Children's Home run by Pelican Care Group Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2686658 1 Registered provider: Pelican Care Group Ltd

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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 owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in this home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit took place due to escalating concerns from notifications.

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This monitoring visit

Managers do not ensure that staff are thoroughly vetted, and some staff records do not address concerns raised by previous employers. This puts children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

There is a lack of thorough investigation or curiosity during the recruitment process, which could allow unsuitable individuals to be employed, potentially causing harm to children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers do not communicate with essential partners, such as the local authority designated officer, to properly assess staff backgrounds and ensure they are suitable for working with children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not follow safeguarding procedures. When children make allegations, the home’s safeguarding procedures are not being followed and children’s voices are not being heard. This compromises children’s safety and well-being. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2686658 2 The requirements from the previous inspection were not looked at during this visit and are restated.

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This monitoring visit

Following a case review, it was decided that compliance notices under regulation 12 and regulation 32 would be issued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2686658 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2025 Full Good 22/06/2023 Full Good 07/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2686658 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that systems in place to manage medication are consistently followed by staff and in line with the home’s medication policy. 7 April 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;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 7 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2686658 5 the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that safer recruitment processes are followed, and that staff are fully vetted and appropriate to work with children.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that there is an up-to-date care plan in place from the placing authority and that escalation to managers takes place to ensure these documents are received. 7 April 2025

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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 7 April 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2686658 6 are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Managers and staff must follow safeguarding procedures in response to allegations and disclosures.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s internal whistle-blowing procedures through the induction process. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.9)

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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: 2686658 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pelican Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/O Holden Associates, V12 Suite, Merlin Park, Ringtail Road, Burscough, Lancashire L40 8JY

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Inspectors

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Mathew Morris-Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2686658 8 and inspects 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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