Children's Home run by New Foundations Care Homes Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 1 SC406636 Registered provider: New Foundations Care Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns and operates this home. The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

No children were living in the home at the time of the monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged to be inadequate at a full inspection on 28 and 29 August 2024.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found significant shortfalls in safeguarding practices, the leadership and management of the home and the quality of care being provided to children. As a result, compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000, relating to regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, regulation 6, the quality and purpose of care standard, and regulation 12, the protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors carried out a monitoring visit on 11 September 2024 to consider the progress made in relation to the compliance notices. Not enough progress had been made to meet the steps in the notices. Therefore, compliance notices were issued again under regulation 6, regulation 12 and regulation 13. Due to the extent of the concerns and the lack of progress made, a restriction notice was served on the provider under section 22B of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors carried out a further monitoring visit on 21 October 2024, to consider the progress made in relation to the compliance notices. Again, not enough progress had been made to meet the steps of the compliance notices. A case review was held Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 2 after the monitoring visit, and it was decided that further compliance notices would not be issued as further progress could be monitored via the restriction notice.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to consider how the provider had addressed the concerns outlined in the restriction notice.

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This monitoring visit

The home has now been renovated and redecorated throughout. The manager has also implemented better systems to make sure that improvements in the standard of cleanliness are maintained. Children will now be provided with a clean, homely and welcoming environment.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have now completed a range of training. They have repeated all training outlined in the statement of purpose, including safeguarding, reporting and recording. Staff have also started to work through a range of additional useful training. Staff are gaining confidence in how to provide good-quality care and keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have improved systems to monitor staff training. Managers have changed the format of team meetings so that they are now used to share useful information about good practice. Staff training and continued professional development are now being discussed in more depth during supervision. Managers also plan to regularly assess staff knowledge of the subjects covered in training to make sure that they have understood and retained essential information. Managers are improving their understanding of staff’s skills and knowledge.

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This monitoring visit

Staff understand their role in protecting children from harm. They can confidently talk about how they would manage a range of safeguarding scenarios. Managers have updated important safeguarding policies and provided staff with easy-to-follow flowcharts setting out each person’s responsibilities. Staff know how to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

A new online system is being used to organise children’s records. This includes a standardised template for children’s risk assessments and care plans. Each document will be reviewed and quality assured by leaders and managers. This system ensures that children’s risks will be more clearly documented, and staff will receive stronger direction from managers. Children will receive a more coherent approach to their protection.

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This monitoring visit

Support and supervision from senior managers are improving. The senior leadership team is developing a better understanding of the day-to-day running of the home and therefore of children’s experiences of care. Senior managers have agreed a robust plan of external oversight to ensure that standards of care continue to get better and remain high.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 27 November 2024, at which it was decided that the provider has demonstrated sufficient evidence of improvement to address the shortfalls outlined in the restriction notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 3 The requirements raised at the full inspection were not within the scope of this visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/08/2024 Full Inadequate 19/03/2024 Full Good 04/05/2022 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)) 3 March 2025

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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

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; 3 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 5 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications, and skills to meet the needs of 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

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)(f)(h))

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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

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) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 3 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set 3 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 6 out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that transitions in and out of the home are appropriately considered and children’s needs can be met.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children benefit from accurate, up-to-date plans.

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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

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; 3 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 7 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 develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that positive behaviour is supported in the home. Consequences should be proportionate and evaluated as to their effectiveness.

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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

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they take effective action to ensure children benefit from up-to- date, relevant plans. 3 March 2025

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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—

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, 3 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 8 where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are supported to attend meaningful education.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders, managers and staff must ensure that informal education is supported in the home.

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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

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 3 March 2025

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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)(e)) 3 March 2025

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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)) 3 March 2025

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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: SC406636 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Foundations Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mill Farm, Bull Bridge Lane, Liverpool L10 6LZ

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Hannah Lee Stockdale

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC406636 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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