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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 1 SC022442 Registered provider: PIC Children’s Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and 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. The inspector spoke to the child about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2026.

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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 good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 2

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 3

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Summary of findings

The child is making progress from their starting points in a nurturing home where staff build positive relationships, encourage their interests, and support their education, routines and confidence.

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Summary of findings

Safeguarding practice is effective, with well ‑ maintained risk assessments and care plans.

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Summary of findings

Leadership is consistent, creating a positive team culture, although improvements are required in ensuring timely health appointments and the completion of staff qualifications.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, warm and welcoming, and the child’s bedroom is individualised with pictures of their favourite football team on the wall. The child has developed trusted relationships with the staff team who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to the child’s interests, and they have been able to access their choice of activities, such as attending a comic book convention, visiting film sets and attending the theatre and cinema. Staff continue to encourage the child to take part in activities in the community, and opportunities linked to boxing and drama clubs have been explored. The child has been supported to go on holiday and is working with staff to explore their next trip away from home. These opportunities have broadened the child’s life experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has an avid interest in computer games, and their achievements online are celebrated by the team. Time spent playing games is closely monitored by staff who ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. This includes a regular review of devices and clear boundaries linked to the amount of time spent online.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been supported to develop a routine and is currently educated by a home tutor. The manager has recognised that this is not a suitable long-term plan for the child and has advocated effectively on their behalf. This has facilitated a full review of their education, health and care plan with a view to identifying an appropriate alternative provision. Gaps in the child’s education are recognised by staff in the home. Consequently, staff deliver additional key work linked to literacy, numeracy and life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proud of the child’s progress. They record positive comments and reflections about the child every day and they speak fondly of the child. Positive reinforcement from the staff team has helped the child build their self-esteem. Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 4 The child’s time with their family is sensitively supported, which allows them to maintain family relationships and a sense of identity. Family members have positive relationships with staff and spoke of strong communication provided by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health needs are broadly met. The child is supported by staff to attend specialist health appointments and have regular reviews with the looked-after children’s nurse. Despite this, an immunisation and a dental appointment are overdue.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys a nutritious diet. They contribute to meal planning and are encouraged to explore different foods and cuisines. The child also enjoys visiting restaurants with staff, which has supported them to build their confidence in community settings.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff safeguard children. They access detailed risk assessments and care plans that are updated regularly. These assessments are created with involvement from the placing authority and partner agencies. This ensures that plans devised by the home and local authority are in alignment.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Physical intervention is viewed by staff as a last resort. Children and staff receive support from managers after incidents to reflect on what has happened. Managers evaluate incidents and update children’s behaviour support plans. If there are a series of incidents, the manager completes wider analysis to explore if there are systemic difficulties. This helps staff apply de-escalation techniques that are in line with the child’s needs.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

After incidents occur, restorative approaches are applied. This supports the child to understand the impact of their actions and identify ways that incidents can be avoided in the future.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children benefit from strengths-based, child-centred key-work sessions. These sessions help children discuss the challenges they face with their carers. In response, staff receive training tailored to the specific needs of children. This training includes targeted sessions focused on recognising adverse childhood experiences, internet safety and neurodivergence.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no incidents of the child going missing from home since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is an experienced and effective leader who has secured the respect of staff, children and partner agencies. She leads by example, with a clear focus on securing positive outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 5 The staff team benefits from a mix of experienced and newer staff. Staffing arrangements ensure a balanced team with consideration given to experience, gender, and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are flexible to meet the care needs of the child. If staff are unavailable due to sickness, colleagues will step in. Consequently, consistency of care is maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are appropriate systems in place to monitor and drive improvement. The registered manager responds effectively to recommendations made by the independent person and ensures that all documentation is up to date and consistently reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision and team meetings are held regularly and support reflective practice. Staff value these opportunities and report positive levels of morale. Staff are supported and encouraged to complete their vocational qualifications in residential childcare; however, some staff have not completed them within the required time frame.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a positive team culture and a shared commitment to delivering care that is child focused. Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the responsible person must ensure that immunisations and dental check-ups are completed within the correct time frame. 28 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. 28 December 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 7 The relevant date is—

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(5)(a)(b))

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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: SC022442 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PIC Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jon Dutton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC022442 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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