Children's Home run by PIC Children’s Services in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 1 SC040785 Registered provider: PIC Childrens Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2019.

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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 good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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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: SC040785 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2024 Full Good 19/12/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/09/2023 Full Inadequate 26/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child lives at the home, and one child has moved on from the home since the last inspection. The child who lives at the home spoke positively of their experiences since moving in. The child who has moved out of the home lived there for a considerable period until they reached an age of independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each child experiences a positive and well-planned move into and out of the home. Staff support each child in visiting their new home, and they create a homely environment for them. When a child moves into the home, they are provided with all items they need, including clothing, toiletries, and furniture.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who lives at the home has settled well. Their bedroom is personalised according to their tastes. They have been provided with resources to support their hobbies, such as fishing equipment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for each child and ensure that their voices are heard. When a child has concerns about their care plans, staff raise these issues with relevant professionals to try and improve the care planning. However, care planning should include the views of others involved in the child’s care. A recommendation has been made to improve this situation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support each child’s education and challenge relevant agencies when arrangements for a child’s education are lacking. As a result, the child currently living at the home now attends an alternative provision that focuses on their interests. Feedback from professionals about the child’s education is positive, and they say that communication and working together are strengths.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage every child to attend healthcare appointments. Staff are aware of and support each child’s health and medical needs. The administration of medication in the home is safe. Staff ensure that each child receives support to address previous trauma and distress.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff know the child well. They understand their risks and vulnerabilities. The child has developed relationships with staff who they trust and can talk to. When there are incidents, staff educate each child about specific risks, such as those when they are missing from home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have called for police assistance when they have been unable to manage a child’s behaviour. At times, the use of police has not been necessary, and staff should have been capable of managing the issues. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 4 There have been incidents when staff have not acted in line with the child’s plans to manage behaviour. Although the manager and staff can explain the reason for their response, this was not documented clearly. Furthermore, the child’s plans and incident records do not show that staff know how to respond to all known risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The registered manager follows safer recruitment procedures, and staff are suitably vetted. This helps to ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably qualified manager who is a consistent figure in the home. The manager demonstrates a sound knowledge of the individual needs of each child and is committed to providing the care they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and consistent team of staff who support the child. They speak positively about the child, and their interactions are natural and positive. Leaders, managers and staff are passionate about ensuring that the child’s voice is heard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings, supervision sessions and annual appraisals are of good quality and reflective; they include feedback and actions aimed at promoting best practices for supporting the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has taken action to address the requirements and recommendations identified at the last inspection. They have put in place monitoring and review systems to provide oversight of each child’s progress. However, there are gaps in the manager’s monitoring and evaluation where staff recording does not consider all actions taken to safeguard and support each child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff follow each child’s plans to keep them safe and that they understand their roles and responsibilities. 20 August 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.

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 20 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 6 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

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

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(ix)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are able to support each child’s needs without the use of police intervention, unless necessary and proportionate. Additionally, staff must help each child understand their behaviour and what is or is not acceptable.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the skills to respond to children’s needs. In addition, leaders and managers must ensure that the care children receive is of good quality. 20 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that effective care planning is maintained and reviewed with the placing authority. Strong working relationships between the staff of the home and the placing authority are essential to the success of placements. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 56, paragraph 11.2)

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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: SC040785 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PIC Childrens Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 North Street, Haydock, St Helens WA11 0TW

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Inspector

Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC040785 9 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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