Children's Home run by Choices 4 Children Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 1 SC400880 Registered provider: Choices 4 Children Ltd

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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 operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to six children with learning disabilities and social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted on 25 September 2009. The previous registered manager left in January 2024. A new manager was appointed in April 2024. They have applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were five children living in the home.

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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 inadequate

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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

Date of last inspection: 28 January 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 17 March 2025 to monitor two compliance notices issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 2 leadership and management standard). Following this visit, Ofsted concluded that the actions outlined in the notices had been met.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A further monitoring visit was carried out on 24 April 2025. Following this visit, Ofsted concluded that the notice restricting accommodation, to prevent any further children moving into the home, could be lifted. Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/01/2025 Full Inadequate 14/11/2023 Full Good 22/02/2023 Full Good 11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 4

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improvement to be good

The overall experiences and progress of children are compromised by shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy spending time engaging in different activities, including visiting the seaside, walking, going on trains, climbing, playing basketball, and visiting sensory play centres. Children have access to a range of different resources, including sensory toys, safe space beds and outside space.

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improvement to be good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised, and they have plenty of storage space for their personal possessions. There is a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views, wishes and feelings are explored by staff. Staff encourage children to engage in different ways, including in ‘teatime chats,’ when various communication methods are used to ensure all children can participate.

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress in education is varied. Two children’s education providers have said they can no longer meet these children’s needs. However, alternative provisions are being considered. A social worker said, ‘The team around [name of child] support in school when required.’ One child has been supported to go on a college residential trip. A family member said,. I am very pleased that he now feels able to do that.’

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to spend time with their friends and family. Staff maintain good communication with children’s families. This provides children with a support network where they feel safe to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. A social worker said, ‘Staff are involving mum in activities, especially in the warmer months, which is really promoting family time.’

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improvement to be good

The staff are caring and passionate about their roles and the care they provide to children. Some staff have been working at the home for a considerable length of time. Therefore, the children have been able to build trusting relationships with them.

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improvement to be good

How well staff protect children and young people is compromised by shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home.

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improvement to be good

Not all staff have completed suitable first-aid training. This does not ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to respond to children’s health needs and administer basic first aid. However, staff have completed training in catheter care, medication, safeguarding and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 5 Positive recognition and praise outweigh negative consequences. There have been no consequences recorded since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

There has been one incident of physical intervention. Staff only use physical intervention as a last resort to keep children safe after all de-escalation and distraction methods have been explored. Debriefs are completed with staff and the child. Reflections with the child are carried out using communication techniques to encourage children to talk about the incident.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are followed, which means that staff are recruited safely. Recruitment checks ensure that only suitable staff are employed to work with children in the home.

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improvement to be good

There is good multi-agency working. A social worker said, ‘Staff attend all meetings and are very proactive.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no registered manager at the home since January 2024. There is an acting manager in post who has applied to register with Ofsted. The manager is supported by the responsible individual and the deputy manager. Throughout the inspection, the deputy manager took the lead on providing documentation and information requested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not demonstrate a good understanding of the children’s homes regulations and quality standards. Information provided in the Annex A is poor quality. The provider is working with a consultant to support the learning and development of the manager. However, this has not improved the overall management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are gaps in leaders and managers’ monitoring and review systems. This does not support the manager to ensure staff have the knowledge and skills to provide good care and support for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Staff attend team meetings which provide opportunities for them to share information. However, these meetings do not provide staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice to ensure they continue to make improvements to the care they provide for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers notify Ofsted of all serious incidents. However, they do not include all relevant information. This impacts on the regulator’s oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality-of-care review does not include evaluation and clarity about how staff can improve the quality of care they provide for children. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that staff support children to reach their full potential. Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 6 Staff say they enjoy working in the home and that they feel supported by the management team. One staff member said, ‘The management team are very approachable and always on hand to help when needed.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have made some improvements to the quality of documents, in consultation with a consultant. However, the effectiveness of these changes and how they will be maintained in the longer term cannot yet be fully evaluated. Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 7

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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 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 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

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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; 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)(b)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h)) 27 June 2025 Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 8 This specifically relates to leaders and managers having the skills, knowledge, and experience to manage the home and deliver outcomes in line with the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that effective monitoring and review systems are in place to continually improve the quality of care provided to children.

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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 quality of care provided for children;

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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

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality-of-care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality-of-care review (“the quality-of-care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality-of-care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality-of-care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality-of-care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

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)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b) (5)) 10 October 2025 Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 9 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the quality-of-care review evaluates the quality of care provided to children.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a serious event is notified, it includes details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 63, paragraph 14.13)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to respond to the health needs of children and administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 34, paragraph 7.12)

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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: SC400880 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Choices 4 Children Ltd

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Inspector

Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC400880 11 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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