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

Inspection report children’s home: SC356929 1 SC356929 Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home. The setting provides care for up to three children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2021.

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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 5 August 2021 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: One compliance notice was served on 17 June 2021 in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard. Inspection report children’s home: SC356929 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2021 Full Inadequate 15/01/2020 Full Good 08/01/2019 Full Good 11/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC356929 3

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improvement to be good

There are no children currently living at the home. The two children who were living at the home at the time of the last visit have recently moved out. The manager acknowledges that the home has experienced a difficult period in managing the challenges and behaviour of the children. Notice was served on both placements.

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improvement to be good

Both children agreed to speak to the inspector about their experiences of living at the home. It was evident that they had built positive relationships with the manager and staff. One child said, ‘They helped me with my struggles, they done a brilliant job, it’s one of my favourite places.’ Another child said, ‘I’ve loved being there, they [staff] are always there for you.’

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improvement to be good

Staff have maintained contact with both children, who phone the home daily. In addition, the manager and staff are providing outreach support for one child who has moved back home.

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improvement to be good

A range of services are available to children, including drug and alcohol services, smoking cessation and therapeutic support. Children receive the support they require to help them with their emotional well-being. Staff identified that a child appeared to have some sensory needs, and sought a diagnostic assessment to support her.

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improvement to be good

Children are given the opportunity to take part in a range of fun leisure activities that they enjoy. This enhances their life experiences and strengthens their feelings of self-worth.

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improvement to be good

The home is reasonably well-maintained. Ongoing maintenance is taking place, including decorating the games room and bedrooms. This will ensure a more homely environment .

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improvement to be good

Serious incidents have occurred in the home since the last inspection visit. The staff have managed these incidents well. All safeguarding professionals, including placing social workers and the police, have been kept fully informed and updated.

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improvement to be good

Complaints and allegations are promptly responded to by the manager, and children know how to make a complaint should they need to.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated. These provide sufficient detail and clear guidance for staff to follow. The staff always work hard to keep children Inspection report children’s home: SC356929 4 safe. However, when one child was regularly placing herself at significant risk in the local area, the staff could no longer keep her safe.

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improvement to be good

Children who go missing are protected in line with agreed protocols. When incidents of missing from home occur, records show that staff are active in searching for and locating children.

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improvement to be good

The manager appropriately notifies Ofsted when serious incidents occur, as required under regulation.

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good

The manager is suitably qualified to manage the home. Since her appointment, the manager has worked hard to bring about the necessary improvements. It is now important that these improvements are embedded and sustained.

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good

The oversight and monitoring of the home have improved, and staff are now receiving regular supervision. Staff reported that they feel well supported by the manager. The staff are currently working in the provider’s other homes.

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good

Since the last full inspection, the manager and staff have undertaken training to improve their understanding of their roles and responsibilities . This included training in the following areas: safeguarding; reporting and recording; self-harm; and exploitation .

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good

The staff training programme has since been revisited, and plans are in place for all staff to update their skills further in the coming weeks. This will ensure that all staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of children.

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good

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The manager has addressed the requirements made at last inspection.

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good

Feedback from the children demonstrates that they felt well cared for. Direct work sessions have taken place with the children. However, the quality of these sessions is variable. Some records are hard to read because they are handwritten, and in one record the language used was inappropriate. Inspection report children’s home: SC356929 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children they care for. Staff should understand that they have a responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views, acknowledging that it is not the sole responsibility of the child to ‘tell’. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC356929 6

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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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Inspector

Michelle Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC356929 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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