places. The manager monitors the home regularly, but reports have not been sent to Ofsted in a timely manner. The monitoring of the home requires improvement as it is not sufficiently robust.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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