Children's Home run by Yourcare (Northwest) Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 1 Registered provider: Yourcare (Northwest) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2025.

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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 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 provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with effective care from a team of staff who know them well. One child has moved into the home since the last inspection and the children were introduced prior to the move. The staff team already had an established relationship due to the child having previously lived in another of the provider’s home. This positively supported the transition. The child’s move into the home was appropriately planned, and both children’s views were considered effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is actively promoted by staff. Both children are engaged in learning that meets their individual needs. For one child who has been out of education for an extended period, this is considerable progress. With staff support and encouragement, the child is now positively engaging in learning, with both children actively discussing and planning for their further educational goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to take part in a range of activities both in the home and within the wider community. One child has recently been on their first holiday abroad with a staff member. Children are encouraged to develop new skills around their interests, with one child learning to play the guitar.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although there have been challenges in the dynamics between the children, staff provide consistent support to help children manage this relationship and resolve any conflicts. Staff use their knowledge of children and the positive relationships they have developed to support strategies that reduce tensions and promote more positive interactions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children maintaining relationships with those who are important to them. Staff are proactive in supporting children’s time with their family and friends. When challenges have arisen in these relationships, staff have provided appropriate support. Both children said they feel confident that they are listened to and their views are acted on.

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

Staff have developed strong relationships with children and demonstrate a good understanding of their needs. Comprehensive risk assessments, which are individual to children, reflect clear actions, and guidance that supports staff to manage risks effectively.

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

There has been a reduction in the number of incidents where children have been missing from the home. For one child, who prior to moving in, was deemed a very high risk with regard to going missing from care, so this is significant progression. When missing-from- home incidents have occurred, staff have responded in a timely and child-focused manner, ensuring that children are returned to the home as quickly and safely as possible. Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 4 Consequences and rewards are in place and are specific to individual children’s needs. Children are regularly consulted to support the effectiveness of these in promoting positive behavioural choices.

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

Staff’s records of incidents are detailed and are regularly reviewed, by the registered manager in order to support learning and improvement in practice. Staff are proactive in discussing any incidents within the team and identifying effective approaches. Staff seek guidance from external professionals, as necessary, to inform their approach.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of children’s health needs and support children in administering any prescribed medication. However, staff do not consistently follow the provider’s medication policy when children refuse prescribed medication, as this is not always documented.

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

Staff are skilled in de-escalating challenging situations. As a result, the use of physical intervention is rare with only one instance since the last inspection. Although the use of a hold was effective and proportionate to the risks present, the registered manager completed the staff debrief and overall evaluation of this incident. Due to her direct involvement, this should have been completed by another member of staff, to ensure that this was impartial and independently reviewed.

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

Since the last inspection, the deputy manager has registered as the home’s new manager. She has a clear vision for the home, which is child-centred, with a focus on building positive relationships between staff and children. Although staff report a positive environment in the home, there remains some areas for development so as to ensure that consistently high-quality care for children is delivered.

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

Staff receive reflective and supportive supervision that reviews their practice and ensures that they have a clear understanding of the needs of children living in the home. However, supervision sessions are not taking place on a regular basis. Furthermore, no staff working in the home have received their annual appraisal which, for some staff, is now overdue. Both these shortfalls limit the opportunities for staff to receive feedback and guidance for their development, as well as impacting on the registered manager’s full oversight of staff practice.

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

Staff have access to a range of training to meet the needs of children. However, until recently, the registered manager has not had access to all staff training files, which limits her oversight. As a result, some of the provider’s mandatory courses for one staff member have not been refreshed within timescales. There is a plan in place to address this, which is ongoing. Additionally, the registered manager has not completed her refresher training in the home’s physical intervention model, which is several months out of date. This directly impacts staff ability to ensure that they are fully equipped to respond consistently to children’s needs.

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

One staff member has not completed their required qualification within the required timescales. The registered manager and senior leaders have faced challenges due to the Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 5 impact of delays with their chosen training provider, in response to which, they have made attempts to address these challenges. The staff member has made considerable progress, and plans are in place to support them in achieving the qualification as soon as possible.

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

Team meetings are regular and well attended by staff. Sessions are reflective, and the registered manager promotes staff engagement. Staff said that team meetings are useful and are a good opportunity for them to come together to discuss positive practice and any areas for development, which promotes consistency within the team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff training is effectively monitored so that all refresher training is completed within required timescales. 1 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c)) 1 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that systems to record when children decline prescribed medication are consistently followed by staff and in line with the home’s medication policy.

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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

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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff who work in the home in a care role have obtained their qualification by the relevant date. 1 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. 1 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 8 (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff receive practice-related provision on a regular basis. In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff members’ practice is appraised at least once every year.

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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. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when a child is involved in a physical intervention, staff debriefs and overall evaluations of the incident are completed by a person who was not involved in the intervention. 1 September 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2773192 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Yourcare (Northwest) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 64 St. Georges Park, Kirkham PR4 2DZ

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Inspector

Carrie Mayes, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2773192 10 regulates 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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