Children's Home run by PIC Children’s Services in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 1 SC022442 Registered provider: PIC Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care for one child. The home’s statement of purpose states that the child may have a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2022.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 22 November 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/09/2022 Full Inadequate 17/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has experienced a positive transition from the home into semi-independent accommodation. One child has moved into the home. This child said that they like living at the home and that the staff are good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Careful consideration was given to the child’s history and behaviours and the skills and experiences of the staff team prior to the child moving into the home. However, records do not reflect the detail of the local area being taken into consideration to further strengthen the plans in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff recognise the importance of promoting the child’s confidence and self- esteem. They provide opportunities for the child to enjoy positive experiences. They have encouraged the child to take part in different activities to promote their interests and hobbies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager works in partnership with other professionals to support the child to achieve in their education, and to develop aspirations. The child is currently supported by a tutor in the home but, despite the creative efforts of the team, he is not yet engaging. The staff continue to support this area through positive reinforcement and incentives and have encouraged the child to visit a number of education provisions to supplement their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to attend routine appointments and health checks. However, the manager has failed to escalate a request for the child’s outstanding childhood vaccination.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to spend time with people who are important to them. The staff recognise the importance of helping children to maintain close links with family and friends and work to promote these relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well decorated, and the manager continues to make improvements. However, the bathroom is in need of refurbishment to ensure that it is in keeping with the modern decor of the home.

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

Staff understand the risks for the child. They actively help the child to make safer choices. Well-planned and effective direct-work sessions cover important and emerging topics, including community risks, offending behaviour and understanding the impact of substance misuse.

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

Staff understand the child’s individual needs well and respond appropriately. As a result, there have not been any instances where staff have needed to hold the child to keep them safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 4 Positive consequences and reinforcement are a strength of the home. Negative consequences are rarely used; on the rare occasion they are used, they are proportionate and provide opportunities for children to reflect on and learn from their behaviours.

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

There are clear missing-from-home protocols in place for the child. When instances have occurred, the staff have actively looked for the child and have worked with other professionals to promote their safe return. The manager requests and attends relevant meetings to ensure that there is a multi-agency approach to supporting the child.

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

Fire safety measures are not robust. The manager has failed to ensure that agency members of staff have been advised of the fire evacuation procedure.

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good

The manager is passionate about improving the service and has high aspirations for children. Management oversight has improved, and records are evaluated.

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good

Staff have completed training to meet the child’s needs and they receive regular supervision. However, the manager was unable to evidence that she receives supervision in line with the organisation’s policy. This does not ensure that the manager is adequately supported.

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good

Team meetings take place regularly, but the minutes are poorly recorded. They do not detail how research and development are discussed in the home to improve staff practice and outcomes for children.

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good

Shortfalls were identified during the inspection as the manager and staff did not challenge a plan from the child’s placing authority around the child’s use of e- cigarettes. This also resulted in the organisation’s policy around the use of e- cigarettes not being adhered to. This is something that the manager has now taken swift action to address.

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good

The manager has failed to challenge professionals when looked after child reviews and education meetings have been cancelled. This has resulted in a delay with care planning for the child.

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good

An independent visitor visits the home monthly. However, there is limited consultation with the child and stakeholders. This limits independent scrutiny of the home and reduces opportunities for further development. Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that concerns are escalated when children’s looked after reviews and education plans do not take place within timescales. 14 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to— achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s immunisations are up to date. 14 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 6 The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if

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Requirement Due date

necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(1)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(c)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that the organisation’s policy around the use of e-cigarettes is adhered to and that practice in the home around the child’s use of e-cigarettes does not compromise children’s safety. In addition, ensure that any risks associated with the locality of the home are identified when decisions are made about children moving into the home. 14 June 2023

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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 14 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 7 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(i)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that minutes of meetings are detailed and demonstrate that research and

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Requirement Due date

developments are discussed. After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention; and ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(c)(d)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that agency staff are aware of the home’s fire evacuation procedure. 14 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (3)(b)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that the manager receives supervision in accordance with the organisation’s policy. 14 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)) In particular, the registered person must ensure that the independent visitor is supported to consult with children and stakeholders. 14 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 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: SC022442 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PIC Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 North Street, Haydock, St Helens, Merseyside WA11 0TW

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 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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