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

Inspection report for children's home: SC356929 1 SC356929 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 and accommodation for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties. Children were spoken to as part of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in May 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

Date of last inspection: 29 September 2021

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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 for children's home: SC356929 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/06/2021 Full Inadequate 15/01/2020 Full Good 08/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC356929 3

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improvement to be good

There are three children currently living at this home. Children describe positive relationships with staff. One child told the inspector that staff quickly found a rugby and football club for him to attend. This means that the child can continue to do the activities that they enjoy.

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improvement to be good

Children’s bedrooms are decorated to meet their individual needs. However, the general cleanliness in the home needs to improve to ensure that all areas of the home are maintained to a high standard.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans are individualised and include lots of information in relation to children. However, further work is required to ensure that plans include clear goals and actions for staff to follow to support children. Furthermore, this will demonstrate the progress and experiences of children.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote children’s education and, as a result, children attend school. Their progress is variable. Some children have an education and healthcare plan. Not all staff are aware of children’s special educational needs or what the local area offer for children with special education needs is. This knowledge would ensure that staff understand the support available for children to help them reach their full potential.

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improvement to be good

Staff are supported in their role, with regular input from a range of professionals in the organisation. However, the advice and guidance are not clearly recorded in children’s plans. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that practice is consistent and that all staff have all the necessary information to care effectively for children.

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improvement to be good

Impact risk assessments demonstrate that leaders and managers consider children’s needs before they move into the home. However, assessments need to address all children’s presenting needs. This is particularly in relation to children’s emotional needs. These assessments would be further enhanced by an assessment of staff skills and experience to meet children’s individual needs.

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improvement to be good

Children told the inspector that they are kept safe by staff. They said that they can talk to staff and that staff listen to them and that staff are helping to make things better in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff are starting to help children manage their feelings. This includes discussions with children about how they manage relationships with each other. This is helping to improve these relationships. Inspection report for children's home: SC356929 4 There are risk assessments and behaviour management plans in place that address children’s vulnerabilities. These plans include strategies for the staff team to follow to minimise risks and manage behaviour. However, plans would be enhanced by evaluation from the registered manager, to ensure that strategies to reduce risk and support children’s behaviour continue to be relevant and include current strategies.

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improvement to be good

Records demonstrate a delay in leaders and managers following safeguarding procedures when a child made an allegation against a member of staff. Furthermore, records do not demonstrate a clear rationale for the immediate action leaders and managers took. This meant that children were potentially at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have effective recruitment processes in place. This prevents unsuitable people from working with children.

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good

There is a registered manager in post. Since the last inspection, she has worked hard to make improvements in the home. Staff spoken to at the inspection describe the manager as approachable and supportive.

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good

There are gaps in the registered manager’s monitoring and review systems. This reduces the effectiveness of the analysis and evaluation of the care provided for children. Therefore, the manager cannot evaluate staff practice effectively to continually improve the quality of care provided for children.

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good

The registered manager has not consistently ensured that children’s plans contain sufficient information regarding their goals and how staff can help children to achieve these goals. Therefore, it is difficult to consistently measure progress to know that children are achieving their full potential.

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good

There was a delay in the registered manager notifying Ofsted about a serious safeguarding incident. This does not support effective monitoring and compromises children’s welfare and safety.

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good

Staff have frequent team meetings. Records demonstrate that these meetings are generally well attended. Staff talk about children at team meetings. This helps staff reflect on their practice. Staff say that team meetings are helpful. Inspection report for children's home: SC356929 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

enable the child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to ensuring that there are high standards of cleanliness in the home. 26 September

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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

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

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

help each child understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(b)) 26 September Inspection report for children's home: SC356929 6 This is particularly in relation to ensuring that effective and safe processes are followed when a child makes an allegation against a member of staff.

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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;

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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; and

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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)(2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to staff understanding the impact the care has on children’s overall progress and experiences.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager needs to improve her overall monitoring and review systems to ensure that improvements to children’s care are consistently made. 26 September

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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 of their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is 26 September Inspection report for children's home: SC356929 7 intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that robust pre-admission risk assessments are completed which address all children’s known risks and needs, as well as staff skills to be able to manage children’s individual needs.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered manager needs to ensure that children’s care plans address all their needs and include their progress.

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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 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) 26 September Inspection report for children's home: SC356929 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: SC356929 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: SC356929 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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