Children's Home run by Nugent Care 2019 in Sefton

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 1 SC025395 Registered provider: Nugent Care 2019

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a charity. It provides care for up to 19 children in two separate houses. Children living at the home may experience challenges in one or more areas of social, emotional and learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was registered on 29 March 2021 and she has been absent from work since 10 September 2021.

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This monitoring visit

At a full inspection on 6 and 7 October 2021, inspectors found serious and widespread weaknesses in the care and protection of children living at the home. The registered person was failing to provide effective care for the children currently living at the home. Should further children be admitted to the home, the risks to children’s welfare would be exacerbated. Consequently, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation at the children’s home with immediate effective on 8 October 2021.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, Ofsted issued compliance notices in relation to regulation 11, the positive relationships standard; regulation 12, the protection of children standard; regulation 13, the leadership and management standard; regulation 14, the care planning standard; regulation 23, medicines; and regulation 32, fitness of workers.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this visit was to monitor the registered person’s compliance with the notice restricting accommodation. In addition, it was to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the six compliance notices that were issued following the last inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 2 The interim management arrangements have brought stability to the home and improved the quality of care and protection that children receive. Inspectors found that steps have been taken to make the necessary improvements in relation to positive relationships, the protection of children, care planning and medicines.

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This monitoring visit

Children are happier. They feel that staff listen to them, and things have improved. Children and staff are benefiting from clear, unambiguous, and high expectations for the standard of behaviour. Children have been encouraged to help staff understand what they want and need from them. This is helping to build positive relationships in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s plans are up-to-date and provide a clear picture for staff of each child’s needs. Managers and staff share information through daily briefings about children’s experiences, risks and progress. Consequently, staff understand children’s plans and have the information that they need to look after each child.

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This monitoring visit

Children said that staff help them when they are upset. Staff understand and follow the agreed strategies for helping each child to manage their feelings and behaviour. For example, staff are finding ways to help children reduce their worries at bedtime and support them to settle without disrupting other children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are providing staff with an appropriate level of support and guidance. Training on attachment and trauma is helping staff to develop a better understanding of the impact of children’s previous experiences on their feelings and behaviour. Managers and staff are making use of supervision and team meetings to discuss individual children’s progress and reflect on ways to develop the quality of care for each child.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have the skills to recognise when a child may be at risk of harm and take effective action to protect the child. Staff understand the risks to children and how to manage the risks safely. Staff identify the signs that children may be at the risk of harm, including from criminal and sexual exploitation, bullying and self-injurious behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns about children’s safety, including allegations about staff, are reported without delay to the safeguarding agencies and designated officer for the local authority. Managers use their oversight of serious incidents to improve safeguarding practice.

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This monitoring visit

The arrangements for managing children’s medication are now safe and have been strengthened by the introduction of a thorough monitoring system and training for staff.

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This monitoring visit

However, the high level of staff vacancies continues to have a negative impact on the quality of care that children receive and their experiences. There are currently seven vacancies for team leaders and childcare staff. On occasions, there are not Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 3 enough staff available to respond flexibly to unexpected events. For example, the two children living at the satellite home have been supported by one member of staff.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, changes made by managers to improve the running of the home are not fully embedded with every member of staff. Some staff told inspectors that they were unaware of opportunities to attend enrichment meetings designed to develop their skills and knowledge. One member of staff said that they did not see the point of attending a meeting to discuss the lessons from a child’s unplanned move from the home. Therefore, some staff are missing the opportunities to reflect on and develop their practice. This compromises how staff work together as a team to provide children with a consistent quality of care. Consequently, we have issued a further compliance notice in relation to regulation 13, leadership and management.

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This monitoring visit

In addition, inspectors found serious shortfalls in the recruitment of staff. The registered person failed to verify written references for one member of staff. Additionally, for two members of staff, they did not explore issues about their performance, identified in references, which may have affected their suitability to work at the home. This shows a lack of scrutiny and professional curiosity when verifying an individual’s suitability. It does not demonstrate that staff have been recruited in line with the procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. Therefore, we have issued a further compliance notice under regulation 32, the fitness of staff.

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This monitoring visit

The registered person has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice. The same children have continued to live at the home since the notice was issued. However, the restriction of accommodation notice remains in place because of the shortfalls identified during this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s progress in meeting the other requirements made at the last inspection will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/10/2021 Full Inadequate 27/11/2019 Full Good 07/08/2018 Full Good 17/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and 29 December 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 6 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) 2(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(vii)(viii)(x)(b)) 29 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— 29 December 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 7 the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c))

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; 29 December 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 8 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(d)(e))

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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)) 29 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 29 December 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 9 the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b)(c)) 29 December 2021

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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; 29 December 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 10 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

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Requirement Due date

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 maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children’s records include up-to- date health assessments, personal education plans, and education health care plans. In addition, records should provide a clear picture of each child’s life journey at the home, including their views, experiences, progress and outcomes. Ensure that records are written in plain, appropriate and non-stigmatising language. 29 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. 29 December 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 11 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, maintain a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual hours worked.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 29 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 29 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 12

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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. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 99 Edge Lane, Edge Hill, Liverpool L7 2PE

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Inspectors

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC025395 14 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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