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

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

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager who has been registered with Ofsted since June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This visit is in response to concerns about the young person living at the home, the staff’s ability to keep him safe and his preparation for adult life.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was carried out in line with Ofsted’s procedures for monitoring services during the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown and suspension of routine inspection activity. The visit was carried out using a combination of on-site and off- site activity.

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This monitoring visit

We last visited this children’s home on 12 November 2020 when we carried out a monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The young person is currently spending a lot of time away from the home. Staff know the reasons why the young person is choosing not to be at the home, where he is and the people he is seeing. Staff share this information appropriately with partner agencies. They work together effectively to identify, understand and manage any potential risks to the young person’s welfare. Staff follow the protective measures in the young person’s plan consistently.

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This monitoring visit

The young person confirmed that staff are keeping in touch and see him every day. He said that staff check that he is alright, see if he needs anything and provide him with any support that he may need. The young person said that if he is worried Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC022464 2 about anything, he calls the staff and they help him. For example, staff have made sure that he has received healthcare when he was feeling unwell.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise the signs of potentially harmful friendships and risks to the young person from exploitation. Staff help the young person to be aware of risks and to know how to protect himself from harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff know the young person well. They use detailed care plans to identify the young person’s assessed needs, including his education, health, cultural, religious and language needs, and promote his welfare. Staff understand how the young person’s experiences may impact on his emotional well-being and seek specialist support appropriately.

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This monitoring visit

The young person’s views are heard. For example, the plans for the young person’s future are based on his wishes and feelings.

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This monitoring visit

Staff help the young person to prepare for independence and adult life. Staff make sure that the young person is aware of his rights and receives his entitlements. They are helping him to get a passport, driving license, open a bank account and to find a place to live that meets his needs and wishes. The young person has opportunities to build on his practical skills, such as cooking, shopping, housework, budgeting and personal care. Staff are also supporting the young person to develop emotional resilience and to develop a safe support network.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is experienced and completing the required leadership and management qualification. She has the skills to understand the young person’s needs and to provide staff with the support and guidance they require to enable them to support the young person effectively. Staff are experienced, skilled and well- trained to meet the young person’s individual needs.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff place the well-being of the young person at the centre of their practice and the running of the home. They manage restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic safely and appropriately, and help the young person to know how to stay safe and healthy.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found no serious or widespread concerns about the care and protection of the young person during this visit. However, the external monitoring of the home by an independent person is not providing the required level of scrutiny. The independent person is not visiting the home every month, so they are not seeing the standard of the living conditions. They are not finding out the views of the young person, staff and other partners about the home. The independent person does not make a judgement about whether the young person is safeguarded and if the conduct of the home is promoting the young person’s well-being.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s progress in meeting shortfalls identified at the last monitoring visit in the internal review of the quality of care provided and behaviour management records Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC022464 3 have not been assessed during this visit. These will be reviewed through Ofsted’s inspection activities at the next visit.

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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 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, the 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

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—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC022464 5 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))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b)) 28 February 2021

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

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)) 31 March 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC022464 6

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Recommendations

 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)

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Recommendations

 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. The review 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 6 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

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC022464 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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