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

Assurance visit report: SC356929 1 SC356929

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have behavioural and/or emotional difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 15 January 2020

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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:  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 did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC356929 2

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The care of children

There are three children living at this home. The children generally receive good care from a nurturing staff team.

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The care of children

The inspectors observed warm and affectionate relationships between the children and staff. One child told the inspector that staff are ‘great’ and that during COVID- 19, staff had supported them to keep in touch with their families.

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The care of children

The manager and staff endeavour to understand each child’s history and how their experiences can impact on their behaviour. This helps the children feel settled, because they know that staff understand how they feel. For example, one child told the inspector that she does not want to see her family. She said that staff listened to her about this.

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The care of children

The children attend education provided by the company. The school is situated in the garden, and children attended school when the inspectors were undertaking the visit. One child showed the inspectors her school books. The presentation of her work is excellent, and she was proud of the work that she completes.

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The care of children

The provider has a clinical team and the children receive support in line with their individual needs. However, this has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, because face-to-face sessions have stopped. This is due to the current restrictions in the local area.

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The safety of children

There has been an escalation in incidents within the home. This is in relation to episodes when the children are missing from home, misusing alcohol and displaying self-injurious behaviours that required hospitalisation for some children.

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The safety of children

The manager and staff know what children’s risks are. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of risk and how to manage risk. However, children’s risk assessments are not updated to include all known risks and strategies to help staff manage all risks. A requirement is made to reflect this shortfall.

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The safety of children

Staff do not always follow the strategies outlined in children’s risk assessments, for example in relation to self-injurious behaviour. The risk assessment includes a strategy for staff to ask a child if she has any sharp items when she returns home. However, staff do not always record that they do this. A requirement is made to reflect this shortfall.

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The safety of children

Although the manager and staff endeavour to ensure that children’s care is consistent, there have been changes in the staff team that have meant children have not been cared for by a consistent staff team. This is largely due to the impact of COVID-19 because some staff were absent from work due to government restrictions during the pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC356929 3 The manager needs to ensure that the home environment is furnished to protect children. A child does not have a bedroom door because the door was removed so staff could gain access to a child’s bedroom. The child’s door has not been replaced. A requirement is made to reflect this shortfall.

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Leaders and managers

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in June 2020. The manager is child-centred and she knows the children well. She strives to maintain a homely environment for the children.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is currently supported by another registered manager and a service manager within the organisation. This is due to the escalation of safeguarding incidents within the home. The manager accepts that she requires support and there is an action plan in place that outlines this support.

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Leaders and managers

The manager is unable to demonstrate that she had carefully planned children’s admissions in and through the children’s home. This means that some children have not had positive experiences moving on from the home. The manager accepts this. A requirement has been made to reflect this shortfall.

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Leaders and managers

Impact risk assessments do not robustly assess all known risk factors in respect of children. Furthermore, the manager has not continuously reviewed some risk factors in respect of children. This is specifically in respect of self-injurious behaviour in relation to the children. A requirement is made to reflect this shortfall.

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Leaders and managers

Children’s plans and documents are not reviewed effectively. This is because the manager does not have robust monitoring and review systems in place. The manager accepts that this needs to improve. A requirement is made to reflect this shortfall.

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Leaders and managers

The staff describe a difficult few weeks managing incidents within the home. However, the staff are positive about the manager and describe her as supportive.

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Leaders and managers

External professionals are positive about the manager and the support that she provides to the children. One child’s social worker described the manager and staff as managing their child’s behaviour well because incidents of restraint have significantly reduced.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC356929 4

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(d)) 15/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(f)(h)) 15/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 15/01/2021 Assurance visit report: SC356929 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2))

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hill House, Archway Road, Huyton, Liverpool L36 9XB

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Inspectors

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC356929 6 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 and9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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