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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 1 SC022464 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 is registered to provide care for one child who experience emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was 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 June 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on the 16 and 17 July 2024. Inspectors identified serious concerns about safeguarding practices in the home and ineffective leadership and management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, two compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These compliance notices were in relation to 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 monitoring visit was to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices. Ofsted found that the provider had not taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the inspection the risks of the child being missing from the home have increased. Staff do not make consistent attempts to locate the child or maintain contact when the child is missing. Action has not been taken to manage the risks of the child’s friends being in the home overnight. As a result, further incidents have occurred when the child’s friend has stayed in the home without staff knowledge. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 2 Leaders, managers and staff have not taken action to safeguard the child following incidents of self-harm and substance misuse. Staff do not follow the guidance from the manager to undertake room searches to ensure there are no items of concern that can cause harm to the child.

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This monitoring visit

Plans for the child do not include up to date information and do not reflect all known risks. This means that staff do not have clear guidance to follow to support the child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Some staff have attended training specific to the child’s needs. However, not all staff have had the opportunity to complete relevant training including the manager.

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This monitoring visit

The implementation of a monthly monitoring tool is helping the manager to improve her oversight of the care staff provide for children. However, not all incidents and records for the child have been reviewed or evaluated by the manager. Furthermore, action has not been taken to address shortfalls in staff practice in a timely way. As a result, measures are not in place to reduce the risks to the child in the home and community.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit identified further shortfalls in safeguarding practices, and the leadership and management of the home continues to be ineffective.

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This monitoring visit

Further notices are 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 other requirements are repeated from the last inspection, as these were not reviewed as part of this monitoring visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2024 Full Inadequate 18/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 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 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

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Requirement Due date

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)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff follow the child’s plans. That staff take action to manage safeguarding concerns in the home. That staff support the child to address their substance misuse and the use of electronic cigarettes. 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 5 *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 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;

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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)(c)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that systems are in place to monitor staff practice and that action is taken when poor practice is identified. 3 November 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; 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)) 3 November 2024

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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

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (2)(f)) 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 7 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(iii)(vii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person much ensure that the home is maintenance to a good standard and any damage is repaired promptly. In addition, the registered person must ensure that language used by staff is appropriate. 3 November 2024

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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

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 must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a)) 3 November 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. 3 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 8 The registered person must—

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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))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 3 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 3 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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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: SC022464 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 Ltd, 2 North Street, Haydock, St Helens WA11 0TW

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Inspectors

Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC022464 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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