Children's home run by Quality Protects Children Ltd in Knowsley

Inspection report children’s home: SC052744 1 SC052744 Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service provides residential accommodation for up to five young people who may have a learning disability. The home is owned by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has not had a registered manager since 30 March 2017, which is a period in excess of 26 weeks. As a result, this means that at this interim inspection the judgement can be no better than declined in effectiveness. On a positive note, the home is presently managed by an interim manager, who is in the process of registering with Ofsted. However, this is the fourth person to manage the home within an 11-month period. This inconsistency in the management has meant that processes and procedures have changed, as each new manager has implemented their own management style. The provider should seek to consolidate this position to enable a consistent management approach to be embedded at the home. However, staff, social workers and other professionals all speak highly of the interim manager’s knowledge and experience. A medical professional commented, ‘It’s excellent now. I know it’s been a short space of

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

time, but almost everything has improved, especially the communication.’ A member of staff said, ‘It feels different. The manager has managed in a short space of time to create a happy home for young people and the staff, it feels better.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC052744 2 Four young people have moved out of the home since the last inspection. Three young people moved in a planned way and were well supported by staff from the home. The remaining young person moved from the home after it was assessed that the home could no longer meet his emerging needs. One young person has moved into the home. This was planned and the young person had the opportunity to visit the home on two occasions for dinner. This gave the young person the opportunity to meet the other young people living at the home and meet the staff. The young person’s social worker commented, ‘The staff were very accommodating and supportive. They have ensured

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

that the young person’s favourite bedding was on her bed for her arriving. They have helped to allay any anxiety.’ When young people go missing, staff members are very proactive in their response. They actively search for missing young people and are fully aware of the young people’s vulnerabilities while out in the community. The staff respond appropriately and according to risk. They work well with the police and other professionals to ensure that young people are as safe as they can be. Staff spend time talking to young people about where they have been and whom they are associating with, helping young people understand why staff and others may be worried or concerned. This helps to improve young people’s understanding of potential risks and their safety over time. All young people have an identified educational provision. Some young people have 100% attendance at school and reports from school show improvement. However, for

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

other young people who are educated at the home, as a result of the absence of the tutor there is no alternative education plan in place for young people. The lack of education plans for individual young people means that the staff at the home do not adequately promote the importance of learning and education for all young people, and this lack of aspiration may impact on young people’s learning and future life chances. Staff support and nurture young people’s relationships with their families and others who are important to them. The young people have regular contact that is subject to careful assessment and monitoring when deemed to be in their best interests. Staff members promote contact by providing the young people with both practical and emotional support. When contact is considered appropriate, staff supervise the young people and their families sensitively. Consequently, young people enjoy good-quality, safe contact

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

with their family in the knowledge that staff are on hand to provide any assistance that may be required. Team meetings take place regularly. This allows the staff team to discuss the running of the home and to look at ways to improve the service that it offers. The staff speak positively of the increased support that they receive from management at the home. Staff members commented, ‘The new manager has gelled the team,’ and ‘I value the manager’s support, she is very hands on.’ However, the inspection identified that formal supervision has not taken place at regular intervals for all staff, specifically for staff members who are in their probationary period. This does not provide sufficient opportunities to review if, or how, staff are contributing to young people achieving improved outcomes. The home has recently been refurbished, with communal areas being redecorated in a colour scheme chosen by young people. Currently, televisions used by young people are

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

contained in a wooden cabinet with a Perspex front. There is insufficient rationale about Inspection report children’s home: SC052744 3 the need for these cabinets. Their appearance detracts from a welcoming environment and they are not typically found in a family-style home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2017 Full Good 21/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 01/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to 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 person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27(1)(a)) 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)(c)) In particular, ensure that staff who are still in their probationary period receive supervision within the timescales set out in the provider’s own policies and procedures. 16/04/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the home provides a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of its children and is a homely, domestic environment. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, the provider should consider the necessity of having Inspection report children’s home: SC052744 4 the televisions used by young people contained in wooden cabinets with a Perspex front.  Ensure that when children are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC052744 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Quality Protects Children Ltd, Hill House, Archway Road, Huyton, Liverpool L36 9XB

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Inspector

Elaine Allison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC052744 6 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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