Children's Home run by Eastfield Group in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC064663 1 SC064663 Monitoring visit

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to seven children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, four children were living at the home. Three children spoke with the inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this visit of a serious incident concerning a child that had occurred since the last inspection. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the visit to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review if the risks and care plans of the children living in the home are fully known and managed effectively by the manager and staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and two children have moved out. When children move into the home, their risks are not always fully identified, and there is insufficient consideration of how their risks and behaviour may affect the children already living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

When children go missing from the home, staff know how to respond. They are proactive in searching for children and work collaboratively with other agencies to help keep them safe. However, staff employed an inappropriate and ineffective method to prevent a child from going missing from home. Consequently, the child experienced additional risks and increased vulnerabilities. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC064663 2 Leaders and managers are reluctant to fully reflect on incidents or apply professional curiosity. This means that practice is not always reflected on to support any learning. Emerging risks to children are not always identified. Leaders and managers are defensive of their practices, which impedes their ability to monitor and review the quality of care provided effectively and make continuous improvement. This has been raised at previous inspections.

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This monitoring visit

The independent person does not routinely visit the home in line with regulation and does not always seek feedback from children or their family members as part of their visit. Ofsted does not always receive the independent person’s report in a timely manner. This reduces the regulator’s oversight of practice in the home.

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This monitoring visit

There is sufficient staffing at the home. The staff team is stable, and staff say they feel supported by their colleagues and their manager. Some identified risks have reduced for children since they have lived at the home. Incidents of self-harm are less frequent, and staff do not need to physically intervene to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Children live in a spacious and comfortable home. There is room inside and outside for children to relax and spend time together or apart. Children’s bedrooms are well furnished and personalised according to their individual tastes.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was carried out during the visit. A decision was made to restrict accommodation at the home. This is because leaders and managers have not had the opportunity to consider how the recent significant incident affected children, staff, leaders and managers or to implement any learning for the team about the management of risk. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC064663 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2025 Full Good 13/05/2024 Full Good 05/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/08/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC064663 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 with 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that all risks and how they will be managed are detailed in risk plans and in assessments made before children move into the home. 28 November 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—

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that leaders and managers have oversight of all work carried out at the home. This includes ensuring that all staff reflect on and evaluate their practice 28 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC064663 5 and that professional curiosity is encouraged and documented.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (7)(a)) 28 November 2025

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC064663 6

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Inspectors

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC064663 7 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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