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

Inspection report for children’s home for SC025420 1 SC025420 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 is a privately owned children’s home.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provide care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Six children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. Four children spoke with inspectors during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspection started on 13 October 2025. Inspectors returned on 30 October 2025 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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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good

Date of last inspection: 21 January 2025

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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 for SC025420 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2025 Full Good 30/05/2023 Full Good 14/06/2022 Full Good 16/12/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home for SC025420 3

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improvement to be good

The home is generally well presented and pleasant throughout. However, the internal doors give an institutional feel, which detracts from the otherwise homely environment. Additionally, the downstairs bathroom is dated and in need of replacement. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and amended appropriately to meet their individual needs. However, communal areas are not free from items that pose risk to individual children.

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improvement to be good

Children make progress from their individual starting points. Staff understand each child’s needs and give support that helps them grow in all areas of life. All children go to school, including children that had not attended school for significant periods before moving into the home.

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improvement to be good

Children are registered with health services and go to appointments. This has helped identify needs, such as for glasses or dental care, which are followed up quickly. Staff also encourage children to eat healthily and stay active.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a variety of activities that they choose based on their individual interests. They get to try new things, which makes their time in the home more enjoyable and develops their confidence.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children learn independence through everyday tasks such as doing laundry, making beds and shopping. These experiences help prepare children for the future.

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improvement to be good

Children spend time with family and friends, and staff support these important relationships, even when people live far away. This helps children feel connected to their identity and valued. Inspection report for children’s home for SC025420 4

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the risks to children. Individual risk assessments are detailed and clear, laying out preventative and reactive strategies for staff to follow. However, for one child with complex needs, two risk assessments contradicted each other. Staff practice and knowledge were inconsistent in this area.

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improvement to be good

Staff are trained to restrain children safely if this is necessary. Children are not routinely held; however, there are occasions when children’s plans are not followed and children are held unnecessarily. Records of restraint are detailed but do not identify the author, and it is unclear when multiple staff have contributed to the report. Managers speak to children and staff in timescale following restraints.

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improvement to be good

Room searches are undertaken only when there is a clear safeguarding reason to do so and in line with children’s individual plans. Children are made aware that staff will be in their rooms, and their privacy and dignity are protected as far as possible.

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improvement to be good

Serious incidents where allegations are made about members of staff are responded to appropriately, children are supported well throughout the process and external agencies are involved in a timely way

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to understand risk through reflective sessions that explore behaviour and consequences. This has led to fewer incidents in the home. External workshops further educate children on staying safe.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from home, staff follow protocols to ensure their safe return. In one case involving a prolonged absence, a multi-agency response prioritised safety, reduced risk and strengthened family ties.

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improvement to be good

Children say they feel safe and cared for by staff. One child described it as ‘a feeling from how staff treat us,’ even when they could not explain why.

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good

Management oversight of incidents and restraints is prompt, but it does not consistently identify where there are shortfalls in staff practice or where restraints could have been avoided. Records are not always clear, and the author is not always identified. This makes it difficult for managers to have clear oversight or address any practice concerns.

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good

There is a family relationship between staff in the home. There is a clear and detailed risk assessment in place in relation to this, and staff have appropriate management arrangements. The majority of staff are aware of the relationship and the arrangements in place; however, two staff did not have this explained to them when they joined the home. Inspection report for children’s home for SC025420 5 The manager has established a stable and cohesive staff team. Team members work well together and share a strong commitment to the care and progress of the children. Recruitment processes are safe.

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good

The manager has a clear understanding of each child’s journey and the challenges they face. Progress is closely monitored, with barriers identified and addressed through targeted planning. External resources and research are used to strengthen responses to children’s needs, and this learning is shared with the team.

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good

Children’s views are actively considered, particularly where these may impact on their care or progress. The manager responds to concerns through consultation and day- to-day discussions, ensuring that children’s voices influence their care.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisals. However, the quality and depth of these sessions vary. They can be improved by setting clearer goals and timescales, enabling measurable reviews of staff’s development and performance.

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good

The manager and staff work well with other professionals and agencies. They have strong relationships with parents and social workers, which helps achieve good outcomes for children. This teamwork is valued and supported by those they work with. Inspection report for children’s home for SC025420 6

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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. 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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that risk assessments and children’s plans are followed when managing behaviour, and communal areas should be free of items that pose risk to individual children. 30 December

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 30 December Inspection report for children’s home for SC025420 7 Specifically, ensure that each incident of restraint is necessary and proportionate to the risk faced and in line with the child’s individual plans.

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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

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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the management oversight of incidents and restraints evaluates the quality of practice, the quality of recording and adherence to children’s plans. 30 December

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Specifically, agreed actions should have clear, measurable timescales to reflect staff development effectively. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. It should be a homely, domestic environment. Bathroom facilities should be replaced if dated or aesthetically displeasing due to stains or damage. The provider should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

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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 for SC025420 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

Paul McKay-Smith, Social Care Inspector Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home for SC025420 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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