Children's Home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2804768 1 Registered provider: New Horizons Northwest Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Since registration, three children have moved into the home, and one child has moved out.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2804768 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are beginning to make good progress in most areas of their lives. When possible, managers ensure that children visit the home before they move in. Professionals say that managers consult them to ensure that the children can live together safely and happily. The children are beginning to form positive relationships with the staff and benefit from the routines that are in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers understand the importance of children having access to education. They escalate concerns with external professionals when children’s educational needs are not being met. When children do not attend education, staff provide worksheets and alternative activities. Staff support children in developing the essential skills that will enhance their future opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to engage in physical activities. Children take part in activities that challenge them and enable them to have fun in their local area. This helps children to develop their self-confidence and experience the benefits of physical activity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff to see their family and friends. Staff build relationships with family members and ensure that they feel welcome in the home. Children invite their friends and relatives to their home to relax and have fun together. This means that children stay connected to the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers understand how the environment affects children’s safety and progress. The home is well maintained, and the children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their individual tastes. Managers provide areas for children to relax and use the computer independently while ensuring that staff are close by to keep them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Alarms are routinely used on children’s bedroom doors when they move into the home. Although managers ensure that their use is reviewed in children’s risk plans, staff do not consistently follow the plans to ensure that they are switched off during the day and are only used to keep children safe. This is not in line with the home’s statement of purpose and unnecessarily infringes on the children’s privacy.

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

Staff understand how to keep children safe. Leaders and managers provide training opportunities for staff to ensure that their knowledge and skills are relevant to the children’s individual risks. The staff are capable of recognising and responding appropriately when children are at risk.

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

Managers ensure that staff follow missing-from-home procedures. When children leave the home because they are distressed, staff follow them and provide them with Inspection report for children’s home: 2804768 3 reassurance, helping them to return safely. As a result, none of the children have gone missing from the home.

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

Several new staff have started working in the home since its registration. Leaders and managers ensure that they carry out safer recruitment practices and that all staff receive a thorough induction. This ensures that children receive care from individuals who are safe and appropriate.

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

Staff struggle to support children when there is conflict. Although children have shared many moments of fun together, managers have not ensured that staff have the skills to manage incidents between children quickly and effectively. This has limited the children’s ability to settle in the home and build positive relationships with each other.

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

Staff are beginning to form trusting relationships with the children. Children can speak freely with staff about the risks in their lives without feeling judged. However, staff fail to have these conversations as often as is necessary to adequately support the children’s progress and reduce their risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly experienced in children’s residential care and supported by an area manager. There is high management visibility in the home, and staff say that managers are supportive and fair.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that staff receive regular supervision sessions. The sessions encourage staff to progress and explore areas for development. This provides children with an environment where staff are motivated to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular team meetings led by managers. There is a clear agenda, and tasks are delegated to staff effectively. This ensures that staff clearly understand their roles and responsibilities when caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Incidents are reviewed by managers to identify shortfalls in staff practice. However, the evaluations by managers are not always thorough. As a result, opportunities for staff development are missed. Leaders and managers have identified this issue and are taking steps to address it. Inspection report for children’s home: 2804768 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 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

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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff can assist children in forming positive relationships and prevent them from causing emotional harm to one another.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff speak to children about their individual risks and help them develop strategies to keep themselves safe. 6 June 2025

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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 6 June 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2804768 5 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home has effective management oversight and that any shortfalls in staff practice are promptly identified and addressed.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that alarms on children’s bedroom doors have a clear rationale for their use and are used in line with children’s individual risk plans. 6 June 2025

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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: 2804768 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons Northwest Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Units 17 and 18, Navigation Business Village, Navigation Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

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Inspector

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2804768 7 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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