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

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 1 SC405448

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Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited

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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. The home is registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since July 2024.

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Inspection date: 22 January 2025

Date of last inspection: 5 November 2024

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Inspection date: 22 January 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 22 January 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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: SC405448 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

Serious and widespread failings were identified in safeguarding practices. Leadership and management arrangements were also poor. The provider had failed to take action to meet any of the requirements issued at the full inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

In December 2024, the interim manager moved a child into the home in an unplanned way. Before the child moved into the home, the manager did not gain access to sufficient information to be able to carefully consider the child’s needs or the needs of the child already living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a significant increase in the number of safeguarding incidents in the home. During these incidents, significant damage has been caused to the home environment. There has also been a high number of police call-outs to the home. This has led to children being criminalised. Despite the escalating risks and serious safeguarding concerns at this time, leaders and managers failed to take sufficient action to safeguard children and the staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have restrained children using inappropriate holds. The holds used were not necessary and proportionate. Furthermore, the holds used were ineffective and resulted in staff members sustaining injuries. Staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children, and when staff observed inappropriate holds, they failed to raise the concerns about poor staff practice with leaders and managers. This left children at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff do not take sufficient action to locate children when they are missing from home. During missing-from-home incidents, staff have not followed the strategies agreed in children’s risk assessments to support them to return home safely. As a result, a young, vulnerable child was left at risk of harm in the local community.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff have failed to keep children safe. On one occasion, poor decision-making resulted in a child who had lived at the home for six months being moved out in an unplanned way. Due to the trauma experienced by the child, they were unable to access education, and incidents of self-injurious behaviours significantly increased.

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Findings from the inspection

Leadership and management of this setting are poor, unsafe and ineffective. Children are at risk because leaders and the manager do not understand their roles and responsibilities in providing effective management oversight. There has been no registered manager in the home since 22 July 2024. One member of staff has been dismissed, and two further staff were suspended due to the use of inappropriate force against children and a failure to follow the whistle-blowing procedures in place to keep children safe. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 3 Prior to this inspection the provider made the decision to close the home. However, it is Ofsted’s view that children living in the home were at risk of harm. The manager and staff were not able to keep children safe and meet their needs. Poor and ineffective leadership and management compromise the safety of children living in the home. There is not a sufficient staff team in the home to meet the needs of any

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Findings from the inspection

children, and staff working in the home do not understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. As a result, Ofsted made a decision to suspend the operation of the home. This notice was served with immediate effect.

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted has also issued three compliance notices, under Regulation 12, the protection of children standard, Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard and Regulation 14, the care planning standard.

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted will carry out further visits to monitor the suspension notice and the provider’s response to addressing the shortfalls. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/11/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/10/2023 Full Good 12/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/02/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 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 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

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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that staff have the necessary experience and skills to understand their role in keeping children safe and that staff understand and follow agreed strategies as detailed in children’s plans. Furthermore, leaders and managers should ensure that staff understand whistle-blowing processes and procedures and know when they should be used. 13 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 6 Leaders and managers should ensure that maintenance issues in and around the home are identified and rectified in a timely manner.

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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

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; 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)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that staff working in the home have the necessary skills and experience to meet the needs of the children and have completed relevant training. Additionally, training records and supervision records should accurately reflect the training and supervision completed by staff.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should have effective monitoring and review systems in place to ensure that shortfalls in the quality of care are identified and addressed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 13 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. 13 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 7 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 out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children are supported to experience positive moves in and out of the home. Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that those caring for children are equipped with the necessary skills, experience and qualifications to meet children’s specific needs.

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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

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

engage with them; and 13 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 8 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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; and

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders, managers and staff must ensure that children are supported to provide feedback about the quality of care they receive and are consulted about the decisions that affect their lives.

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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

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 13 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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 13 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 9 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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. 13 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 10 (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a))

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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; and

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; and

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix)) 13 March 2025

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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. 13 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 11 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

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child); and

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child). 13 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 12 Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 13

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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

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC405448 14 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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