Children's Home run by PALS Residential Services in Liverpool

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2741726 1 Registered provider: PALS Residential Services

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2024.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Inspection date: 25 February 2026

Date of last inspection: 9 December 2025

p.1

Inspection date: 25 February 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 25 February 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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: 2741726 2

p.1

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.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children are safe and well cared for. The children living in the home are making progress in all areas of their lives. Staff build positive relationships with the children. Staff are knowledgeable about the children and speak warmly about them. They are positive about their aspirations and support them with their identities.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff manage challenging behaviours appropriately, although this is not always recorded clearly in children’s records. Staff are consistent in their approach and use positive reinforcement to promote positive behaviours. Consequences are rarely used, but when they are, they are fair and proportionate.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff are committed to keeping children safe, although children’s risk assessments do not provide staff with the guidance they need to follow in practice. For example, plans do not include clear strategies for staff to follow if children make allegations. However, staff know what to do to ensure that children are safe and leaders and managers have taken appropriate action to address allegations and share information with safeguarding professionals. However, the manager has not notified Ofsted of any allegations. This limits regulatory oversight.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

There are shortfalls in leaders and managers’ monitoring and review systems. The manager has monitoring tools in place; however, these have not been effective in identifying the shortfalls found during the inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager is committed to the children in his care; he is a strong advocate for the children and challenges education and healthcare professionals if plans are not right for children. This approach is also reflected within the staff team.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager ensures that the staff are trained and skilled in meeting the children’s needs. The team provides a nurturing approach to caring for the children in line with their individual needs.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager has increased staffing ratios to ensure that children have the appropriate level of supervision and care in the home. However, arrangements for staff sleeping in the home are not suitable, with staff using communal areas of the home to sleep. A risk assessment was put in place during the inspection, but further changes are required to ensure that children have access to all appropriate areas of the home. A requirement has been made to reflect this.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

There have been some improvements to the quality of care in the home. However, 3 requirements have been restated from the last inspection as these have not been met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2741726 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/12/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/09/2024 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2741726 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises.

p.4

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are not using communal areas of the home to sleep. 4 March 2026

p.4

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—

p.4

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.4

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must implement effective and evaluative monitoring and reviewing systems to ensure that all documentation is up to date and reflects the strategies implemented to manage behaviour and keep children safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 6 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2741726 5 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.4

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 6 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2741726 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: PALS Residential Services

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 64 Mill Lane, West Derby, Liverpool L12 7JB

p.6

Inspector

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2741726 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7