Children's home run by Positive Homes for Positive Futures Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 1 Registered provider: Positive Homes for Positive Futures Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a charity and provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager. A new manager has been appointed.

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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

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: 2633818 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home. There are currently two children living in this home. The inspector observed warm relationships between the children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been a number of changes to the staff team since the last inspection. Leaders and managers have tried to minimise the impact on children living in the home. One child told the inspector that she likes the new staff who have joined the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children living in the home are enrolled in full-time education and have good attendance. When children have difficulties in school, the staff work with children, teachers and professionals to address these issues. This means that children have been able to sustain their educational placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with other professionals to ensure that children’s physical and emotional health needs are met. Children are registered with relevant health professionals and are supported to attend all necessary appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with the people who are important to them. They work closely with the placing authority, sharing relevant information to ensure that these arrangements are safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children know how to make a complaint. When complaints have been made, leaders have taken appropriate action to resolve these issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright and welcoming. Children have been able to personalise their bedrooms. However, some damaged furniture has not been replaced, and discarded items were seen in the home’s garden during the inspection.

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

Children have individual risk management plans in place. However, plans do not include all the strategies that staff are to follow in order to minimise risks to children. This means that staff do not have the written guidance they require to support children consistently. The new manager had begun to review children’s plans prior to this inspection.

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

Staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures, which means they know what to do when concerns arise. When incidents have occurred, staff have responded appropriately to keep children safe. Follow up work is undertaken with children and information is shared with relevant professionals. Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 4 One child told the inspector that they feel safe living in this home. They spoke about the support they receive to understand any concerns that staff may have for their safety and well-being. Direct work sessions focus on children’s specific needs, and staff revisit key topics to ensure that children understand what is covered during the sessions.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents of children going missing from this home. However, missing-from-home protocols do not make it clear how often staff should have contact with children when they are in the community or when they should begin the missing procedure.

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

The new manager has implemented routines and boundaries to help children understand acceptable behaviour. Staff promote positive behaviour through meaningful rewards for children, and consequences are used sparingly in this home. Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents when children have been physically held, although staff have received relevant training should this be required.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been an allegation made against a member of staff. There was a delay in this being fully investigated and in the provider notifying the regulator. However, subsequently, effective action was taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the home has had a period without a registered manager. A new manager joined the home in April 2024 and has submitted her application to register.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has experienced staffing shortages. Core staff have worked additional shifts and agency staff have been used. Leaders and managers have tried to use the same agency staff members in order to minimise the impact on children living in the home. The inspector spoke to agency staff, who had a good understanding of the children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff spoken to were positive about the new manager and say that she is supportive. The manager has begun to undertake supervisions with staff. However, the frequency of supervision has been inconsistent due to staff absence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are shortfalls in staff training. Staff have not received training specific to the needs of children living in the home. Induction training for new staff is not prioritised effectively. The impact of staff working alongside agency staff, and the understanding of their combined skills and training, has not been considered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Ofsted has not received a report on the home’s review of the quality of care in timescales required by regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Effective monitoring and review systems are not yet in place. A number of records require updating. The manager recognises the shortfalls raised during this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 5 She has begun to make improvements in the home. However, these changes are not yet embedded in practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s plans record all known risks to children and the strategies that staff are to use to minimise these risks. In addition, missing- from-home plans should detail when staff should begin this procedure. 22 August 2024

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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; 22 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 7 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

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)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that the home has sufficient experienced and qualified staff to care for children; that staff receive all training necessary to provide care for children; and that there are effective monitoring systems in place to ensure oversight of all aspects of the day-to-day running of the home.

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 22 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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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 (1)(a) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, prioritise the effective induction of new staff working in the home and ensure that staff supervision takes place, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 22 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— 22 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 8 the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that broken furniture is removed and replaced swiftly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, 3.9)

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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: 2633818 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Homes for Positive Futures Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Positive Futures, 181 Townsend Lane, Clubmoor, Liverpool L13 9DY

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pamela Constance

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Inspector

Genevieve O’Reilly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2633818 10 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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