Children's Home run by Quality Protects Children Ltd in Sheffield

Inspection report for childrens home - monitoring visit: SC066010 1 SC066010

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Quality Protects Children Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social or emotional difficulties. On the day of the inspection, once child was in residence.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit is in response to information Ofsted received about the children’s experiences declining outcomes.

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This monitoring visit

The police have been called to the home in response to several incidents resulting in children being arrested. Subsequently, two children have left the home in an unplanned way. This was due to the staff being unable to meet their needs and manage their behaviours effectively.

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This monitoring visit

The wishes and feelings of children who are unable to communicate fluently due to language barriers have not been sought effectively. The infrequent use of interpreters has prevented the children’s views and opinions being fully understood by all those involved in their care.

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This monitoring visit

Instability in the staff team has impacted on the effectiveness of staff’s practice. A lack of clear guidance by leaders about children’s changing needs has left staff lacking in confidence and unclear about boundaries.

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This monitoring visit

Most of the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection have not been met. For example, children have not received effective guidance about the dangers of smoking, substance misuse, and alcohol misuse. Children have not been helped to resolve conflict with one another or live together harmoniously. Children Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066010 2 have not experienced consistency in their care. The children’s daily incentives have been ineffective in promoting positive outcomes. These are all re-issued.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls in staffing have led to staff working excessive hours, putting them at risk of fatigue. New staff members have been recruited to strengthen the team. Recruitment practice shows scrutiny and evaluation when determining the suitability of new staff to care for vulnerable children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have started to implement an action plan to address the shortfalls and achieve stability at the home. However, it is early days and not enough time has elapsed for the changes to take effect or become embedded in practice.

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This monitoring visit

A programme of repair work is ongoing to address the damage caused by children in recent months. This is helping to maintain a homely feel at the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066010 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/04/2024 Full Good 25/07/2023 Full Good 20/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066010 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, 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 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.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the homes care;

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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; (Regulation 7 (1) (c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(b)(i)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they make the necessary arrangements for children to have regular access to an interpreter. 8 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services, and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 8 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066010 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1) (a)(b) (2)(a)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff help children with support and guidance about the dangers of smoking, substance misuse, and alcohol misuse, and that children have access to support services that help them to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv)(xi)(xiii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are helped to resolve conflict with one another through restorative practice, and that a culture is developed that helps children to communicate and live harmoniously with one another. 8 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066010 6 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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

children experience consistency in their care;

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Requirement Due date

staff are clear on how to promote routines and boundaries for children that are aligned to the children’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

staff have risk assessments to follow, and know the actions they must take to keep children safe in relation to pertinent matters, such as the safe management of knives. 8 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066010 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff use due diligence when reviewing the evidence that helps them to determine if children achieve their daily incentives, so they are consistently motivated to make positive choices. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 39, paragraph 8.13)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should review the day-to-day monitoring system for the home to ensure that all areas of the home are effectively cleaned, and staff help the children to have clean and tidy bedrooms. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 53, paragraph 10.23

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Recommendations

 The registered person should review the rota system to ensure that staff are not working excessive hours that put them at risk of fatigue. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 54, paragraph 10.19)

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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: SC066010 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hill House, Archway Road, Huyton, Liverpool L36 9XB

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Inspector

Aaron Mcloughlin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066010 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 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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