Children's home run by Embrace Care Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 1 Registered provider: Embrace Care 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 provider operates this home. The home provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager was appointed in July 2024 but is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children who are new to the home are welcomed sensitively and with the best possible planning. There is a robust referral process, which is used to assess the needs of the children who already live in the home and the impact for children who are new to the home. This ensures that there is a child-centred approach when making decisions about whether children should live together. However, the manager has not suitably challenged the placing authority to ensure that a review of a child’s placement took place within a reasonable timeframe after they had moved in.

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Findings from the inspection

When it has been necessary for children to move out of the home, the manager has made the decision in consultation with the child’s placing authority, with the interests of all children living in the home being taken into consideration. When the manager has disagreed with the plan for children to leave, this has been suitably challenged with the placing authority.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff support children’s education needs. However, one child who is new to the home has not yet been enrolled at a local school. The manager is working with the placing authority to ensure that a suitable school placement is identified.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to attend routine medical appointments. When specialist health input is required, they ensure that children have access to this, such as the child and adolescent mental health services and the in-house therapist. However, staff have not effectively supported one child to understand the risks of vaping and how they can get access to relevant services to help with this.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been improvements to the home environment since the last inspection. It is warm, welcoming and homely. Children have their own personal space with all the necessary furnishings they need. However, there need to be clear plans for staff to follow to work alongside children to ensure that their individual living areas are safe and hygienic. In addition, the downstairs staff office should have an appropriate window covering to ensure that confidential information displayed remains private and is not visible to members of the public passing by.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the whistle-blowing policy. When safeguarding concerns have been raised about staff conduct, these have been suitably explored and referred to relevant professionals. Appropriate action has been taken as a result of internal investigations.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have responded appropriately when children have been missing from the home. There are clear plans in place for staff to follow to ensure that they search Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 3 known areas. They work with the local police to support children to quickly and safely return home. Staff complete follow up work with children to explore their reasons for going missing from home and to share the dangers of being missing from the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to understand when their actions may put them at risk. They work with external professionals to educate children on the dangers of setting fires and spending time in unsafe places.

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Findings from the inspection

There are systems in place for the safer recruitment of staff. However, one staff file did not have a full employment history. This affects the provider’s ability to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been recruited. She is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted. The manager has implemented suitable systems for the internal monitoring of the home. This ensures that she has oversight of significant events and identifies areas of good practice and areas for improvement.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been several changes to the staff team since the last inspection. However, there is currently a stable team who are providing consistency of care to children. They are suitably trained in subjects to meet children’s individual needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The statement of purpose does not accurately reflect the range of additional needs of the children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care. However, the manager has ensured that staff have suitable training to meet the individual needs of the children living in the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/05/2023 Full Good 23/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 5

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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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. (Regulation 10 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are supported and educated to understand the risks of vaping and are helped to access relevant services to support this. 19 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 19 February 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. 19 February 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 6 Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1)(5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is accurate when describing the conditions of registration.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are supported to express themselves as individuals and should be given an appropriate degree of freedom and choice in relation to day-to-day arrangements for their care, depending on their individual needs and the setting in which they are cared for. However, there should be suitable arrangements to ensure that this can be done safely and hygienically. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations and ensure confidentiality of children’s information. Information in the office should not be visible to members of the public through

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Recommendations

the office window. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that there is effective care planning and strong working relationships between the staff of the home and the placing authority. They should ensure that children who are new to the home receive a 72-hour review of their placement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.2) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Embrace Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 116 Duke Street, Liverpool L1 5JW

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Inspectors

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Nicola Jeffery, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686253 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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