Children's home run by PCF Residential Childcare Ltd

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 1 Registered provider: PCF Residential Childcare Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home provides care for up to 3 children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has remained in post since the last inspection. They have applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were 2 children are living at the home. They were both present and spoken to.

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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 these inspections, 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: 2503031 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. There are areas relating to children’s experiences that require improvement, but there are no widespread or serious concerns that place children at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

The experiences of the 2 children living in the home are mixed. While they said that they have had some positive experiences, both children expressed that they do not feel consistently safe, listened to or emotionally supported. Incidents that occur in the home are having a negative impact on one child, and this is also impacting on children’s relationships with each other. One child did not know if they had an advocate and was unclear of the process to make a complaint.

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Findings from the inspection

Both children expressed being treated differently from the other. This has had an impact on their sense of fairness and emotional stability in the home. Children are treated differently because they have different needs and vulnerabilities, but they are not helped to understand these differences. This contributes to a negative group dynamic and a sense of inequality.

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Findings from the inspection

Children and staff expressed that they do not have confidence that leaders and managers will always act on and take their concerns seriously. Staff say they feel unsupported and that the manager is not always accessible. This has contributed to a culture where staff lack confidence and do not feel well supported.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers had identified some of these shortfalls and taken steps to address them. The responsible individual immediately implemented an action plan during the inspection to address concerns that were emerging. Prior to the inspection, managers had arranged external therapeutic support to strengthen staff practice and improve the care provided to children. However, this support has not yet commenced, and its impact therefore remains untested. In addition, ongoing discord within the staff team has affected confidence and cohesion. This limits the effectiveness of leaders’ actions and contributed to instability in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Despite the shortfalls, there have been some positive outcomes for children since the last inspection. One child is now attending school regularly and forming positive friendships for the first time in two years. This is supporting the child’s social, emotional and educational progress. Another child is receiving support from an advocate, ensuring that their views are heard and represented.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand children’s risks well, and appropriate action is taken to keep them safe when incidents occur. Relevant information is shared promptly with appropriate agencies, ensuring that concerns are responded to in a co-ordinated way. While children’s social workers shared similar concerns about inconsistency in staff practice, both reported that appropriate action is taken to keep children safe. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/05/2025 Full Good 13/08/2024 Full Good 17/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 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 within the given timescales.

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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

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’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they lead the home effectively, strengthen team stability, communication and oversight to improve staff practice. 1 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 5 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

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

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

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;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; 1 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 6 that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are supported to build trusting relationships, understand children’s needs and behaviours, and help children develop positive relationships with others.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children know how to express their views, understand the complaints 1 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 7 process, and feel confident that their concerns will be taken seriously. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PCF Residential Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Brook House, Moss Grove, Kingswinford DY6 9HS

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Inspectors

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Sharon Kaur, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503031 9 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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Inspectors

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