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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 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. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children were living at 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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Inspection date: 17 June 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 17 June 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, 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: 2686658 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

 Management arrangements are unsafe and ineffective.  Leaders and managers have failed to adequately assess the impact when new children move into the home.  Leaders and managers have failed to identify significant incidents as such and notify all relevant professionals.  Children have not been provided with the level of care and support that they need. This has resulted in one child being harmed and left both children at risk of harm.  Poor leadership and management of the home have led to a culture of poor staff practice.  Staffing arrangements in the home are not sufficient. This has led to unsafe practice in caring for children.

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Findings from the inspection

A child went missing from the home overnight without staff knowledge. The child attempted to contact staff during the night, but the home’s phone was not answered. The child then contacted the police, who were also unable to reach staff. This left the child at significant risk.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s care plan stated that they were to be monitored throughout the night. Records in the home indicated that those checks had been completed, which was inaccurate and misleading.

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Findings from the inspection

The home had been operating with insufficient staffing. Children were meant to receive one-to-one care, but staffing reduced to one member of staff at 8pm. One staff member remained on duty while the other retired to a separate building on the premises. This arrangement left children without adequate supervision and increased risk.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager was absent and had resigned without notifying Ofsted. A covering manager was in place but also held responsibility for two other homes. The responsible individual had been on an extended holiday, and no interim arrangements had been made. As a result, there was a lack of effective oversight of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Children who are at high risk of child sexual exploitation and going missing from home were placed together, which increased their vulnerability. Staff were not adequately trained to meet the needs of the children. Only one staff member had received training on the risks associated with child sexual exploitation. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 3 Significant incidents had occurred in the home, but Ofsted and placing authorities were not informed. This lack of communication prevented external agencies from having a full picture of the service and limited their ability to intervene and prevent harm. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/01/2025 Full Good 22/06/2023 Full Good 07/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 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

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

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the child’s individual risk management plans include all their known risks and provide staff with clear strategies to keep the child safe. 10 September 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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 10 September 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 6 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff, including the registered manager, receive appropriate support, supervision and training in order to offer the best care and support to children.

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Requirement Due date

They must also ensure that there is sufficient staffing to meet the children’s needs.

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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.

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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)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when children move into the home, staff are provided with internal care plans that set out clear expectations of how children must be cared for in the home. These must also incorporate the actions set out in the most up-to-date local authority care plans. 10 September 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; 10 September 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

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 provider must ensure that workers receive training that will equip them to care safely for the children in their care.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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 ensure that significant incidents are notified to Ofsted. 10 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff work consistently with the children and have good knowledge of the home’s chosen model of care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)  The registered person should ensure that positive behaviour is encouraged and that when consequences are used, these include reparative measures. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 9

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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: 2a Swordfish Business Park, Swordfish Close, Higgins Lane, Burscough, Lancashire, L40 8JW

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Inspectors

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2686658 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 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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