Children's Home run by Oaktree Childcare Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 1 Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/07/2024 Full Inadequate 19/12/2023 Full Good 13/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has positive relationships with staff and can identify adults they trust. Staff speak about the child with genuine care and affection. The child receives nurturing and supportive care from staff who know them well. The child enjoys a range of activities with staff inside and outside the home, which supports building and maintaining meaningful relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Barriers to the child attending health appointments have been identified. The registered manager is working closely with external professionals to find solutions that are in the best interests of the child and meet their health needs. This includes liaising with professionals and considering creative ways for the child to be seen for routine and specialist appointments.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Barriers to the child attending education have been identified. The registered manager is working with external professionals to find a solution that works best for the child’s educational needs. While a solution is sought, staff are helping the child to develop life skills and are using the child’s creative interests to engage them in vocational activities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and understand the importance of the child spending quality time with people who are important to them. Staff work closely with the child’s family members to maintain family links and ensure that the child spends quality time having fun with significant others. This supports the child’s sense of self and identity.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are some maintenance repairs and redecoration required throughout the home, and it does not feel like a family home. The registered manager has plans in place to address this. However, there has been a delay in action being taken to provide the child with a warm and welcoming environment.

p.3

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

Before the child moved into the home, the registered manager carried out a risk assessment. This identifies known risks for the child and considers the location of the home and staff’s skills and experience to meet the child’s needs. The registered manager includes consultation with the child’s placing authority and external professionals to gather relevant information to inform decision-making. As a result, all matching considerations are appropriately evaluated.

p.3

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

Staff respond proactively when the child goes missing from the home. There are clear safety plans in place with detailed guidance for staff to follow. Staff search for the child themselves in known local areas of interest. They liaise with the child’s family members and friends as well as external professionals to locate the child and return them safely home. Records of incidents detail all actions taken by staff in their efforts to return the child. Staff talk to the child to try and understand the reasons for going missing and use Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 4 this information to try and reduce future similar incidents. For example, staff have put in place structured guided activities around the child’s emerging interests. However, staff do not always use their professional curiosity when considering risks to the child when in the community.

p.3

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

Staff regularly use rewards and incentives to manage the child’s behaviour. When behavioural incidents arise at the home, staff respond appropriately and proactively, using de-escalation techniques and distraction methods. There have been no incidents where staff have physically held the child. The registered manager has specific monitoring tools in place to identify patterns, themes and trends in any incidents that arise. Staff use this information to identify any triggers to behaviour in order to reduce the number and frequency of incidents.

p.4

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

Staff carry out direct work with the child to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves safe and manage their feelings. This includes staff talking to the child about the consequences of their actions and choices, including legal implications and processes. As a result, the child's involvement in criminality and the frequency of missing-from-home incidents are decreasing.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025 and has had an immediate influence on the improvements achieved in the home since the last visit. He knows the child well and understands their needs. The registered manager understands the home’s strengths and areas for development. He leads the team by example.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that the registered manager is supportive and approachable. They describe ‘loving’ their jobs and say that they enjoy coming to work. Staff communicate well with each other and work additional days in the home to provide consistent care to the child. Staff are passionate and enthusiastic about offering high-quality care to the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partner agencies and family members say that they are happy with the care staff provide to the child. The registered manager advocates on the child’s behalf and shares relevant information to keep professionals and family members well informed of the child’s progress. One education advocate said:

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

‘Staff have built a rapport with [name of child] that we haven’t seen in any other setting. They think outside the box on what is going to work; they are doing everything they can for [name of child]. The stability and consistency they have provided for [name of child] is like nothing we have ever seen before.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not regularly receive one-to-one supervision. Additionally, team meetings are not held regularly in line with the provider’s timescales. This means that staff cannot regularly reflect on their care of the child or discuss their development needs.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager regularly attends multi-agency care planning meetings for the child and shares relevant information. However, when actions have been set, the Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 5 registered manager does not ensure that they are recorded and accessible for staff to implement before the official meeting minutes are received. This does not ensure a proactive response to the child’s care planning. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 6

p.4

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.6

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(i)) 18 July 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all employees have regular opportunities to reflect on their care of children during supervision. 18 July 2025

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they lead the team in a way that provides high-quality care for children living in the home. This includes ensuring that staff are professionally curious about safeguarding risks to children when out in the community. Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 7 (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful and clear recording to prevent any drift and delay in progressing children’s care plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.6

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: 1277158 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oaktree Childcare Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ground Floor, Seneca House, Links Point, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool, Lancashire FY4 2FF

p.8

Inspectors

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Debbie Dawson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1277158 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9