Children's home run by PCF Residential Childcare Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 1 Registered provider: PCF Residential Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to three children who may experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager holds a Level 4 qualification and was registered with Ofsted in July 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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: sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection in March 2020, two children have moved out of the home. Three children are currently living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children receive an inconsistent quality of care. While they have been supported to make progress in some aspects of their lives, in other instances children have not received the help they have needed.

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improvement to be good

In part, the variable quality of placement plans has contributed to the inconsistent care that children receive. Placement plans do not always help staff to understand how best to meet children’s needs. When children do make progress, this is not always captured well in their placement plans. This hinders staff’s ability to identify when children may be ready to develop new skills.

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improvement to be good

Prior to children moving into the home, the registered manager does not fully consider the needs of the new children alongside those of children already living at the home. A lack of detailed information and an absence of strategies to help staff manage potential risks mean that staff are not always fully equipped to promote children’s welfare and safety. This has resulted in some children experiencing an unsettled period.

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improvement to be good

Children are not always supported to manage conflict between themselves, which has led to incidents of name-calling and aggression. This has been upsetting for children.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake direct work with children to give them advice and guidance on a range of topics. However, this work is not always linked to what is set out in children’s plans or related to children’s current behaviours. This disorganised approach means that children do not always get the help and support that they need at the right time.

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improvement to be good

Despite the shortfalls identified, children have made progress. For example, all the children have made good progress with their education. Children who had previously experienced barriers to attendance and learning are now attending full-time education. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure that children are provided with learning in line with their needs.

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improvement to be good

The home is well maintained, comfortable and homely. Staff have supported children to make their bedrooms comfortable and personal to them.

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improvement to be good

Professionals provided the inspector with mixed feedback about the home. One social worker told the inspector that their child had made positive progress since living at the home and that they were pleased with the care provider. However, Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 4 another social worker said that delays in paperwork meant that they were not always kept up to date with their child’s progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff demonstrate a knowledge of children’s vulnerabilities and an understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. However, the quality of risk assessments is variable and at times information is inconsistent or missing.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not ensure that children’s behavioural support plans consider the triggers for children’s behaviours or identify early warning signs to reduce risks. This means that staff do not have information to help them to consistently support children to manage their emotions and avoid an escalation in incidents.

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improvement to be good

Consequences given to children by staff to address their behaviours are not always restorative. Some consequences are repeated with little effect. Furthermore, the registered manager does not always help staff to consider alternative ways to work with children. This does not support children to identify effective strategies to manage or change their behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Physical interventions have reduced since the last inspection. Staff only use physical restraint when it is necessary to safeguard children and others. Following incidents, children receive good support that enables them to reflect on their emotions. However, the registered manager does not always complete debriefs with staff within the required timescales.

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improvement to be good

Children said that they feel happy and safe living at the home. They feel that their views about their care are listened to and acted on. This helps them to feel valued and that their views are taken seriously. This contributes to them feeling safe and well looked after.

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improvement to be good

The number of missing-from-home incidents has reduced since the last inspection. Staff follow protocols and recording is clear. Staff work effectively with other professionals, such as the police, to ensure that children return home safely. Return home interviews are arranged and undertaken with children. This provides staff with the guidance to support children in reducing their episodes of going missing from home.

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improvement to be good

When complaints or allegations are made about staff, the registered manager’s response is good. The registered manager ensures that appropriate actions are taken to safeguard staff and children when allegations are made. There is good communication between the staff, social workers and the designated officer. Good oversight and scrutiny of allegations help to protect children from harm.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager ensures that staff are safely recruited. This means that staff working with the children have been suitably checked to ensure that they do not pose any risks to children. Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 5

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good

The registered manager has not implemented an effective monitoring system. This has reduced the registered manager’s understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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good

The home has an independent person in place to provide external scrutiny of the home. However, the content of their reports gives limited feedback to the provider. This does not support the registered manager to develop practice in the home.

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good

Most staff are working towards the Level 3 qualification. However, there are gaps in staff training, such as around first aid, medication and self-harm. This means that some staff lack some of the skills and knowledge they need to care for children.

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good

The staff feel supported by the registered manager. They said that, because of this support, they can work consistently as a team and are happy working at the home.

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good

The staff receive regular formal supervision. These sessions help them to develop, as they are given tasks to complete to monitor their learning. Supervision sessions provide the staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice and to consider how their actions and performance influence children’s progress.

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good

The registered manager has developed positive working relationships with professionals. He and the staff work in partnership with other agencies, such as placing local authorities, the police and health professionals. Collaborative working helps children to receive coordinated care. Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 6

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to children’s risk assessments being updated and in line with children’s risks and behaviours. 10 February 2022

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that staff have relevant training to meet the children’s needs. 10 February 2022

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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 10 February 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 7 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

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that the process of matching risk assessments takes into account all children in the home .

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

The specifically relates to the independent person sending their report to Ofsted in a timely manner. 10 February 2022

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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: 2503031 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PCF Residential Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 37 Copthorne Road, Wolverhampton WV3 0AB

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Inspector

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2503031 9 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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