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

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC052744 1 SC052744

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Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited

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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 provider. It provides care for up to five children with learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

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: SC052744 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are cared for by a consistent team of staff who know them well, which helps them feel safe, understood and supported. Children benefit from staff who have the skills and experience to respond to individual needs and diagnosed conditions, such as foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. As a result, children receive support that helps them feel understood.

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Findings from the inspection

Children know how to complain. When this has happened, staff respond sensitively and support children, which ensures that children feel confident they are listened to.

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Findings from the inspection

Safeguarding practice is generally effective. Staff respond promptly to incidents, share information with partner agencies and consider risks such as possible exploitation. However, shortfalls were identified in the timeliness of room searches following safeguarding concerns, including when a child reported they had smoked cannabis. These reduces staff’s ability to fully assess risk and take timely action to keep children safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Children were kept safe following a medication error because staff acted promptly and sought medical advice. The manager reviewed the incident, identified shortfalls in staff practice and put additional training in place. Further checks are underway to ensure practice improves and risks to children are reduced.

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Findings from the inspection

When children go missing, staff take prompt and appropriate action to keep them safe by following the missing-from-home procedure. Staff ensure that children’s views are sought after incidents to explore triggers and provide reflective support. Staff debriefs are completed to support learning and improve future responses.

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Findings from the inspection

There are some environmental shortfalls, particularly in children’s bedrooms. These do not currently place children at immediate risk, but improvement is required to ensure that the environment consistently reflects a nurturing and well-maintained living space.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight of incidents is not consistent within children’s records, which means there are missed opportunities to review staff practice and support improvement. Additionally, records are not dated and signed, so it is not always clear who has recorded information. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC052744 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/01/2025 Full Inadequate 07/11/2023 Full Good 06/12/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC052744 4

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Statutory requirements

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’.

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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

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

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.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the manager has oversight of children's records to ensure any shortfalls in staff practice are reviewed and addressed. 8 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

children receive care from staff who— 8 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC052744 5 understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home is regularly cleaned and maintained to ensure that it is of an appropriate standard for the children to live in. This includes some redecoration, modernisation and ensuring that all damage is repaired without delay.

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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

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 8 March 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any individual who conducts visits to the home regularly speaks to parents and professionals to capture their views of the home in line with their assessment of the safeguarding arrangements in place. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 65, paragraph 15.5.)  The registered person should ensure that the content of supervision is of good quality and outcomes and/ or actions are clearly documented. (Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph 13.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC052744 6

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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

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC052744 7 regulates 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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Inspectors

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