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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 1 SC356929 Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living at the home. The inspectors spoke with all 3 children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/05/2025 Full Good 19/02/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/09/2023 Full Good 28/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 3

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Summary of findings

Serious and widespread failures have left children at risk of harm. Managers and staff do not consistently recognise or respond to risks relating to self-injurious behaviour. Children’s needs are not met effectively. Shortfalls identified in the support provided to children, and management oversight, limit children’s overall progress.

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Summary of findings

Safer recruitment processes have not been followed, as all relevant references for employees have not been requested.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are making some progress in some areas of their lives. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that there is effective monitoring of children’s key information. Consequently, staff do not have up-to-date information and are not able to meet children’s needs effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, 2 children have moved out of the home, and 2 children have moved in. The planned move to another home for one child was managed well with support from family members and the placing authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Sufficient action is not taken to ensure that children’s up-to-date care and health plans are obtained from placing authorities. Managers do not challenge local authorities when there are delays in sharing this information. As a result, staff do not know whether a child is up to date with their immunisations, despite the child having lived in the home for several months. Staff responses to children’s mental health needs are not proactive and, at times, minimise the seriousness of the risks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff support children to maintain contact with people who are important to them. However, staff allowed one child to have an unauthorised telephone call with family members, which was not in line with the placing authority’s plan for family time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children say that they have developed positive relationships with staff. They take part in a range of activities that reflect their interests and preferences, such as horse riding and visits to the seaside. This helps children to build their confidence, develop social skills and enjoy positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are making progress in education. Staff advocate for children who do not have a school place and ensure that a suitable place is identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is not maintained to a standard that provides children with a welcoming or nurturing environment. Window blinds in several rooms are damaged and have not been replaced, a sofa is damaged, curtains are missing from the landing area, and there are several areas of loose paving and brickwork in the garden. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 4

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

Staff do not take effective action when there are concerns about the safety and welfare of children in the home. During one incident, a child displayed self-injurious behaviour multiple times over the course of an evening, and staff did not intervene to remove harmful objects or seek medical advice and support. Evidence does not demonstrate that follow-up medical advice was sought by staff. Managers have not identified this shortfall in staff practice or that staff failed to carry out an immediate room search.

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

Leaders and managers do not ensure that, in line with children’s risk assessments, debriefs take place with staff following incidents of self-harm. Furthermore, debriefs with staff have not always taken place following physical interventions. Staff use de- escalation techniques to manage children’s behaviour. However, they are not always effective. When physical intervention is used, it is proportionate and necessary to safeguard the child and others. However, recording of these interventions is inconsistent, and follow-up work is not always evident.

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

Risk assessments for children’s risks of self-harm do not provide clear guidance for staff on when a room search should be carried out. As a result, action is not always taken to make the environment safe when children are at risk of harming themselves.

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

Staff do not always follow children’s plans when they are missing from home. Staff search for children; however, they are not clear about when they should contact the police. As a result, there have been delays in contacting the police when children have been missing from the home.

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

Allegations are not managed appropriately. When children have raised complaints about staff, managers have not followed correct processes or reported the complaints to the regulator. This poor practice means that concerns about staff are not properly addressed, leaving children inadequately safeguarded.

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

Medication protocols are poor. Management audits do not identify when controlled medication goes missing and, as a result, investigations are not carried out.

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

Safer recruitment processes are not always followed. References are not obtained from staff members’ previous employers where they have worked with vulnerable adults or children. As a result, the provider cannot be confident that staff are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of the home is not effective. Managers do not always identify shortfalls in staff practice. As a result, children have not been safeguarded effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all staff have up-to-date training on children’s specific needs, such as physical intervention, self-harm management, online safety and other key safeguarding areas. A Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 5 staff member was permitted to work in the home for approximately 2 months without receiving physical intervention training, despite there being a high number of physical interventions used. Furthermore, a staff member involved in an incident where a child had self-harmed multiple times during the night had not received the relevant training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that all serious incidents are notified to Ofsted as required by regulation. This limits the regulator’s oversight of practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not use escalation procedures effectively to ensure that they have up-to- date care planning documents for children or that return home interviews take place for children within agreed timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not maintained good oversight of staff practice in the home. As a result, staff have not been proactive in their approach to caring for or safeguarding children who have lived in the home for extended periods.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been some changes to staffing since the last inspection, but a core group of staff have remained in the home. Staff say they are supported by leaders and managers. Staff receive regular supervision, which includes personal support as well as professional development. Team meetings take place monthly, and most staff attend. However, it is not clear whether staff who did not attend have read the minutes of the meetings. Consequently, key information-sharing may be missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of care reports provide a review of the care provided to the children. However, they lack evaluation, and there is no feedback from children or family members. This reduces opportunities to ensure that the feedback from children and family members is being used to develop practice in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that:

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Requirement Due date

action is taken to safeguard children at all times and that risk management plans are followed when a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

clear and effective procedures are in place for the reporting and management of allegations against staff and that staff 24 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 7 demonstrate an understanding of their responsibilities under these procedures;

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Requirement Due date

plans are in place that provide staff with clear guidance and strategies to safeguard children;

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Requirement Due date

staff are proactive in their approach to safeguarding children;

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Requirement Due date

staff have the skills to de-escalate and manage children’s behaviour.

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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

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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that: 24 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 8 staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to meet children’s specific needs;

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Requirement Due date

all staff working in the home receive the required training to safely care for children;

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Requirement Due date

systems are in place to monitor and oversee all care being provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

all shortfalls in practice are identified and action is taken to address them.

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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 personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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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; and (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(iv)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that care plans relevant to each child are received.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the home environment must present no risks or hazards to children and must be a safe and nurturing environment. 24 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 24 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 9 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers maintaining regular oversight of controlled medication and ensuring that any errors are managed effectively. 24 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 24 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 10 The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that children’s and families’ views are considered.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement 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 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that they challenge placing authorities if care planning information is not received. 24 September 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. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 24 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 11 This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that references are sought from previous employers where staff have worked with children or vulnerable adults.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice

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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: SC356929 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Quality Protects Children Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Hannah Longdon, Social Care Inspector Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC356929 13 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

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

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