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

Inspection report for 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 is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in April 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Children were spoken to as part of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 16 December 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/12/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/12/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: SC025420 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are four children currently living at the home. All the children are making progress from their individual starting points. All children spoke separately to the inspector and described a supportive staff team. Observations of children with staff were positive throughout the inspection. Staff know children well and this is demonstrated in their approach to helping children with their individual daily routines, for example, in relation to education and activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend education, where they are making progress. One child has made significant progress. For example, his reading age has increased significantly since he has lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff generally meet children’s health needs and ensure that children attend the necessary appointments. However, staff need to ensure that they consistently support children’s health needs and if strategies are not working then staff need to think about what else they can do to help children stay healthy. This is particularly in relation to consistently supporting one child to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from specialised support from within the organisation. Children, managers and staff have access to the company’s therapist. This has helped to manage and support children in times of crisis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time doing things that they enjoy. The staff ensure that children are involved in different activities. Staff are proactive in arranging activities for the children. For example, one child has only recently moved into the home and the registered manager has already arranged for the child to play cricket at the local cricket club.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s social workers are positive about the progress their child has made. One social worked described her child as ‘unrecognisable’. Children’s social workers are kept updated about their children and social workers told the inspector that communication from staff is good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see people who are important to them. Staff work with children’s placing authorities to ensure that arrangements for children to spend time with their families are safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children told the inspector that they feel safe at the home. They said they have staff that they can talk to. A clear strength in the home is the relationships between the children and staff. Observations throughout the inspection demonstrate that children are comfortable with staff and that children have staff they can talk to. Inspection report for children's home: SC025420 4 Children’s risk assessments include their known vulnerabilities. The risk assessments include strategies for staff to follow to reduce risk. However, risk assessments would be enhanced by consistent evaluation from the registered manager to ensure that all strategies to reduce risk and support children continue to be relevant.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff spoken to demonstrate an understanding of children’s vulnerabilities. There is regular contact with children’s social workers and other relevant professionals. This contributes to an all-round and effective safeguarding approach.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff provide children with clear and consistent boundaries. Focused discussions with children support them to reflect on their behaviour. As a result, incidents have reduced.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Incidents when children misuse substances are managed by staff taking an educational approach, to help children understand the dangers associated with substance misuse. Furthermore, the registered manager ensures that children have specialist help from external agencies. One child met with a substance misuse worker on the day of the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a registered manager in post. She is child-centred and knows the children well. She is supported by an experienced deputy manager and senior member of staff. Between them they have created a nurturing and comfortable home. The staff have a sense of shared ownership about their practice and staff spoken to describe good morale within the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager monitors the quality of care provided. However, she needs to ensure that all actions in children’s plans are addressed. This is necessary to continually improve the quality of care that staff provide for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training that is relevant to children’s individual needs and staff spoken to say that this helps them in their roles. Staff have frequent staff meetings. Records demonstrate that staff meetings are informative and there is an agenda that includes discussions about children. This gives staff an opportunity to talk about children and reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager needs to ensure that children’s records consistently include accurate information and are signed by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s hours are not recorded or amended on staff rosters. This does not always provide a clear audit of the staff on shift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals spoken to are positive about the support that the staff team provides for children. They report frequent communication from staff and say their children are making progress. Inspection report for children's home: SC025420 5 The registered manager has met the requirements from the previous inspection. The requirements made at this inspection do not directly impact on children’s overall progress and safety. Inspection report for children's home: SC025420 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to ensuring that staff consistently address children’s health needs. 12 September

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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 12 September Inspection report for children's home: SC025420 7 promotes their welfare.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to the registered manager monitoring strategies in children’s risk assessments to ensure that they are relevant and remain effective.

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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 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 is particularly in relation to ensuring that all records in relation to children are accurate. 12 September

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and

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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, ensure that rotas include the full names of all staff who work in the home, including the manager, and the actual hours worked. 12 September Inspection report for children's home: SC025420 8

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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 for children's home: SC025420 9

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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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Inspector

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC025420 10 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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