Children's home run by Quality Protects Children Ltd in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 1 SC062248 Registered provider: Quality Protects Children 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 operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

There is day school in the grounds of the home. The inspector only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children lived in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024 and cancelled their registration in July 2025 following the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

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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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2024 Full Good 13/06/2023 Full Inadequate 13/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Shortfalls in behaviour management and instability with staffing have impacted negatively on children’s progress. Since the last inspection, one child has left the home, and three children have moved in. For the child who moved on from the home, there was a negative end to their placement. The manager worked with the child and local authority to try and ensure the child moved on in a planned manner. However, this was unsuccessful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When children move into the home, their risks and needs are carefully considered. Children move in a planned way and are given the opportunity to visit the home and meet staff. This supports a positive transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff struggle to build relationships with children. This is contributed to by a high turnover of staff and lack of experience within the staff team. Children told inspectors that they are not listened to, and that staff did not always follow through on their requests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children make progress in education from their individual starting points. All children living in the home access the on-site educational provision. There has been an improvement in attendance for all children. Education staff say that staff support children’s attendance by offering them a consistent morning routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The children’s health needs are met. When there have been concerns that children have undiagnosed needs, the provider has privately funded assessments for children. This helps to avoid delays in children’s needs being met. For two children, there has been significant progress with their personal hygiene since moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff regularly promote activities for children in line with their interests. For example, one child has guitar lessons, and another regularly attends a local youth club. Children also spend time in the provider’s caravan for holidays. These experiences provide the children with opportunities to make positive memories.

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

Staff do not follow children’s plans, which have been put in place to keep them safe. Staff are not confident in implementing behaviour management techniques, including physical intervention. There are missed opportunities to de-escalate incidents. This has led to staff being assaulted and prolonged incidents for two children.

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

There have been several incidents of children accessing the staff office during incidents. Staff do not follow the risk assessment in place to prevent this. This has led to significant incidents which staff have been unable to manage. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 4 When children are missing from home, staff search for them and report them as missing. However, staff are not proactive in returning children to the home. For example, children have been advised to book their own taxis to return home. This does not ensure children are returned to the home safely.

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

There are effective risk management strategies in place to manage children’s internet and phone use. Staff follow up concerns around internet safety by having meaningful conversations with children. This helps them to understand how to keep safe online.

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

Risk assessments are written in a child friendly manner. However, they are not updated regularly for each child and do not include clear guidance for staff to follow in response to children’s known behaviours. This does not support staff to offer consistent and safe care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The leadership and management of the home has been inconsistent. This has impacted on an already inexperienced staff team. The manager in post at the time of the inspection has since resigned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a high turnover of staff and high levels of sick-related absences. This has led to inconsistencies within staff practice and impacted negatively on the care provided to the children and their progress. Leaders do not ensure that the members of the team have timely notification of shifts, and rotas are not consistent. This has led to frustration within the team, and children are not provided with consistent care from a stable staff team. The manager and service manager are aware of the shortfalls in staff practice and the areas of development, and they are beginning to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff speak positively of the manager. They receive support through regular supervision and team meetings. Leaders and managers promote reflective practice. For example, a ‘walk in my shoes’ activity was completed during a recent team meeting. This encourages staff to consider the children’s daily lived experiences and the impact of their own practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of recording in children’s records is inconsistent. All information relevant to children’s care is not recorded. This is regularly raised within management oversight. However, action has not been taken to address this. Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 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;

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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)(v)(vi)(vii)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff follow the strategies outlined in children’s plans to keep them safe. This includes the use of physical intervention, where necessary and proportionate, and ensuring that the staff office is locked.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff take all action necessary to return children safely to the home after missing episodes.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s plans include clear guidance for staff to follow in regard to children’s known risks.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 18 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 6 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 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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(d)(e)(h)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that there is sufficient and suitably experienced and trained staff team working in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that they take appropriate and effective action when there are concerns in relation to staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

Senior leaders must ensure that there is a suitably qualified and experienced manager in post to oversee the home. 18 September 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. 18 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(viii)(ix)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the members of the staff team have the skills and training to understand children’s experiences and behaviours in order to build positive relationships with them, and that actions identified within children’s meetings are completed.

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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 kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s records are accurately recorded and include all relevant information.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s plans are kept up to date and that staff have access to current information. 18 September 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9).

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 8 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: SC062248 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hill House, Archway Road, Huyton, Liverpool L36 9XB

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Inspectors

Hayley Smith, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Rose Maddocks, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC062248 10 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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