Children's home run by PIC Children’s Services in St. Helens

because:

 The home has been vacant for several months. The young person currently in placement has been in the home for less than two weeks. This is not enough time to demonstrate a judgement of good as sustained improvement cannot be assessed due to the short time the young person has been in placement. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 The young person would benefit from access to a computer in the home to assist with homework projects and out of school learning.

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because:

 Detailed individual and evaluative independent visitor reports would benefit the service.

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because:

 Staff would benefit from access to all up to date guidance, standards and legislation. For example, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, and the Guide to the Quality Standards.

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The children's home strengths

 The service and the organisation has a good track record of providing good quality of care to young people.

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The children's home strengths

 The home provides a healthy environment where young people are able to access the services and support they need. There are good links with health professionals and agencies in the local area.

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The children's home strengths

 The home has good links with educational services and have had some success previously in engaging young people in education.

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The children's home strengths

 Staff are providing good opportunities to participate in meaningful activities.

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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

improve the degree of analysis and evaluation in the regulation 44 reports in order to promote improvement in the provision of care (Regulation 44) 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

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)

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Recommendations

ensure that young people have access to a computer and the internet to support their 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

This home is registered for one child in the category of Emotional Behavioural Difficulties (EBD). The home is privately owned and the provider has a number of other homes in the area.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Requires improvement

The quality of individualised care provided is good, however it is not possible to fully assess the impact that home is having on the progress and experiences of the young person as they are so early in their placement. There is also a reluctance to engage fully with the staff; this means that slow progress is being made at this very early stage.

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Requires improvement

Limited progress is being made in relation to their health, education, emotional, social and psychological well-being due to the early stages of the placement. Staff listen to the young person’s wishes, however, more work and time is necessary to fully enlist the participation of the young person and to develop a trusting relationship.

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Requires improvement

The home provides a healthy environment where young people are able to access the services and support they need. There are good links with health professionals and agencies in the local area.

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Requires improvement

The home has good links with other services in respect of providing educational opportunities and have had some success previously in engagimng young people in education and therefore improving their life chances going forward.

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Requires improvement

Staff are providing good opportunities in terms of activities and building self- esteem, they listen to the views of the young person and encourage positive choices.

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Requires improvement

Staff actively promote the welfare of the young living person in the home. Staff work effectively in partnership with other agencies concerned such as the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and the local police. They are clear about their role in protecting young people. All of these matters contribute to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the young person. Risks are understood and plans give staff the information they need to reduce any known risks further. The young person has not been missing since their admission to the home.

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Requires improvement

Positive behaviour is promoted. Staff receive regular updates to their behaviour management training, they prefer to try and diffuse situations wherever possible and there have been no restraints. Staff are working hard with the young person to improve their levels of engagement.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager has been in post for one year seven months, but has been registered with Ofsted in other similar settings and has extensive experience. She currently holds NVQ level 4 in Care and Management and she is currently undertaking the level 5 Diploma in Children and Young People’s Residential Management to further her professional development. 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

Independent monitoring visits are not sufficiently robust. The reports lack sufficient evaluation of findings in order to further improve the service and in some sections they are repeated across a number of visits.

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Requires improvement

There are a sufficient number if staff they hold the required qualifications and there is a lot of experience within the team. Staff are well supported and managed, they receive regular recorded supervision and can discuss any matters with the management of the home as they are accessible and provide an on call duty manager system. Staff also have good access to training and the organisation provide opportunities to those who wish to further their professional development.

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Requires improvement

Because the home has been vacant for several months reference documents have not been replaced with updated versions and staff would benefit from access to all up to date guidance, standards and legislation. For example Working Together to Safeguard Children, Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, and the Guide to the Quality Standards.

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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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