Children's Home run by Barracare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 1 Registered provider: Barracare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care for up to four children. The children may have complex emotional and social needs. Two children were present and spoke with the inspector as part of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 1 st April 2025 Ofsted issued compliance notices under Regulation 12 (the Protection of Children Standard), Regulation 13 (the Leadership and Management Standard) and Regulation 6 (the quality and purpose of care standard).

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 16 th May 2025, a monitoring visit was undertaken to review the progress made in relation to the compliance notices. Ofsted determined that the provider had made enough progress since the last visit to meet the steps of the notices. Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2025 Full Inadequate 19/10/2023 Full Good 10/01/2023 Full Good 23/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 3

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improvement to be good

Two children have had to move out of the house since the last inspection. Staff were not able to meet their needs or ensure their safety. Managers have completed useful learning in relation to individual incidents, but formal learning from the children’s experiences overall has not yet been carried out. Leaders and managers plan to implement an evaluation system to ensure that important learning is taken after children move out.

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improvement to be good

The home is now a safer and more homely environment. Children appreciate that repairs are being completed more quickly.

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improvement to be good

Children’s relationships with staff are improving. Staff now get to know children well and are considerate and caring in their daily interactions. However, frequent changes to the team have had an impact on children’s feelings of trust in the adults caring for them. Children have also been privy to too much information regarding staffing issues and inaccurate information about the reasons for adults moving on. Children still feel some confusion and distrust, particularly towards leaders and managers.

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improvement to be good

Staff communicate well with other professionals. One social worker said, ‘[the child] is well understood, his risks/behaviours are understood including the source of the risks, which helps this in being managed.’ Children’s care is well planned and co-ordinated.

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improvement to be good

Both children are in education. One child has been supported to return to full time education after a long absence and the other is meeting his targets. A teacher said, ‘[staff are] engaged and invested in [the child’s] learning.’

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have started to use thorough systems for tracking children’s progress. This helps managers to better understand children’s starting points and monitor any positive achievements they have made. Leaders and managers are developing a better understanding of how care impacts children’s welfare.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to learn about healthy eating and fitness. Children are involved in the preparation and planning for nutritious meals. Children lead a healthy lifestyle.

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improvement to be good

Children’s safety and wellbeing have improved. Staff manage risks more proactively, reducing the number of serious incidents. Children benefit from a calmer, more settled home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 4 Staff are relatively new and inexperienced. The team have all completed a thorough induction and a range of safeguarding training. Leaders and managers also now test their knowledge through regular quizzes and useful discussion at team meetings. However, understanding is not yet fully embedded, for instance some members of staff do not know the processes for whistleblowing or the signs which would indicate exploitation. Staff are becoming more confident in how to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers complete a risk assessment for each child. These documents are too long and include information which is not relevant to the child. Some information is copied between children’s documents and there is some duplication within assessments. Documentation is not personalised or helpful to each child.

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improvement to be good

There has been one recent incident of a child going missing. Staff followed procedures and the child was brought home safely after a brief time. Staff are confident in what to do when children go missing.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not resort to physical restraint as often. There has been one recent physical intervention, which was used to keep the child safe. Staff use more effective strategies to de-escalate challenging situations.

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

Leaders and managers have better oversight of staff practice. Safeguarding incidents are now all reviewed and evaluated by the manager. Team meetings are used as a useful forum to share learning. Quality of care is improving.

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

Staff complete regular training, which is specific to the needs of these children. Staff are gaining the skills and knowledge to provide children with good quality care.

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

Staff now receive regular, child focused supervision. Staff feel better supported by the management team.

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

Senior managers do not always assess risks arising from pre-employment checks well. In one instance, managers did not adequately consider the potential risks to children or outline a robust enough plan to prevent harm to children. Leaders and managers also did not adhere to the proposed risk management plan, of increased supervision and monitoring. Children and staff are vulnerable to increased risk of harm.

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

The manager keeps the home’s workforce development plan and statement of purpose under regular review. This helps to ensure that children receive well planned and co- ordinated care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 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

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)(i)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must make sure that children’s risk assessments only contain inform which is helpful and relevant to each child.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also make sure that staff understand their responsibilities in relation to common safeguarding scenarios, such as whistleblowing and exploitation. 15 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— 15 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 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;

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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

In particular, the registered person must make sure that a useful evaluation is completed in relation to children’s experiences when they move out of the home. The registered person must ensure there are processes in place to share this learning with the team to drive improvements to care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make sure that a comprehensive risk assessment is completed in relation to any concerns arising from pre-employment checks. This should make clear what the potential impact is for children and how this will be managed to keep staff and children safe. When there is such a risk assessment in place, the registered person must make sure that this is adhered to. 15 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 7

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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: 2647022 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Limes, Barkerhouse Road, Nelson BB9 9NL

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2647022 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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