Children's Home run by Therapeutic Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 1 Registered provider: Therapeutic Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider and provides care for up to two children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home, and they spoke to the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager recently resigned. An acting manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 3

p.2

improvement to be good

The staffing arrangements in the home have gone through a period of significant change over the last 12 months. There has been a change in the manager and a change in staff. Children’s experience and progress have been varied in quality.

p.3

improvement to be good

For two children, the management team identified that the staff did not have the appropriate skills and knowledge to meet the children’s emerging needs and vulnerabilities. This led to both children moving out prematurely. As a result, the outcomes achieved by children have not been consistently positive.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child currently living in the home has quickly settled and they are starting to build trusting relationships with staff. Staff are caring and nurturing in their approach and the child responds well to this. The child is supported to regularly attend activities in the local community with staff, and this is helping to develop their relationship.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is in good health. Staff support the child to attend all the appropriate appointments to meet their health needs. They also educate the child on health-related issues to enable the child to make positive choices about leading a healthier lifestyle.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is not attending school at present, as their previous school is too far away for them to attend. The manager is working with other professionals to look at identifying an appropriate local school that can meet the child’s educational needs. In the meantime, the manager ensures that the child has access to a tutor in the mornings and the staff provide informal learning opportunities in the afternoons. This means the child is engaging in their learning and has a clear structure to their day.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child benefits from positive family time. Staff support the child to have regular time with their mother, engaging in activities out in the community. This is helping the child to maintain positive relationships with people who are important to them and create positive memories together.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff regularly encourage the child to express their wishes and feelings through daily conversations, weekly meetings and planned discussions. The child chooses their meals and activities for the week and shares their views on how the home environment can be improved. This enables the child to participate fully in their daily life.

p.3

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

Children’s safety and welfare are at the heart of staff practice. The child said that they felt happy and safe, and they know that staff would respond if they had any worries or concerns. The child has raised one concern, and this was appropriately addressed by the manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 4 Staff have a good understanding of the child’s risks and vulnerabilities and take appropriate action to address them. They are supported in their role by having a detailed risk assessment and behaviour support plan, which gives them clear guidelines on how to support the child. The manager ensures that these documents are regularly updated to include any new and emerging risks.

p.3

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

Children receive a consistent response when they go missing. Staff follow clear missing- from-home procedures which include looking for the child to locate them. The staff work in partnership with other safeguarding agencies to promote children’s safety. The manager ensures that the child is spoken to by an independent person on their return, so they have an opportunity to express their views.

p.4

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

Staff regularly speak to the child on keeping safe. With support, the child has completed online courses on the dangers of knife crime, online safety and healthy relationships. This helps the child to make positive informed choices in keeping safe.

p.4

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

Staff carry out room searches when there is a recognised immediate risk. However, the staff do not always inform the child of the reason the search was necessary.

p.4

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

Staff are calm and caring in their approach. Staff use preventative behaviour management techniques and have clear rules and boundaries, and the child responds well to this. When physical intervention has been necessary, it has been used appropriately and proportionately to keep the child and others safe. The manager ensures that the child is spoken to after the incident, so they understand why the hold was necessary.

p.4

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

The current registered manager has recently resigned and is currently serving their notice away from the home. The newly appointed manager is in the process of applying to register. She is enthusiastic and child centred and has high aspirations for the child. She has good oversight of day-to-day practice and has a good understanding of the areas that need to be improved in the quality of care provided.

p.4

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

There is now a full staff team in place, and its members are caring professionals. However, staff are not yet meeting the aims and objectives as set out in the home’s statement of purpose effectively. Two out of three children have left the home prematurely. This means the desired outcomes for children have not been successful.

p.4

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

There is a comprehensive induction and training programme in place and staff have completed the provider’s mandatory training. The manager ensures that staff have completed specific training to meet the child’s needs. Staff said that they value this training in helping them to develop the skills and knowledge required for their roles. Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 5 There is an in-depth handover each day. This gives staff an opportunity to discuss any issues and share their experience and knowledge. This means that there is clear consistency for the child.

p.4

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

The manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision sessions and appraisals. This gives the staff an opportunity to reflect on their practice and identify any further training they may need to meet the needs of children.

p.5

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

Staff meetings take place regularly and give the staff an opportunity to come together, reflect as a team, and share knowledge and information effectively. The company’s therapist regularly attends these meetings and offers support and advice around working with the child and meeting their emotional needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 6

p.5

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 care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home.

p.6

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s needs and children are prepared to leave the home in a positive manner. 23 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 7

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a room search is carried out, the child is informed of the reason why the search was necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.20)

p.7

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: 2762098 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Therapeutic Care Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Errigal House, Avroe Crescent, Blackpool FY4 2DP

p.8

Inspector

Simon Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2762098 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

Inspector

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 .

p.9

Inspector

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

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9