Children's Home run by Positive Homes for Positive Futures Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children's home: 2812913 1 Registered provider: Positive homes for positive futures 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 privately run children’s home provides care for three children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were no children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in December 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be 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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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2812913 2

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improvement to be good

Since the home registered, one child has moved into the home. This was well planned. The manager and staff met with the child prior to them moving into the home. However, the provider made a decision to serve notice on the placement when they were unable to keep the child safe. The child left the home in an unplanned way. This was not a good ending for the child’s time in the home.

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improvement to be good

The child’s progress in education was limited. The child was receiving two hours of education a week from an online tutor. The manager did not escalate or challenge the local authority when there was a delay in identifying and securing a full-time education placement. This limited the child’s educational opportunities.

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improvement to be good

Staff have supported the child to address some of their health needs. However, when the child refused to take their medication, the manager did not seek appropriate medical guidance on how this would impact on the child’s health and well-being.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff create an environment that is warm and welcoming. Staff supported the child to take part in a variety of activities, such as swimming, baking and shopping. The child joined the organisation’s local youth club to be able to meet new friends.

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improvement to be good

A range of meaningful key-work sessions have taken place, and these are individualised to the needs of the child. Pertinent topics for the child included work on feelings and emotions, self-harm and healthy relationships.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practices require improvement. On one occasion, the child made an allegation about a staff member. Leaders and managers allowed the worker to remain on site throughout the night, despite this allegation. No harm came to the child. However, this had the potential to compromise the safety and well-being of the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff used a range of de-escalation techniques and strategies to help the child with their emotional well-being. Incidents were managed well and there is evidence of detailed recording. However, when there was an escalation of incidents of self-harm, staff did not take effective action to keep the child safe.

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improvement to be good

Individualised risk assessments are in place and reviewed. Staff understand the children’s risks. However, leaders and managers did not consistently ensure that all staff understood the roles and responsibilities of safeguarding professionals, including the role of the local authority designated officer. Inspection report for children's home: 2812913 3 Due to the high staffing levels, the risk of children going missing is low. The staff team has built useful links with the local police. There have been no incidents of a child going missing from the home.

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improvement to be good

All staff are suitably checked and vetted before starting work at the home. The recruitment process is robust and detailed. This ensures that the adults caring for children are safely recruited.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. She demonstrates a child-centred approach. Staff say that the manager is supportive and approachable. During the inspection, the manager shared a commitment to address the shortfalls identified during this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have attended training in line with most of the child’s complex needs. However, when ligatures were identified as a new behaviour, the manager did not ensure that staff had all the necessary training in this area. Additionally, no staff had training in gender awareness despite the child identifying with a different gender. One staff member had not received training in internet safety, despite this being a known risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has suitable systems in place to make Ofsted aware of serious incidents that occur in the home. However, there have been occasions where the manager has not submitted a notification in a timely manner. A recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff say that the management team is supportive and approachable. There are regular supervision sessions and daily handovers taking place. Regular team meetings provide good opportunities to share information, and the minutes are detailed. Following a difficult period in the home, the manager ensured that she met with staff to reflect on the child’s placement and any lessons learned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Feedback from professionals was variable. One professional spoke about the positive relationships that the child had with the staff team and the good quality of incident recording. However, another stated that the ending of a child’s placement was poor. Inspection report for children's home: 2812913 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 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

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)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, complete robust room searches following concerns of self-harm and ensure that effective action is taken when a child makes an allegation of harm. 18 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement; 18 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2812913 5 help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(vi)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager must escalate concerns about the lack of full-time education placements.

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that all staff have the necessary training in ligatures, internet safety and gender identification. 18 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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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

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(b) (2)(b)(iii)) 18 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2812913 6 Specifically, ensure that a child receives a positive, planned ending when moving on from the home and help the child prepare to leave.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must seek medical guidance on the implications of a child refusing their medication. 18 July 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff fully understand the correct reporting procedures in the event of an allegation. This includes understanding the role of the local authority designated officer. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 43, paragraph 9.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all serious incidents are reported to the regulator in a timely manner. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 63, paragraph 4.13)

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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: 2812913 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive homes for positive futures limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Positive Futures, 181 Townsend Lane, Clubmoor, Liverpool L13 9DY

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pamela Constance

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Inspector

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2812913 8 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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