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

Assurance visit report: SC022440 1 SC022440

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for one child with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. This post has been vacant since 1 June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Declined in effectiveness

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We identified no serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC022440 2

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The care of children

Staff are working on building a trusted and secure relationship with the child. Staff understand the barriers to this and they endeavour to provide the child with opportunities to talk to them. However, although the child talks to staff, they find it difficult to complete any meaningful work with him. Therefore, improvements are needed in this area. A recommendation has been made to reflect this.

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The care of children

The child keeps in touch with family and other people who are important to him. The child frequently visits his mother’s home and the staff communicate with her to ensure that the child is safe. This means that the child maintains relationships with his family. This is important because the child wants to live with his mother in the future.

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The care of children

The child attends a full-time apprenticeship. Staff support the child to attend and they take him to his work placement. Staff reward the child for attending his apprenticeship. This is effective because the child has attended for a significant period. This helps prepare the child for his future.

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The care of children

Staff work effectively with other professionals involved in the child’s life. Staff promote the child’s emotional and mental health needs. For example, a psychologist is involved with the child. The child has engaged with seven sessions during the period of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

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The care of children

The psychologist described an effective working relationship with staff. This is positive and ensures that the child receives all-round care to support him. However, other areas in relation to the child’s health need to improve. This is because health professionals have not completed a health assessment. This was a requirement at the previous inspection and is repeated.

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The safety of children

Safeguarding practice in the home has improved. The staff understand the risks that the child may be exposed to, such as criminal exploitation, and the risks associated with being missing from home.

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The safety of children

The child’s risk assessment includes all known risks to the child’s safety and welfare. There is a clear plan to follow if the child goes missing from home and staff follow this plan. Staff identify the possible triggers when the child goes missing from home and share this information with the child’s social worker. This means that staff can act upon the triggers to help reduce these incidents. This has been successful because incidents of the child going missing from home are significantly decreasing.

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The safety of children

Staff educate the child about the risks associated with COVID-19. They have provided the child with personal protective equipment, such as hand sanitiser and a face mask. However, the child does not always act on this guidance. Assurance visit report: SC022440 3 Gaps remain in relation to the safe recruitment of staff. Leaders and managers do not consistently review references. This is in respect of ensuring that previous employers are asked about any potential safeguarding concerns or any previous disciplinary action. This is necessary to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. This was a requirement at the previous inspection and is repeated.

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Leaders and managers

There is no registered manager in post. An acting manager has been managing the home since May 2020. She has previous experience of caring for children and is currently completing her management qualification.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager also manages another single-occupancy home within the organisation. She is managing her time between both homes, and she is supported by a deputy manager. However, the home has been without a registered manager since 1 June 2020 and Ofsted have not received an application. A requirement has been made to reflect this shortfall.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager is a strong leader. She is making improvements in the home in respect of the overall monitoring of the child’s care. She has met some of the requirements from the previous inspection and she knows the gaps and identified areas for improvement.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager is supportive of the staff team. Some staff are positive about her leadership and the improvements that she has made.

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Leaders and managers

Staff receive frequent supervision in line with their needs. Training has continued online due to COVID-19 restrictions. The provider has planned face-to-face training sessions for later in the year.

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Leaders and managers

Recording within the home needs to improve to ensure that all relevant details are recorded in children’s case records. For example, staff need to record all actions that they take in missing-from-home reports.

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Leaders and managers

The statement of purpose is not up to date and has not been sent to Ofsted as stipulated by regulation. A requirement has been made to reflect this shortfall.

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Leaders and managers

The acting manager works with professionals involved in the child’s life, including throughout the period of COVID-19. She facilitates virtual meetings for the child to ensure that he maintains contact with professionals who are supporting him. Assurance visit report: SC022440 4

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (the ‘statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it: and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. 13/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC022440 5 If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 13/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 13/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC022440 6

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Recommendations

 Children’s homes staff should seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plan for their care. Each child’s talents and interests should be understood and nurtured with children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. Staff should also support children to try activities that are ‘new’ for them, where appropriate. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the Quality Standards, page 31, paragraph 6.4)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PIC Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 North Street, Haydock, St Helens, Merseyside WA11 0TW

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Inspector

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC022440 7 to 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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Inspector

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