Children's Home run by Holywell Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 1 Registered provider: Holywell Children’s Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional needs or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

One child is currently living in the home and spoke with the inspector about their experience of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post and registered with Ofsted since July 2021.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2025 Full Inadequate 03/10/2023 Full Good 29/06/2022 Full Good 30/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 3

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improvement to be good

The child has lived at the home for almost two years. This means they have a secure base where they feel settled. The child says they would like to continue living at the home. The child spoke with the inspector during the visit and told them that they had enjoyed their recent birthday celebrations. The child said, ‘I was spoiled so much. I got lots of gifts, we had lots of cake.’

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improvement to be good

The child is comfortable in their home environment. The child’s bedroom contains their personal items and belongings, which they proudly display. However, the home lacks personalisation. Regular health and safety checks, including a lack of management oversight, have failed to identify the general cleanliness of the home including in the child’s bedroom, and communal areas such as the kitchen and bathroom facilities.

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improvement to be good

The child has recently completed their exams. The child’s recent school report detailed achievement points they obtained throughout the school year, and the child was given a reward as recognition of their efforts by the staff team. However, plans for the child’s further education, employment or training have not been implemented, nor has the child benefited from a career’s appointment review or consistent independent advocacy support to help them explore their future options and represent their views and wishes.

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improvement to be good

The child’s health needs are met, and they are supported to attend routine appointments. When the child complains of aches and pains, staff explore with the child what the problem may be and provide reassurance, guidance and advice.

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improvement to be good

The child takes immense pride in cooking and baking, which was observed during the inspection. However, the child is not accessing a range of activities and hobbies to promote their social development and their independence in the community. When the child is resistant to exploring new experiences, staff are not professionally curious to explore the reasons why and are not finding creative ways to encourage engagement and participation. Consequently, the child is lacking in confidence in many areas of their life, such as going to the local shops, making an appointment or travelling independently in the local area.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding incidents are not frequent. When staff have been made aware of online safety concerns that may impact the child, they have shared information with relevant professionals and, where appropriate, have accessed support from external specialist services, such as the Prevent team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 4 Staff place the well-being of the child at the centre of their practice. They understand the child’s needs and how these may contribute to the way the child expresses their emotions. Consequently, staff are patient in their approaches with the child. There are risk assessments in place, which give clear guidance and strategies for staff to follow when the child is feeling upset or frustrated.

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improvement to be good

When serious incidents have taken place in the home, staff have not always understood their roles and responsibilities, and on one occasion, the child gained access to a set of internal keys. Leaders and managers provide brief comments or evaluations on reports of significant events, which means that there is little reflection and critical oversight on what went well and what could have been done differently. As a result, gaps in practice are not challenged or changed effectively.

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improvement to be good

Children know how to make a complaint and are confident that should they have a grumble, they would seek advice from the manager of the home, and this would be followed up. The child raised a query with the inspector regarding his family time plan. This was discussed with the manager, who assured the child that this would be followed up and the child would be updated without delay.

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improvement to be good

Staff have regular discussions with the child about key topics, including discussions around relevant risks and vulnerabilities, such as exploitation and online safety. However, not all staff knew the full procedures for reporting safeguarding concerns externally, and team meeting minutes did not reflect that this is being discussed regularly as a matter of process to test staff knowledge.

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good

There is a suitably qualified, experienced manager in place who benefits from a stable staff team, which means that the child is supported by staff who know them well. One member of staff said that leaders and managers are supportive, and they feel listened to and valued.

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good

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have taken action to address previous shortfalls and have begun to develop, implement and review new systems to enable the staff to carry out their job roles and provide supportive care to children. Staff have received training in areas identified at the last inspection and have spoken positively about the quality of training overall.

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good

Team meetings are taking place more regularly and are better attended. However, they are used mainly to share information with the team, and there is a missed opportunity to identify lessons learned following significant events.

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good

Supervision is taking place on a regular basis. Staff speak positively about supervision and value having the opportunity to talk about practice-related matters Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 5 as well as discussing their own well-being. Records lack consistency, despite staff having received training in this area. Some documents lack detail of significant discussions and, therefore, do not capture the full extent of the work being carried out with the child. Leaders and managers have addressed this by adopting a clearer, streamlined approach to recording. Additionally, leaders and managers have devised new reporting templates to help them improve their critical oversight of the quality of care provided to children. These systems are in their infancy.

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good

The manager has been proactive at reporting repairs to the maintenance team, and they have addressed initial concerns in the bathroom and kitchen area. However, new repairs are required due to further leaks from water spillage. These repairs remain ongoing.

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good

The visitor book does not always state the time a visitor left the home. Should an allegation be made retrospectively, these documents do not contain accurate information to help the manager establish facts. Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 6

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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 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child is supported and encouraged to learn about and make plans for their further education, employment or training. 15 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 15 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 7 that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child is supported and encouraged to experience a range of activities, both within and outside of the home.

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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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand their duty to keep children safe and know how to report a concern outside of the organisation. 15 August 2025

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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. 15 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii)(viii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the home is a welcoming environment that is clean and tidy, meets the children’s needs and is personalised to the child’s specific tastes.

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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

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— 15 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 9 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

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)(b)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should improve the monitoring and review systems of the home to have full oversight of staff practice and identify lessons learned through critical reflection. Also, managers should ensure that there are clear, concise and accurate recordings of daily events which accurately reflect the care and support provided to children.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that an accurate record is kept of visitors to the home. 15 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 10

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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: 2519196 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Holywell Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Scott & Wilkinson, Dalton House, 9 Dalton Square, Lancaster LA1 1WD

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Inspector

Michelle Greenhalgh, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2519196 12 and inspects 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 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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