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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 1 SC022442 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 privately owned and provides care for one child who experiences social and/or emotional difficulties. One child was living in the home at the time of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 7 and 8 May 2024. Inspectors identified serious concerns in relation to safeguarding practices in the home and ineffective leadership and management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Following the inspection, two compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act. Compliance notices were issued under Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the actions taken by the provider in meeting the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Progress has been made since the last inspection. Work has been carried out to improve the physical environment of the home. A new bathroom has been fitted and some areas of the home have been redecorated, including the child’s bedroom and staff office.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls in staff’s knowledge of the child’s risks have been addressed in team meetings and individual supervision sessions. As a result, staff now understand the child’s risks and vulnerabilities. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 2 Risk assessments for the child have been reviewed and updated. They guide staff in how to support the child in respect of all known risks. The manager has reviewed the plans and updates them following incidents. Staff familiarise themselves with the documents following any updates.

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This monitoring visit

There have not been any incidents of the child being missing from the home since the last inspection. The child’s plan includes clear guidance for staff to follow if incidents occur. Staff understand the risks posed to the child in respect of exploitation and substance misuse.

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This monitoring visit

Staff know how to support the child in the event of a complaint or allegation. Staff understand what action to take and can identify who to report concerns to.

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This monitoring visit

Arrangements have been made to ensure that there is a manager present in the home daily. A managerial monitoring tool has been introduced to ensure that the manager maintains regular oversight of the care being provided in the home. Weekly summary sheets of the care provided to the child are evaluated by the manager and identify any shortfalls in staff practice. Action is taken to address these with staff.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now receive regular supervision and attend team meetings. Reflective discussions with the staff team provide them with an opportunity to reflect on practice and identify any areas of improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are up to date with training and learning relevant to the child’s needs. The statement of purpose has been updated. This now identifies that the home does not operate a therapeutic model of care due to difficulties in sourcing appropriate training for the staff to attend.

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This monitoring visit

Staff say that they now feel supported in their roles, and the full-time presence of a manager in the home means that they now have guidance and support when needed. As a result, morale in the home has improved.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held following this visit. It was the decision of the case review that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the last inspection are outside of the scope of this visit. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2024 Full Inadequate 20/04/2023 Full Good 22/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/09/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 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

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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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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 understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff are trained to deliver therapeutic care to the child in line with the home’s statement of purpose and that staff know and understand the child’s risks and needs. 1 July 2024

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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— 1 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 5 that staff—

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vii)(viii)(x))

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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 the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; 1 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 6 that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (2)(i)(vii)(viii)(ix)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the staff team provides the child with focused work and sessions to address risks and needs. The registered person must ensure that the manager has oversight of the work carried out with the child and that records are maintained to reflect the support provided.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(b) (2)(b)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that all staff are aware of and understand the whistle- blowing policy. 1 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive supervision and that robust induction processes are followed when recruiting new members of staff. 1 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 1 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 7 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e))

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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. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that staff rotas reflect the staff on duty and the hours worked by the manager. 1 July 2024

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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))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all up-to- date local authority plans and documents are on file and that concerns are escalated when documents are not received within appropriate time frames. 1 July 2024

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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; 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) (3)(a)(b)) 1 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022442 8 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the statement of purpose includes all staff’s qualifications and experience.

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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: SC022442 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PIC Childrens Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PIC Childrens Services Limited, 2 North Street, Haydock, St Helens WA11 0TW

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Inspector

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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