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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 1 SC022438

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Registered provider: PIC Childrens Services

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for one child with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. There are opportunities for children to visit the home prior to coming to stay. One child said that they are happy living in the home. The child has been supported to develop positive relationships with those caring for them. The child said, ‘I like all my staff and can talk to them if I am worried.’

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Findings from the inspection

The staff team support each child to spend time with family and friends. There are activities on offer that help each child to develop friendships and confidence. One child said, ‘My staff always offer activities. I have been go-karting and paintballing.’

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Findings from the inspection

All children are supported to attend education and make some progress. However, not all education plans are updated. This means that each child’s learning needs are not clearly identified.

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Findings from the inspection

All children are encouraged to attend routine health appointments. However, for one child, their annual health assessment is out of date. When required, each child is supported to access specialist services in line with their individual needs. However, when some children are reluctant to attend, there is limited encouragement from those who care for them.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand each child’s individual risks. Risk management plans are detailed and updated to reflect any incidents or changes in the child’s behaviour.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been one incident of physical intervention since the last inspection. This was well recorded by staff. However, debriefs with the child are not completed. This is a missed opportunity to gather the child’s views on the quality of care that they receive, and the effectiveness of the measure used.

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Findings from the inspection

Consequences are disproportionate and managers do not evaluate the consequences imposed. This is a missed opportunity to help children to understand the consequences to any unacceptable behaviours.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the protocols when children go missing and are proactive in supporting children to return safely. However, children do not consistently have the opportunity to have an independent return-home interview.

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Findings from the inspection

Allegations and complaints are responded to and understood. Leaders take effective action and information is shared with relevant professionals and agencies to effectively safeguard children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 3 Managers do not consistently monitor the quality of care provided. Recording systems are disorganised and this impacts on the effectiveness of management oversight.

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Findings from the inspection

The strengths and weaknesses of the home are not recognised by leaders and managers. There is no evidence of learning from practice. Incidents are not consistently reviewed or evaluated. Leaders and managers have not ensured that recommendations identified by the independent visitor are understood and responded to.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not taken action to address the requirements made at the last inspection; these will be restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Team meetings are well attended. Team meeting records are well detailed and contain actions and responsibilities for staff to follow in practice. There is improved focus on ensuring that staff understand the individual risks and needs of the children they care for.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have reflective supervision. A new format has been introduced to support staff to reflect on practice and develop their knowledge and skills. However, it is unclear if staff are receiving regular appraisals. No appraisal records were available at the time of the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive training, which is predominantly completed online. There is no consideration given to the effectiveness of training. This includes ligature and self- harm training.

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Findings from the inspection

Two additional requirements were made at this visit. Leaders and managers have not ensured that they maintain an accurate record of the home’s admissions and discharges. Furthermore, leaders and managers have not completed a review of the location of the premises and the associated risks for individual children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/01/2023 Full Inadequate 20/04/2021 Full Good 17/07/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 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—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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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 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that they request children’s relevant plans. 23 April 2024

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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

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that children can contribute to their support plans. 23 April 2024

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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 23 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 6 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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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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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)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

The specifically relates to the manager ensuring that positive behaviour is promoted consistently in the home.

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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. 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(b)) 23 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 7 Specifically, ensure that the actions for staff to take are individual to the child and that children can share their views, wishes and feelings around the risks that they present.

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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 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

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

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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the manager is present in the home and has oversight of work being completed. The registered person should ensure that they have oversight of all work being completed. Ensure that work is evaluated to establish patterns and trends and identify areas of learning in order to make continuous improvements. 23 April 2024

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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)) 23 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 8 This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that children’s files are in order, well maintained, and contain details of all records for room searches, accidents and injuries.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that reports are shared with Ofsted, and visitors are supported to gather consultation, and recommendations are reviewed. 23 April 2024

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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; 23 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 9 ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they accurately maintain admission and discharge records.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2)) 23 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PIC Childrens Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: P I C Childrens Services Ltd, 2 North Street, Haydock, St. Helens WA11 0TW

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Inspector

Nichola Croft, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC022438 11 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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Inspector

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