Children's Home run by PIC Children’s Services in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 1 SC022464

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PIC Children’s Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of a number of homes owned and operated by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who may have emotional or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who registered with Ofsted in June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out in line with Ofsted’s procedures for monitoring services during the current period of suspended routine inspection activity.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was carried out using a combination of on-site and off-site activity.

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This monitoring visit

The young person who lives at this home receives consistent care and support, which has helped him to make good progress in some areas. For example, he has good attendance at college and was recently awarded with a certificate in public services.

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This monitoring visit

Discussion with the young person confirms that staff understand and meet his individual needs, for example those relating to his religion and culture. However, the support provided could be better evidenced within his care plans.

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This monitoring visit

The young person is hoping to move on to independence in the near future. Staff are helping him to prepare for his transition and supporting him to develop the necessary skills. A clearer plan would help to ensure that he is making progress and help to identify any areas where he needs additional support.

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This monitoring visit

There are no significant concerns about the young person’s behaviour. However, he is regularly spending time away from the home, choosing to stay with friends overnight. This is despite continuous attempts to encourage him to remain at home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 2 Staff carry out regular direct work with the young person in an attempt to support his understanding of personal safety. They have made efforts to get to know the young person’s friends and have liaised with external professionals to satisfy themselves that there are no known concerns about them.

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This monitoring visit

Staff take steps to safeguard the young person when he is away from the home. They make regular contact with him and carry out regular welfare checks. However, although frequent, these are not always carried out as frequently as is stated in the young person’s risk management plan.

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This monitoring visit

At times, staff put consequences in place in an attempt to help the young person to develop safer behaviours. Consequences are not always well recorded and rarely include the young person’s views. In addition, consequences are not monitored or reviewed for effectiveness.

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This monitoring visit

Staff turnover is low, which helps to ensure that the young person is supported by carers who he knows well. A staff member spoke positively about the leadership of the home and described good levels of support and training, including learning in areas relevant to the young person’s individual needs.

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This monitoring visit

Monthly visits are carried out by an independent person during which an assessment of safety and quality is made. The visitor consistently identifies areas for development and sets clear actions. However, the visitor does not always provide a clear opinion as to whether the young person is safeguarded effectively, as required by regulation.

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This monitoring visit

Internal processes for monitoring standards have been reviewed and improved since the last inspection. Monthly audits and quarterly self-inspections help managers to identify and address areas for development. Some aspects of monitoring, including oversight of records and consequences, require further improvement to be fully effective. In addition, the manager’s six-monthly review of quality lacks detail and stakeholder feedback.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/05/2018 Full Good 13/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 29/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 3

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) In particular, ensure that all staff follow measures within the young person’s risk management plans consistently. 28/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 28/12/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 4 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered

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Requirement Due date

person to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 28/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b) (5)) 28/12/2020

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph (14.4)  Children’s internal care plans should detail how their care meets their needs and promotes their welfare, taking into account the child’s gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 5 children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph

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Recommendations

3.2)  Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills, such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)  The registered person should make the best use of information through internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (a quality of care review) at least once every six months. The review

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Recommendations

should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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

Marie Cordingley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 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 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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