Children's Home run by Progressive Independence Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 1 Registered provider: Progressive Independence Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in December 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the homes first inspection since it was registered. Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. The children spoke with the inspector about their experiences of living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be 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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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 2

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Summary of findings

 Three children have moved into the home since it was registered. Children benefit from care that has contributed to them making some progress.

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Summary of findings

 Staff have a clear understanding of the needs of the children in their care.

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Summary of findings

 There are clear procedures for reporting and managing safeguarding concerns and staff have a good understanding of these processes.

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Summary of findings

 The home has relied on bank staff to maintain safe staffing levels.

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Summary of findings

 The manager is the only qualified member of staff.

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Summary of findings

 Poor management oversight of when a child went missing from home.

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Summary of findings

 There has been a shortfall in cleanliness in a child’s bedroom.

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Summary of findings

 This means that the home is not yet delivering a consistently good standard of care for children.

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home, and one child has moved out of the home to a placement more suitable for their needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children’s care plans provide a detailed account of their needs and any required interventions.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff help children to improve their education outcomes. Children who have not previously been in education improve their attendance. For example, one child who had not been in education for some time is due to finish school and is making plans to attend college. This means that children are making progress in developing their confidence and in achieving their education targets

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improvement to be good

Children are registered with a range of health services to promote their physical and emotional well-being. They attend their routine health appointments with good support and encouragement from staff. The arrangements for the controlled storage and administration of children’s medication are safe and effective.

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improvement to be good

Children engage with support services and understand the risks associated with substance misuse. However, despite ongoing efforts from the staff and a multi-agency Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 3 approach to reducing risks, there remains some behaviours that may, over time, impact long-term health and wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to maintain and develop suitable and positive relationships with their families. Staff provide children with emotional and practical support to help them to remain in touch with their families and not become isolated from the people who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake regular key-work sessions with children, and there are further opportunities for children to express their wishes and feelings at children’s meetings. As a result, children contribute to their daily care and the running of the home.

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improvement to be good

The manager ensures that the home is generally maintained to a good standard. Overall, the home provides children with a pleasant and welcoming place to live. However, one child’s bedroom is extremely untidy, with dirty plates and empty packets on the floor. This shortfall detracts from children having a homely environment to live in and enjoy.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always take a strong or proactive approach in managing children’s behaviour safely. There are occasions when staff do not take swift action to prevent an escalation of incidents. However, there has been reflection by managers and staff, and changes to the environment to reduce further incidents.

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improvement to be good

Risks to the children are known and understood by staff caring for them. Risk assessments are clear and include all known vulnerabilities for the children. These set out actions staff should take to manage risks, and these are regularly reviewed to reflect the current needs of the children.

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improvement to be good

The managers response to missing-from-home episodes has not always been effective. For example, one child left the home during the night without staff’s knowledge and brought another child into the home. Managers took immediate action in response to these incidents which reduced the risk of further harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff are trained in the appropriate use of physical restraint but only ever use this as a last resort, preferring to use de-escalation techniques. Staff have not used any restraints since the home opened, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach.

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improvement to be good

When appointing staff, the manager follows safer-recruitment practice guidelines. This means that only those deemed suitable are allowed to work with children at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is led and managed by a manager who has been in post since the home opened. She is experienced and appropriately qualified. Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 4 The manager relies on bank staff to maintain safe staffing levels, which has limited some children’s ability to build consistent and positive relationships. Furthermore, the staff team lacks experience in children’s residential childcare. Only the manager has qualifications in residential childcare, The manager has recognised this shortfall and has plans in place to increase the number of permanent experienced staff working in the home by moving staff from their other provisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff report that the manager is approachable and freely gives advice and support. The manager undertakes practice related supervision with staff which gives them the opportunity to reflect on their own practice and the needs of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are all up to date with their mandatory training and they also access additional training to meet the specific needs of individual children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff and manager have established good working relationships with a range of agencies and external professionals who are involved in children’s care. Staff work closely with teachers, social workers and parents. This ensures that appropriate support is in place to encourage children’s progress and maximise their potential. Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the environment in one child’s bedroom. 25 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and 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

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those 25 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 6 expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that children are encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

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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.

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that appropriate action is taken to reduce the risks of children going missing from home. 25 June 2026

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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

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 has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)) 25 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 7 This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff attain the appropriate qualification for their roles and that a permanent workforce is in place.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually support the child to make healthier choices and reinforce the dangers of substance misuse on the child’s health. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)

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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: 2863021 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progressive Independence Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 48-52 Penny Lane, Mossley Hill, Liverpool L18 1DG

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2863021 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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