Children's Home run by PIC Children’s Services in St Helens

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC022442 1 SC022442 Registered provider: PIC Children's Services

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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 privately owned. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 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: SC022442 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

The manager and the staff team have built positive routines around the child's needs to help them feel emotionally safe. This helps the child to know that they can trust the adults caring for them.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has made some progress in their education since the last inspection. The child is now regularly accessing online learning. There have been challenges to identify a suitable education provision for the child. However, the manager continues to prioritise this goal for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support the child to explore their identity and interests. Staff ensure that the child takes part in activities that they enjoy and introduces them to new experiences. This helps the child to develop the essential social skills while having fun.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have a good understanding of the child's risks and how best to support him. There are clear risk management plans in place, which are followed effectively by the staff team to safeguard the child. Staff are skilled in de-escalation, which means that physical intervention is rarely used.

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Findings from the inspection

There is evidence of reflective practice and professional curiosity in response to the child's risks and behaviours. Following incidents, staff discuss them with the child to gather their thoughts and feelings. This allows staff to continuously develop their practice to best support the child's needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has effective tools in place for monitoring and review to ensure that there is a good level of management oversight across the child's records. The manager's oversight is evaluative and reflects upon the child's progress and quality of staff practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff team has remained stable since the last inspection. Staff speak positively about working in the home and the support they receive from the manager. There has been progress in regard to staff development and training. One member of staff is now qualified, and others are making good progress towards qualification.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not always effectively challenge or escalate when actions are not completed by external professionals that are outlined in the child's care plans. For example, there have been delays in the child accessing life-story work and neurodevelopmental assessments, which have not been effectively escalated and challenged. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC022442 3 Leaders and managers have not ensured that the child's most up-to-date health assessment is on file. This does not ensure that managers and staff have clarity on the child's health needs to follow up on any required actions.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/05/2024 Full Inadequate 20/04/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC022442 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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Requirements Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirements Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs;

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Requirements Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (b)(c))

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they are effectively challenging and escalating when there are delays in the child accessing services to support their health and wellbeing. 28 April 2026

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Requirements Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirements Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they hold the child's most recent health assessment on file. 28 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC022442 5

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Children's home details

Registered provider: PIC Childrens Services

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 6 Cowley Hill Lane, St. Helens WA10 2AB

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Inspectors

Hayley Smith, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC022442 6 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

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

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