Children's Home run by Quality Protects Children Ltd in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 1 SC066010 Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living in the home, all children were spoken with during the inspection.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/07/2025 Full Good 17/04/2024 Full Good 25/07/2023 Full Good 20/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 3

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Summary of findings

This inspection was conducted in response to specific concerns received by Ofsted. Concerns were partially substantiated. While the home has since implemented effective measures to mitigate risks, 2 serious safeguarding incidents occurred during the inspection period that placed children at risk of significant harm. Relaxed and positive relationships between staff and children mean that a 'family feel' prevails. However, leaders and managers have failed to effectively apply the regulations and associated guidance, and this has led to shortfalls that cannot be ignored. These shortfalls have affected children's progress and experiences.

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improvement to be good

Three children have lived in the home since the last inspection, and one child has moved into the home. For one child progress has stalled. Current intervention strategies are not effectively promoting important independence skills. Children who are approaching adulthood are not being equipped with the independence skills they need. The provider has failed to ensure that children are supported by effective planning that best prepares them for the next stage in their lives.

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improvement to be good

While some areas of the home have undergone refurbishment, including the installation of a new bathroom, children have expressed concerns regarding the pace of general maintenance. Furthermore, the practice of painting over old signage on bedroom and bathroom doors can still be seen. This gives a less homely feel to some areas of the property.

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improvement to be good

Staff prioritise the relationships between children and their families and take a proactive approach to keeping these relationships strong. Staff get to know children’s families and people who are important to them. Staff coordinate fun and engaging activities to make time with families meaningful for everyone involved.

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improvement to be good

The staff actively participate in a range of activities alongside the children. The children speak positively about this. Staff capture these important moments through photos and videos, ensuring children have a lasting record of their achievements, special moments and shared memories to reflect upon in the future.

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improvement to be good

The managers and staff work closely with education professionals to identify appropriate education provisions for children. These placements are currently in development and children are following part-time schedules currently. However, there has been an increase in educational attendance from the children’s starting points.

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improvement to be good

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 4 One child was missing from the home for over 24 hours without the knowledge of managers or staff. This significant lapse in supervision placed the child at risk of serious harm and led to them feeling uncared for. Consequently, the failure in oversight affected both the child’s physical safety and their emotional wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

Further gaps in the supervision of children have led to significant nighttime disruptions, compromising the children's sense of security. One child reported feeling unsafe and expressed anxiety regarding nighttime events. This resulted in them waking sleep-in staff to seek support. These failures in oversight have prevented the home from maintaining the consistent, 24-hour environment of safety required for the children's wellbeing. Since these events, the managers have implemented actions to address this, reducing the risk to children.

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improvement to be good

Children's risk assessments and safety plans provide limited information. They fail to cover all associated risks, making them unhelpful for new staff or agency staff. The current plans lack detail and do not provide staff with the information they need to support the children effectively.

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improvement to be good

Staff are actively addressing bullying behaviours in the home. They challenge ‘unkind’ words and support children when they are feeling upset. Staff engage in meaningful discussions with the children to emphasise the importance of respect. Bullying is not tolerated, and staff provide ongoing support to help children understand the impact of their words and actions.

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

Leaders and managers lack consistent oversight of the home. Their current approach is too limited and fails to cover all aspects of daily operational activities. While the home maintains a positive and family-like culture, there is not enough reflection on past incidents and events. This lack of learning negatively affects the overall development of the home.

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

Leaders and managers failed to submit safeguarding notifications to Ofsted regarding specific incidents. This omission prevented the regulator from effectively monitoring and evaluating the safeguarding practices in the home. Consequently, the lack of formal reporting hindered the external oversight necessary to ensure the home's safeguarding procedures are effective.

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

Staff receive regular supervision sessions, and new employees benefit from probationary meetings and performance appraisals. Staff speak positively about the support that they receive. Agency staff do not receive a formal induction into the home. This gap in the onboarding process means agency workers may lack the essential information and knowledge needed to maintain consistent care for children.

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

Professionals speak positively about the support provided to the children. They report that communication is regular and effective. This collaborative, joined-up approach Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 5 ensures that all professionals are kept up to date with what is happening for the children.

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

Staff speak positively about the home’s managers and their colleagues. They are happy working at the home, creating a positive feeling in the home. Children benefit from the positive interactions that they see between the adults who care for them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Requirement 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that maintenance tasks are completed without delay. 10 July 2026

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 10 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 7 manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills, information and strategies to follow to keep children as safe as possible and all times, including during the night.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that effective management monitoring tools are in place to identify shortfalls and take action. All staff working in the home (including agency staff) need an induction to ensure consistency of care for children at all times. 10 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 8 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 10 July 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should arrange the children’s care so it is reflective of each child’s needs. In particular, when children who are preparing for adulthood, their next steps should be supported with effective independence plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 21, paragraph 4.5)

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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: SC066010 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hill House, Archway Road, Huyton, Liverpool L36 9XB

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Inspectors

Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector (lead) Zoe Monaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066010 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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