Children's Home run by Progressive Futures Care Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 1 SC066242 Registered provider: Progressive Futures Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate on 10 May 2023. Inspectors identified poor practice relating to safeguarding, risk management and care planning. Following the full inspection, two compliance notices were issued under section 22a of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

At a monitoring visit on 19 June 2023, the inspectors found that the provider had taken action to address the steps outlined in the two compliance notices. However, at a second full inspection, on 8 August 2023, inspectors again identified poor practice relating to safeguarding, risk management and care planning. The provider had been unable to sustain the improvements made at the monitoring visit on 19 June 2023. This poor practice had impacted on children’s progress, experiences and safety. In addition, the leadership and management of the home were judged inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

Following the August full inspection, Ofsted issued two compliance notices under section 22a of the Care Standards Act 2000, relating to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 25 September 2023 to monitor the compliance notices. The inspectors found that the provider had not taken action to address the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 2 steps outlined in the two compliance notices and two further notices were issued relating to regulations 12 and 13.

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This monitoring visit

A restriction of accommodation notice was also issued.

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this latest monitoring visit was to monitor the registered provider’s compliance with the notice restricting accommodation and to review the actions taken by the registered provider to meet the two compliance notices issued following the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have addressed the serious shortfalls in safeguarding practice. Since the last inspection, the acting manager has registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last inspection, the child living in the home moved to a new home. There are currently no children living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment has improved, with soft furnishings and new decor. The new manager has purchased dining room furniture, bedroom furniture and new beds. The layout of the home has also changed, which provides a more welcoming environment.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has worked closely with the responsible individual to improve the home’s documents and management systems.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made to children’s records, such as risk management and behaviour support plans. There have been changes to the formats to make the documents clear. Documents now include detailed information and effective strategies for staff to follow.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has developed a new information-sharing system. This will support staff to understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. Managers have reinforced with staff the expectations of providing good-quality care.

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This monitoring visit

The management team has implemented a new handover book with clear procedures. This will guide staff in the actions they need to take if children are at risk. Furthermore, all staff have completed relevant safeguarding training, including managing allegations.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight of the home is improved. The manager is no longer working on shift. The manager is now included on the rota system, with the actual hours worked. The manager has improved her monthly monitoring systems to ensure she identifies any actions or changes to practice required.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have developed a new supervision format. This ensures the manager can review and evaluate any gaps in practice and training. Furthermore, it shows evidence of discussions between staff and the manager in relation to their knowledge, skills and training. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 3 Staff were positive about the improvements to the environment. They talked about the changes in the systems in the home and managers’ expectations. The changes have boosted staff morale.

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This monitoring visit

As sufficient steps have been taken since the condition was imposed, Ofsted has agreed to remove the condition. The previous requirements were not considered at this visit but will be reviewed at the next inspection

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/08/2023 Full Inadequate 10/05/2023 Full Inadequate 24/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 4

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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 with 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

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 (c)) 20 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 11 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 5 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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 11 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 6 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

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request to—

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Requirement Due date

a child, or a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 20 September

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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 the 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 requirement is restated. 20 September

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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 20 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 7 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

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 in 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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 20 September

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progressive Futures Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 55 Hoghton Street, Southport, Merseyside PR9 0PG

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Catherine Fargin, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066242 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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