Children's Home run by Progressive Futures Care Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 1 SC066242 Registered provider: Progressive Futures Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is managed by a private provider and offers care for up to two children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home and spoke with inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2024 Full Good 08/08/2023 Full Inadequate 10/05/2023 Full Inadequate 24/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 3

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improvement to be good

The inspection was brought forward due to concerns that Ofsted had received about the operation of the home. Leaders had failed to notify the placing authorities and Ofsted that they had been served with an eviction notice in 2024. Leaders had also failed to inform the registered manager about the eviction notice until 16 May 2025. This does not provide stability for children.

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improvement to be good

Children can identify an adult that they can talk to if they are worried, and they know how to make a complaint. However, children do not understand the actions taken or receive feedback when they raise concerns about staff practice. Leaders and managers failed to follow the home’s own complaints procedure. This does not encourage the children to be able to raise issues and concerns in the knowledge that appropriate action will be taken and practice will improve accordingly.

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improvement to be good

Not all children have plans in place to support them in education or training. One child attends school daily and is taken to and from school. Staff have established strong relationships with the school staff. However, another child is not attending an education provision, and there are no plans or structures in place to support them during the school day. Managers have not ensured that there are plans in place to support another child with educational activity throughout the day or consistently advocated for them to return to education as soon as possible.

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improvement to be good

Children do not have sufficient help to prepare them for their futures. One child does not have an independence or transition plan to prepare them to move on from the home. Staff have supported the child in relation to budgeting; however, it is unclear if the child has the skills to live independently.

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improvement to be good

Children’s needs and risks have not been taken into consideration alongside the skills and experience of the staff team. Managers have not ensured that staff have training specific to the children’s needs, including trauma and attachment training. Further work is also required in record-keeping as children’s care records contain stigmatising and blaming language.

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improvement to be good

Children are being cared for in an environment that presents a risk to their safety. The environment requires improvement in several areas for safety and security. Doors that no longer close require replacing, and fence panels are unsecure with protruding nails visible. An outside garage is accessible to children and contains several items that pose a risk to their safety. Although some immediate action was Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 4 taken to reduce these risks, this does not provide children with a safe, clean and welcoming environment.

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improvement to be good

Children’s known risks are not all documented within their plans. This includes risks such as self-harm and vaping. Plans do not provide all staff with effective strategies to take to minimise risks and protect children. Although children have not been placed at immediate risk, children do not receive good enough help and protection.

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improvement to be good

Children have missing-from-home plans to help staff understand the actions they need to take if children go missing. Plans set out the actions for staff to take to find children, such as carrying out area searches and visiting known addresses. Managers ensure that the local authority arranges an independent return home interview.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children to understand the risks that drug misuse will have on their health and well-being. Staff speak with children to ensure that they are provided with opportunities to complete online learning to support their learning. Incidents around substance misuse for the child have reduced.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed to ensure that new staff are suitable to care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not know the strengths and weaknesses of the home. They have been ineffective in prioritising, challenging and making improvements. Leaders have also failed to notify the regulator of significant incidents. This prevents the regulator from understanding all actions taken to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not actively and regularly monitor the quality of care provided and do not review staff practice after incidents to ensure that care practice is safe and in line with children’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff new to the home have not been provided with training in line with the provider’s workforce development plan. Additionally, staff have not received training that is specific to children’s needs, such as trauma and attachment. Leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of any gaps in the skills and knowledge of each staff member to understand the impact this has on the quality of children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not provided staff with the opportunities to reflect in individual supervision. Managers have not reviewed children’s care records to identify that language in relation to children is blaming and stigmatising. This does not promote professional development or an environment for good practice to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not use learning from practice to improve the experiences and care of children. They do not take opportunities to learn from complaints, staff Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 5 feedback, placement successes and breakdowns and any serious or notifiable events. This is a missed opportunity to improve the care and protection provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 6

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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 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

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

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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the home environment is designed and furnished to represent a home for children. All repairs must be completed without delay so that the home is free from hazards. Children’s bedrooms must be clean and tidied. 29 June 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. 29 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 7 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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans must set out risks to children and clear actions for staff to follow.

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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

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; 29 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 8 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in 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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that decision- making about children’s suitability for the home takes account of children’s needs and risks and whether the staff’s qualifications, skills and experience are sufficient to provide safe and consistent care to children.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff’s skills and knowledge are reviewed as part of team meetings, reflective supervision sessions and appraisals.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that new staff receive training in line with the statement of purpose and staff have training in relation to children’s individual needs, including attachment and trauma-informed practice.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 29 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 9 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 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children are prepared to leave care with clear plans in place.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s records are kept up to date and that recording is objective and non-stigmatising. Specifically, ensure that all documents are fully updated. 29 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 10

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This 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’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progressive Futures Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 55 Hoghton Street, Southport, Merseyside PR9 0PG

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Inspectors

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066242 12 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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