Children's Home run by Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care & Support Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 1 Registered provider: Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care & Support Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/07/2024 Full Good 03/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 3

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improvement to be good

All three children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home and the positive relationships they had been supported to develop with the staff team. Children said that they felt listened to and supported.

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences of education are varied. One child has recently completed her exams despite not attending school prior to moving into the home. However, there is a lack of innovative practice to support and engage two children who are not in education or are refusing to attend. One child now has an advocate and has been supported to raise a formal complaint against the local authority about having no education placement. However, plans for when children are not in education are unclear.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage in activities and enjoy hobbies and interests. The staff encourage activities as a ‘family’ and children have enjoyed hikes and go-karting together.

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improvement to be good

Children are helped to spend time with people who are important to them, and staff work hard to establish relationships with families who are difficult to engage.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to attend regular routine health appointments. However, there has not been a proactive approach in helping children to understand key issues, including sexual health, healthy relationships and the impact of vaping, despite these being areas of significant concern for some children.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always followed procedures to keep children safe. There have been delays in seeking medical attention and on one occasion, staff failed to seek any medical advice to support a child who had been injured during a physical assault. These shortfalls were not identified by leaders and managers during their evaluation of the incidents.

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improvement to be good

Children’s moves into and out of the home are well planned and children feel supported. However, all known risks for children are not explored and risk plans do not demonstrate how children’s similar risks are considered and mitigated.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk plans are regularly updated and reviewed. However, information varies, and plans do not provide clear guidance for staff on the expectations of monitoring relationships between children and the levels of observation expected to keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to understand the risks of misusing substances. When concerns about substance misuse are identified, staff offer children support and medical attention. Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 4 Staff report their concerns to the relevant professionals and support children to understand the dangers of substance misuse.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of children going missing from home have significantly reduced since the last inspection. When children do go missing from home, staff respond appropriately and follow each child’s missing-from-home plan. Children are supported to speak with external professionals on their return.

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improvement to be good

Children feel confident to raise worries and concerns and have trusted adults to support them. When a complaint has been raised, the manager has addressed this and included the child in the process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is led by an experienced and qualified manager. She is passionate about the delivery of care for children and is committed to improving outcomes for children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Parents and professionals speak highly of the care children receive and hold the manager and team in high regard. The manager has developed positive working relationships with professionals and can confidently communicate and seek information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some children’s records do not include their most recent statutory documents, including review minutes, education health and care plans and personal education plans. Leaders and managers have not escalated requests for these documents in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Consequences issued to children in response to behaviour are not recorded as required by regulation. Consequently, repeated consequences lack management scrutiny and have not been evaluated for their effectiveness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Monitoring and review systems used by leaders and managers are not effective. This means that the manager’s oversight does not always identify and act on shortfalls that will improve staff practice and the care delivered to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff are supported through regular supervision and team meetings. The manager ensures that staff complete regular training, including training that is specific to children’s individual needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 5

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s risk plans detail all known risks for children, along with clear guidance to support staff in keeping children safe. 5 August 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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 5 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 6 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; 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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must implement robust internal monitoring systems to support continuous improvements and ensure that they have oversight of all work completed. And that work is evaluated to establish any shortfalls in staff practice and identify areas of learning to support the development of staff and make continuous improvements for children.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are creative in their approach and consistently supporting children to complete educational activities when not attending school full time. 5 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 7 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 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

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that each child is provided with proactive support that is planned and regularly implemented, based on their individual needs, risks and vulnerabilities. 5 August 2025

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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; 5 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 8 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

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that requests for children’s plans are escalated in a timely manner and that concerns regarding children’s education are appropriately raised and escalated as required.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 5 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 9 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any consequences implemented to keep children safe or in response to their behaviour are clearly evaluated for effectiveness.

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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: 2690420 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care & Support Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care & Support Ltd, Suite 3, 125-129 Witton Street, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5DY

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2690420 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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