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

Inspection report children's home: SC025420 1 SC025420 Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home is registered for up to six children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 15 September 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 27 January 2020

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC025420 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/12/2019 Full Inadequate 26/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC025420 3

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improvement to be good

Practice in the home has a focus on children’s well-being. There are positive relationships between children and the staff team, particularly with their key workers. However, due to the restrictions as a result of COVID-19, some staff have not been trained in the bespoke model of care being used in the home. This affects the consistency of care practice across the staff team.

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improvement to be good

Children are well supported to take regular exercise and understand the benefits of a healthy diet. They can access a range of outdoor pursuits. For some children, this has had a positive affect on their physical health. Records show that the staff follow up when children’s appointments have been cancelled. The staff have helped children to overcome barriers, such as a needle phobia, to access essential health procedures.

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improvement to be good

Children have access to a gym at the home, but only when a qualified member of staff is present, which some children find frustrating. They also say that they cannot access a second room if they want quieter time away from other children. This means that they cannot freely access areas of their home.

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improvement to be good

Children are helped to improve their emotional well-being through accessing activities such as yoga. The provider’s clinical team supports children directly as well as advising on practice to help to improve children’s emotional and mental health. The staff also complete reflective sessions with children after difficult events in their lives. They have noticed that one child has started to use cannabis more after an initial reduction and are encouraging him to access specialist support. However, the child’s substance misuse is not reducing.

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improvement to be good

Some children have made positive progress in their education. For example, one child’s reading age has improved significantly. Another child was able to access a work placement to support their career aspirations. The staff work closely with education providers, including the organisation’s own school, to help children overcome barriers to regular attendance, particularly if they have missed a lot of school prior to moving to the home. However, some children’s attendance is not sustained, and plans do not always highlight children’s educational targets and achievements.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage in a range of activities and to try new ones, such as fishing. This has helped them to build confidence and experience new opportunities. The staff support children to maintain connections with their families and work to engage with family members to reduce risks to children.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to share their views about the home and the care that they receive. Their bedrooms are personalised to their taste and some children have pets, Inspection report children's home: SC025420 4 which they look after well. However, one child had an unsuitable extension cable in his room, creating trip and fire hazards which conflict with the home’s safety assessment. Another child had a damaged television in his room and his wardrobe door was not properly secured in place. These particular hazards were removed, but, in general, this does not promote a safe and homely environment for children.

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improvement to be good

In general, children’s plans are personalised. However, they are not always updated to reflect changes in children’s circumstances to help the staff meet newly emerging needs. The plans would benefit from including children’s views in a better way and using language that is more helpful for children to understand.

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improvement to be good

Children say they feel safe living in the home and that there are staff they can talk to if they have concerns or worries. Some children’s risks have reduced since living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Risk management plans are in place, but they would benefit from being more focused on current and emerging risks and how the staff are to respond to them. For example, risk assessments identify cannabis misuse and how the staff should support children, including helping them to access external specialist services. However, they do not identify that children have been smoking in their bedrooms, or how the staff should address this. Plans do not give staff clear direction about how to manage a child’s access to money from external sources.

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improvement to be good

One child is subject to a court directed order and should always be supported by two members of staff. However, records show that the staff have not always followed these instructions. On one occasion, he went missing from the home because he was not supervised appropriately. On another, he was taken to local shops by only one member of staff. Although these are isolated incidents, inconsistencies in practice compromise children’s safety. Managers have followed disciplinary procedures to ensure that staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children.

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improvement to be good

The staff follow protocols appropriately if children go missing from the home. They identify and report any concerns about associated risks for children when they are missing, such as child exploitation. Concerns regarding exploitation are reported to safeguarding agencies so that they can be investigated.

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improvement to be good

The staff complete reflective sessions with children, but these do not always follow up incidents consistently. This means that opportunities to help children understand and manage their behaviour differently are sometimes missed.

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improvement to be good

Sanctions are used in the home. For example, if a child does not attend school, they may lose access to having a television in their bedroom. Children can earn back these privileges sooner if they comply with what is asked of them. However, if attendance at school is not maintained, the sanction is used repeatedly without Inspection report children's home: SC025420 5 reviewing its effectiveness. This means alternative strategies are not put in place to help children understand the importance of education.

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improvement to be good

A protocol is in place for a child who has a history of making allegations. The protocol was followed when a child made an allegation during the inspection visit and immediate action was taken.

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improvement to be good

The manager notifies external agencies about serious safeguarding concerns. However, a child made an allegation which was recorded by a less experienced member of staff but not shared with managers. Managers addressed the practice shortfall in supervision. The matter was identified in an audit and notified to the child’s social worker but was not shared with Ofsted. Furthermore, other notifications to Ofsted have been delayed.

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good

The manager knows the children well and has oversight of significant events in the children’s lives. However, the manager does not review the staff’s actions to identify areas for development. This results in the primary focus being on the children’s actions instead of evaluating and reflecting on staff practice to help them improve or to recognise good practice.

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good

There is evidence of managers challenging other agencies when practice is poor or when children are not receiving good support. The challenge, however, does not always make a difference to children’s lives, because it lacks persistence from management.

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good

Supervisions by managers are valued by the staff team but they are not always taking place in line with policy. Supervision focuses on staff welfare and discusses the children’s needs. However, it lacks reflection and direction for staff members. This means a learning culture does not exist among managers and the staff team, to help them identify improvements for the children they care for.

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good

The manager has not assessed her team’s ability to meet a child’s needs before they move into the home, as well as the impact on the other children living in the home. The manager has also not reviewed staff training to ensure that the staff have the skills to meet the child’s needs. This has caused disruption for children when staff did not have the skills to meet their needs.

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good

Staff complete an induction when they join the team. The induction process does not include training relating to the specific model of care that is being provided to the children. It also does not include protocols to follow if children go missing from home. This results in children receiving inconsistent care from their staff team.

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good

The independent person visiting the home has not consistently requested feedback from children, family, professionals and the staff team. The lack of feedback from these important people reduces the opportunity for improving the care provided. A Inspection report children's home: SC025420 6 further lack of feedback in the review of the quality of care and Ofsted surveys means that the manager is unable to identify areas of development and growth for the team. Inspection report children's home: SC025420 7

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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.

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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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 20 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC025420 8 child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, risk assessments should comprehensively identify and focus on current and emerging risks and provide the staff with clear strategies on how to respond to risk. The registered person should ensure that the staff understand and work in accordance with safeguarding policies to keep children safe.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, whether past or present, in relation to a child to the appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (2)(b) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, induction should include all necessary and mandatory training. Supervision should be reflective and include actions to improve practice. Any shortfall in practice that may lead to disciplinary action being taken should be clearly recorded. 20 August 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.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended 20 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC025420 9 that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, pre-admission planning should robustly consider the risks and needs of children already living in the home in relation to any child being considered for admission, and how these will be managed to minimise the risk to any child. Children’s progress at the home should be monitored and reviewed to identify whether any changes in the team’s practice is needed to support children, and include how children are encouraged to contribute to their plans. Leaders and managers should ensure that a transition plan documents what action has been taken to support children leaving the home and how they have communicated with the placing authority to make arrangements so that the transition is a positive experience for children.

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 20 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC025420 10 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 20 August 2021

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (2)(a) (5)) 20 August 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they evidence that they advocate for children and challenge and escalate concerns when professionals in the wider system are not providing the support that children need. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 11, paragraph 2.4)  The registered person should ensure that any incidents are fully evaluated so that the actions of staff are reviewed thoroughly to identify both good practice and areas for improvements. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to understand each child’s education and training targets and their next steps for learning. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 27, paragraph 5.11)  The registered should ensure that the staff understand the importance of

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Recommendations

recording in a non-stigmatising way. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report children's home: SC025420 11

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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’.

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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: Hill House, Archway Road, Huyton, Liverpool L36 9XB

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Inspectors

Karen Willson, Social Care Inspector Carly Quinn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC025420 12 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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