Children's Home run by A-Triangle Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 1 Registered provider: A-Triangle Care 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 is a privately owned home that provides care for up to two children who may be experiencing social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager were registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 23 October 2024

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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: 2741405 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2024 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 3

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to build trusting relationships. There are suitable arrangements in place to ensure that the child can express their views, wishes and feelings and be involved in decisions about their day-to-day care.

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improvement to be good

Staff complete regular and frequent key-worker sessions with the child. These are often planned and follow up from previous conversations. They are also completed reactively in response to situations or incidents. These sessions help the child to understand risks and significant events.

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improvement to be good

The child is supported by staff to spend time with their family in line with their agreed plans. They are also encouraged to spend time with friends in the community. This means that they can build age-appropriate relationships and maintain relationships that are important to them.

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improvement to be good

The child receives support and encouragement with their education. When challenges arise regarding school attendance, staff work with teachers, school staff and representatives from the virtual school to explore ways to improve the child’s attendance. However, the current education plans lack up-to-date information about the educational arrangements. As a result, it is unclear what is expected of staff in terms of supporting education within the home environment.

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improvement to be good

The child enjoys spending time with staff. They are supported to take part in a variety of activities in the home, such as baking and cooking, and community activities, such as beauty appointments and shopping.

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improvement to be good

When the decision is made for a child to move on from the home, the manager and staff work with the placing authority and the new home to share relevant information. This supports a move that is planned sensitively with input from the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child’s medical and well-being needs. They support the child to attend routine health appointments and seek out specialist health input when needed. However, the child is not supported or encouraged to follow a healthy, balanced diet.

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improvement to be good

There have been improvements to the home environment since the last inspection. However, the child's bedroom was unclean and extremely untidy. Staff need to ensure that there are effective systems in place to maintain a suitable standard of hygiene and cleanliness. In addition, substances that are hazardous to health, such as cleaning products, were not safely stored. Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 4

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improvement to be good

Suitable action has not been taken in response to allegations of harm. Relevant professionals, such as the local authority designated officer and placing authority, have not been notified in a timely manner. Confidential information regarding the allegation has been shared with the staff member involved, the child and the wider staff team, which may influence or interfere with potential police investigations. Designated safeguarding leads have not followed processes in line with relevant legislation and statutory guidance.

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improvement to be good

There are plans in place to safely manage restrictions within the child’s deprivation of liberty (DoL) order. When these restrictions were being reduced, leaders and managers worked with relevant professionals to identify safe ways to reduce and monitor these reductions through regular multi-agency meetings. However, there were no clear plans to relay to the staff team what the reduction plan contained, and not all plans or risk assessments contained up-to-date information, such as arrangements for mobile phone use. In addition, placing authority care plans and minutes are not available to staff, which limits their ability to implement the actions set out in these plans.

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improvement to be good

There has been one occasion when the child left school without permission. Staff worked with professionals, such as the police and school staff, to search for the child and support them to return as quickly and safely as possible. The manager had suitable oversight and identified lessons learned and reflected on the actions taken by staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff have taken suitable action in response to self-harm episodes. Staff have provided emotional support and first aid. They have also sought out external medical support and mental health support from external professionals to ensure that there is a wraparound approach to supporting the child’s welfare.

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

There is a manager in post who also manages another home for the same provider. There is a deputy manager who undertakes the day-to-day management of the home.

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

There has been insufficient oversight by leaders and managers in addressing the requirements identified during the previous inspection and in recognising shortcomings in the handling of allegations. Furthermore, the failure to notify Ofsted of the allegation in a timely manner has hindered the regulator’s ability to maintain effective oversight of the child’s welfare.

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

The independent person does not routinely gather the views of the child or key people in their lives. This is a missed opportunity for an external professional to hear the opinions of the child. Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 5 There have been some changes to the staff team since the last inspection. However, there is a stable and consistent staff team, which means that children are supported by staff who they know.

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

When new staff are recruited, there are measures in place to ensure that they are safely recruited. However, some staff members are relatively new to the sector and lack the necessary experience to manage the complex needs of the child effectively. This requirement is restated from the previous inspection.

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

Staff have completed a wide range of training to meet children's needs. However, not all staff have completed training in DoL orders or training in responding to allegations. This does not ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills to support the child.

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

Supervisions sessions are held regularly and are a supportive tool for staff. They are used to reflect on staff practice and as a development and learning opportunity. In addition, staff who are new to the home receive a detailed induction and probation period and staff have their fitness to complete their role appraised annually.

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

Team meetings are held regularly. They are well attended and staff understand their value. They are used as an opportunity for staff to share information and reflect on the previous month and as a training and development opportunity. Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 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 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that safeguarding processes are followed in accordance with relevant legislation and statutory guidance whenever there are allegations of harm. 10 July 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

promotes their welfare. 21 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 7 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that there are effective systems in place to guarantee that all allegations are overseen by managers who are trained as designated safeguarding leads.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff are trained in relevant topics to meet children's needs.

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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 the meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

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

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)(b)(vii)(c)(i)(ii)) 21 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 8 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there are systems in place to ensure that children's bedrooms are clean and tidy.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that substances that are hazardous to health, such as cleaning products, are stored securely.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 21 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 21 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 9 receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child's placing authority;

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that each child's relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children's plans and risk assessments contain current and up-to-date information and that information included in these plans is consistent throughout all plans.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that placing authority plans are received and available to staff. If these are not received within a suitable timeframe, then the registered person must escalate this with the placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 21 August 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 10 Specifically, this relates to staff having the appropriate experience and knowledge to support children effectively.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must support and encourage children to eat a healthy, balanced diet and understand the health implications of a poor diet. 21 August 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. This should include regular discussions with children and key people involved in their lives. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, Page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 2741405 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A-Triangle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Crescent East, Hardhorn road, Thornton/Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3LJ

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2741405 12 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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