Children's Home run by PIC Children’s Services in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 1 SC040785 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

The home is owned and managed by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since June 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 26 October 2022

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/03/2022 Full Good 12/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/05/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 3

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inadequate

Despite serious failings in the leadership and management of this home and some poor safeguarding practices, the outcomes for the child are variable.

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inadequate

There has not been a consistent stable staff team in the home. This has impacted on the positive relationships the child had previously built. However, despite the changes, the child does still have some staff they can talk to and they feel relaxed with.

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inadequate

The child’s health and well-being is promoted well by staff. However, the work done and strategies identified to support the child’s mental health and emotional well- being are not included in the child’s care plan. There is no evidence of any escalations to ensure that the child has access to specialist services based on their individual needs. This does not enable the child or staff team to have a clear picture of all health needs and any actions outstanding.

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inadequate

Some staff recognise the importance of education. The child is supported to attend school and is reported to have made some progress, including sitting a formal national exam. The child has enrolled on a college course. However, due to a lack of recording in the home, it is not clear about the child’s progress in education. This is a missed opportunity to celebrate the child’s achievements and progress.

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inadequate

Family time is promoted. This has helped the child maintain relationships with people who are important in their lives.

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inadequate

The environment for the child is not consistently safe and clean and does not always protect them from the risk of harm. The home has visible mould on windows and walls. The child’s bedroom was in an unacceptable state with the remnants of food left unattended, despite there being evidence of flies in the room. This demonstrates that the manager and staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities in providing basic nurturing care or appropriate support to the child that they are responsible for.

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inadequate

Despite living in the home for a long time, the child is not consulted about their day- to-day care and does not understand the complaints process. This does not allow the child to contribute to their care and raise areas of concern, if required.

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

The registered manager and staff have not appropriately responded to incidents in relation to internet safety. Staff spoken to provide different responses about the strategies they use to manage this risk. This does not ensure that children receive a consistent response from staff to reduce the risk of harm in this area. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 4 Not all staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in keeping the child safe. Some staff did not understand the actions they are required to take if the child alleges that they have suffered harm.

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

Risks associated with the child going missing from care are not clearly understood by the staff team. There is no individual missing-from-care protocol in place. This leaves the child at risk of harm if he did go missing from home.

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

Boundaries are unclear and positive behaviour is not consistently supported. Consequences are not appropriate and relevant to behaviours. Although the manager and staff understand the dangers that the use of the internet can pose for the child, they have imposed a restrictive approach. This does not support the child to understand and manage these dangers or learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

The child’s risk assessments and risk management plans are not up to date and do not include appropriate strategies for staff to follow to keep the child safe. Furthermore, the child’s relevant plans are not shared effectively with the staff team. This does not enable the staff caring for the child to understand their care needs and all known risks.

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

The registered manager and staff are not able to consistently identify when a child may be at risk of harm. This means that there are missed opportunities for the staff to take effective action to reduce potential risks to the child. For example, it has been identified that there is a risk for the child around internet safety and exploitation. The risk assessment included conflicting information about the strategies to minimise risks and staff were unclear about the actions they should take.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is not leading and managing the home in a manner that is consistent with the aims outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. In addition, the statement of purpose has not been sent to Ofsted in line with regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not have sufficient oversight of the documentation regarding the experiences and progress of the child and has failed to ensure that the child’s journey is clear or identify poor practices in respect of safeguarding. The failure to address these concerns means that the safety and outcomes for the child are compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Risk management and behaviour management in the home are not robust. The content of assessments is confusing and, in some instances, factually incorrect. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans fail to provide the staff team with appropriate strategies to manage children’s behaviour or minimise risk. Despite managers and staff attending training in safeguarding and behaviour management, the shortfalls identified during this inspection have proved the training to be Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 5 ineffective. Furthermore, it demonstrates that not all staff have the knowledge needed to support the child safely in the home and in the community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management monitoring is ineffective. Leaders and the manager have not implemented effective monitoring systems to ensure improvements in the quality of care provided to the child. Oversight of the child’s records has not identified shortfalls in staff practice. Poor staff practice has therefore continued, which does not promote the child’s safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Furthermore, management oversight of significant events and behaviour management is poor. This has resulted in an insufficient review of incidents or reflection on whether staff practice has been effective. This is a missed opportunity to review and improve care practices in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is not providing staff with reflective practice-based supervision. Staff are not being supported, within supervision, to reflect on training or significant events in the home. This does not support the development of good practice and, therefore, the quality of care provided to the child is not improving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff attend team meetings. However, minutes from these meetings do not demonstrate that staff reflect on their practice to improve the quality of care provided for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have been provided with training. However, they have not implemented this learning into practice. Some staff have completed multiple online training courses in a short time frame. Managers have poor oversight of training records and have not discussed with staff their learning following training events. This does not demonstrate that there is appropriate reflection on the training that staff attend to inform and improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home does not have a consistent stable group of staff to support the child. There is an overreliance on agency workers. The lack of permanent skilled and experienced staff compromises the child’s overall care and experiences. Rosters do not include the full names of staff, including the registered manager, and the actual hours worked. This is a safeguarding concern, as there is not a clear record of the staff on shift responsible for the care and safety of the child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 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, The 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—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the child has access to specialist services based on their individual needs. 22 October 2023

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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

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 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

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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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— 22 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 7 meet the needs of each child; and

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(vi)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review; and

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Requirement Due date

make each child aware of and, if necessary, remind them of each of the matters in sub-paragraph (d)(i) to (iii);

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives; 22 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 8 has access to the home’s children’s guide, and the home’s complaints procedure, when the child’s placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child’s stay in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with. (Regulation 7 (1) (a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(d)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, children must be supported to share their feelings and wishes and give feedback about the quality of care that they are receiving.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that children understand how to make a complaint in line with their age and understanding.

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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

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. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)) 22 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 9 This relates specifically to the manager ensuring that children benefit from up-to-date education plans and that relevant information is incorporated into the child’s plans. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children are supported to understand acceptable behaviour. Children should benefit from consistent strategies and a consistent approach from those caring for them. 22 October 2023

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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

that staff— 22 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 10 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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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;

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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

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;

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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. 22 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 11 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)(f)) 22 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the statement of purpose is kept up do date and details the qualifications, experience and skills of those working in the home.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that fire doors and closers are fitted appropriately and are in good working order. 22 October 2023

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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 22 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 12 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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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.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders, and managers must ensure that there is an accurate register detailing admissions and discharges to the home.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, this relates to the manager ensuring that rotas contain the full names of staff members working in the home and the actual hours worked.

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Requirement Due date

This is a restated requirement. 22 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC040785 13

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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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Inspectors

Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Rebekah Tucker, His Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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