Children's Home run by Building Bridges Care Homes Ltd in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 1 Registered provider: Building Bridges Care Homes Limited

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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 registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living in the home at the time of this inspection. The home is privately owned and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. The current manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 23 and 24 May 2023. The purpose of this visit was to assess the progress made by the provider to meet the steps set out in two compliance notices, issued under section 22a of the Care Standards Act 2000 after the full inspection. These related to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made improvements to staff handover documents. These now include up-to-date risks relating to each child and support children’s risk assessments. However, children’s risk management plans are confusing and unhelpful to staff. This means that some staff may not understand children’s risk management strategies. An additional requirement has been made in relation to this.

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This monitoring visit

Staff help children to stay safe through carrying out direct-work sessions. This includes sessions relating to bullying, online harm, missing from home and solvent abuse. However, the manager does not evaluate the effectiveness of the direct work. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that children are appropriately supported to understand risks. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 2 Staff help children to keep their rooms clean and tidy. As a result, children make progress with their personal hygiene and cleanliness. However, staff are unable to engage with one child in a supportive or nurturing way. As a result, the child’s risks have not reduced.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have made good progress to address repairs and redecoration in the home, including remedial action to fire doors. This ensures that children live in a safe and more homely environment. The manager has also removed all internal locks on communal doors and the CCTV. This means that managers now promote children’s privacy and access throughout the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not consistently respond appropriately to children’s safeguarding concerns. On one occasion, staff were concerned that a child may have taken a high dose of medication. Staff failed to seek immediate advice or get support from health services. They also did not share the information with the child’s social worker until the following day. This means that staff failed to follow safeguarding procedures to keep the child safe.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers are improving monitoring systems. Leaders now use weekly and monthly checklists to ensure that staff complete relevant tasks within timescales. The manager aims to make further improvements to oversight and practice in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not fully trained to meet children’s needs. This means that some staff do not have the right skills or knowledge to respond effectively to children. As a result, staff do not consistently engage well with children and safeguarding incidents have increased. Therefore, staff do not consistently provide care to children in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

Other requirements and recommendations made at the last full inspection were not considered at this visit and are carried forward to the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 6 July 2023. The decision was made that the provider has not made sufficient progress to meet all the steps in the two compliance notices. Therefore, further compliance notices are issued under regulations 12 and 13. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Inadequate 14/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/11/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 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 with 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk management plans help staff to understand and manage children’s identified safeguarding risks. 27 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 5 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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 requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 2 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 2 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 6 In particular, the standard paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that pre-admission planning robustly considers the needs of any new child and those of all children already living in the home, and how any risks can be managed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 2 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 7 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

When a child is not attending school, the staff need to support them to engage in home learning and independent study and provide them with educational activities. This should form part of a daily routine and structure.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, to ensure that children have access to fire exits, bedrooms and communal areas at all times. 2 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 2 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 8 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that regulation 40 notifications are sent to Ofsted without delay.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 2 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 9 communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(xi))

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; 2 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 10 protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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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

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the statement of purpose is kept up to date and that the quality of care is delivered in accordance with this document.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 2 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 11 The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, to ensure that CCTV is only used in accordance with this regulation, with full consideration for the privacy and welfare of the children. 2 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should complete a review of the quality of care every six months, which considers the opinions of children, their parents, local authorities and staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that they keep their workforce development plan up to date in accordance with the requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Building Bridges Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mill Farm, Bull Bridge Lane, Liverpool L10 6LZ

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Inspector

Mark Woodbridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250035 13 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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