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:

 The strengths in this home are a focussed approach to improving outcomes and the provision of a good quality of care to the young person in placement.  The young person is very much involved and well consulted about day-to- day decisions and their care planning and reviews.  Their wishes and feelings are central to care delivery and well considered when this is realistic and achievable. When it is not, the reasons for this are clearly explained and accepted.  Since their admission, this young person made very good progress in education. Previously, they were a school refuser and non-attender, but are now accessing the national curriculum and will shortly be returning to mainstream school. They are also realistic about further educational achievement in order to fulfil their aspirations, and this is well supported by staff.  Good health is protected and promoted very well. The young person does not engage in smoking or substance misuse and has very good support from

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The children's home provision is good because:

staff to maintain their good health.  The premises are homely, clean and comfortable, and some refurbishment is planned for this year.  Behaviour is managed very well, despite there having been a lot of restraints and episodes of missing from care in previous placements. In this placement, there have been no restraints and two incidents of missing from the home. This is a substantial reduction and a massive improvement for the young person. They are safe and protected here.  Positive relationships have been established between the young person and staff. This has contributed largely to all of the positive changes for the young person.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons meet 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the statement of purpose is revised in accordance with Schedule 1 of the regulations; specifically revise the age range to reflect 17 years and under and include the dedicated staff allocated to the home. (Regulation 16(3)(a)) 8 January

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that young people have access to a telephone on which they may make and receive calls in private without reference to persons working at the home. (Regulation 22(3)(a)) 8 January

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Requirement Due date

8: The education standard In order to meet the education standard, the registered person must: (2)(b) ensure that young people have access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support their learning, specifically a computer to facilitate home study. 1 February

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that a copy of the review of care report is sent to HMCI within 28 days of the date on which the care review is completed. (Regulation 45(4)(a)) 8 January

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned and is registered for one child who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

30 March 2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

The quality of individualised care provided is good, and the influence and impact of the home on the progress and experiences of the young person is very good. The quality of relationships between staff and the young person are warm, nurturing, trusting and professional, which has clearly enabled the young person to progress. The progress that the young person has made in relation to their health, education and emotional, social and psychological well-being has outstanding features. The organisation and staff are committed to ensuring that the young person’s best interests are at the centre of their practice. Education might be further enhanced if the home had a computer with internet access for the young person. This would aid homework projects and provide the young person with internet access for further learning. The young person’s views, rights and entitlements are understood and taken into account. They make contributions to all aspects of their plans and their comments

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Good

are included in the planning documents. These offer a very good insight into how the young person is involved in decision-making and ensuring that their voice is heard. The quality of the young person’s experiences on a day-to-day basis are good. They have routine, structure and aspirations for their future. This has helped to build their confidence and self-esteem. The home takes very good account of the particular needs of the young person who lives a long way from home. Contact arrangements and plans are very clear and understood. Contact is well promoted and established. This benefits the young person and their family very well and helps to maintain important relationships. The young person is treated with dignity and respect. They experience care that is sensitive and responsive to their identity and family history, including age, disability, ethnicity, faith or belief, gender, gender identity, language, race and

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Good

sexual orientation. The care helps them to develop a positive self-view and an ability to form and sustain attachments and build emotional resilience and a sense of their own identity. It also helps them to overcome any previous experiences of neglect and trauma. Shortfalls identified at this inspection are having no impact on the young person currently living in this home. Judgement grade

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Good

This young person lives in a safe environment and has become increasingly safe because of the actions that 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. That response includes regular and effective contact and planning with the young person’s allocated social worker and their family. There are plans and help in place that are reducing the risk of harm or actual harm. For example, strategies to manage incidents of missing and the associated risks are successful in reducing the level and frequency of these incidents. There have been very few incidents of missing since the young person’s admission to the home. Overall, there has been a reduction. This demonstrates that they are settled

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Good

and happy in the home. The young person’s behaviour is not criminalised. Careful, child-centred decisions are made about reporting behaviour in the home to the police and placing authorities, though appropriate notifications are always made and clearly documented to Ofsted. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Staff use effective de-escalation techniques and creative alternative strategies that are specific to the needs of the young person, and these are designed in consultation with them. Restraint has not been used. This is because of effective engagement and mutual respect. The organisation is currently considering alternatives to conflict management. This will include the appropriate use of restorative practices that will improve relationships within the home, and will increase the young person’s sense of personal responsibility. Staff working in the setting are clear about procedures for concerns about the

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Good

safety of the young person. Any child protection concerns are immediately shared with the placing and/or host local authority, as required, and a record of that referral is retained. There is evidence that staff follow up the outcome of the referral quickly and that appropriate action is taken to protect the young person from any further harm. There is no dedicated telephone in the home that the young person can use if they wish to get support from outside of the home. This could have an impact on their ability to access independent advocacy or support, independently. The physical environment for the young person is safe and secure and protects them from harm or the risk of harm.

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Requires improvement

The home is largely achieving its aims and objectives set out in its statement of purpose. However, the document requires revision to the age range. The staffing section and accessibility should also be considered. This is because it is a large document aimed specifically at social care professionals. This means that some of the terms used may not be understood, for example, by some parents. The home is managed effectively and efficiently by a permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. The registered manager holds a national vocational qualification (NVQ) at level 4 in care and management and has substantial experience in employment in residential care for young people. Leaders and the registered manager actively and regularly monitor the quality of care provided. However, the report regarding a review of the care provided has not been completed and, therefore, not sent to Ofsted. Independent visits and reports

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Requires improvement

have been forthcoming. Robust action is taken to address all issues of concern arising in the home, including any concerns or complaints from the young person and local residents. Proper investigations are undertaken. Placing and host authorities are engaged as necessary. There were no requirements or recommendations arising from the previous inspection. Staff and the registered manager take steps to ensure that care plans for the young person comprehensively address their needs and experiences, including their hopes for the future. The manager, staff and the young person participate in reviews, influencing decisions appropriately. The registered manager, staff and senior management understand the plans for the young person and actively drive the achievement of important milestones, goals and permanence for their future. Leaders and managers monitor the progress that the young person makes and can demonstrate the positive impact

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Requires improvement

that living at the home has had on the young person, including on their life chances. Training and development activities are effective. They are focused on ensuring that staff can meet the specific needs of the young person who lives in the home. These are evaluated to ensure that they lead to effective practice. Staff are up to date with current practice in their specialist area. The home feels and looks like a family home, and any damage or wear and tear is quickly and regularly repaired. All significant events relating to the welfare and protection of the young person living in the home are notified by the registered person to the appropriate authorities. Necessary action is taken following the incident to ensure that the young person’s needs are met and that they are safe and protected. Some of the paperwork systems are being revised across the organisation to meet with regulatory requirements and to improve the quality and consistency of

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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’. 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 children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 harmed or at risk of harm or that 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 that 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 whom 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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