Children's Home run by Northridge Care Group Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 1 Registered provider: Northridge Care Group 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 three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Management oversight is ineffective.  Serious incidents have not been managed appropriately leaving children at risk of harm.  When significant incidents happen, staff do not always recognise the risks to children and do not always take appropriate action to reduce risks.  When children move into the home, the manager has not appropriately considered the potential impact of the identified risks for children already living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

A full inspection took place on the 10 June 2025. At the time of the inspection, one child was settled and a second child had moved into the home just prior to the inspection. Since the inspection, there has been a significant increase in safeguarding notifications and an increase in incidents of concern.

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Findings from the inspection

There are significant concerns about the leadership and management of the home, which are impacting on the ability of the staff team to safeguard effectively and protect the children. Serious incidents have not been managed appropriately leaving children at risk of harm. The registered manager’s monitoring and reviewing systems are ineffective. Oversight from leaders and managers has failed to identify the significant shortfalls or take effective action to improve practice.

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Findings from the inspection

When significant incidents have taken place, staff do not always recognise the risks to children and do not always take appropriate action to reduce the risks. During one significant incident when a child climbed on to the home’s roof, staff did not follow the child’s individual safety plan and failed to take effective immediate action to safeguard the child. This resulted in one child being at risk of significant harm and/or injury.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have not been provided with the opportunity to reflect on the incident or their practice to identify lessons learned. The registered manager has not had prompt and rigorous oversight of the incident to identify the shortfalls. Senior leaders have not identified or taken effective action to address the lack of oversight by the registered manager.

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Findings from the inspection

Most serious incidents are appropriately notified to Ofsted in a timely manner. However, on two occasions, there has been a significant delay in notifying the regulator of serious incidents. This prevents Ofsted from scrutinising information in a timely manner to ensure that children are safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Prior to children moving into the home, the registered manager completes a risk assessment. However, the registered manager has not appropriately considered the potential impact of the identified risks for children already living in the home. For Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 3 one previously settled child, this has had a significant impact on the stability of their placement and resulted in an unplanned ending to another child’s placement in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Following a case review on 23 July 2025, which confirmed that there are serious and widespread concerns at the home, a restriction of accommodation notice was issued alongside two compliance notices under regulations 12 (protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (leadership and management standard). Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 5

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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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)) 7 September 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. 7 September 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 6 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

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; 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)(c)(f)(h))

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 23 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that an independent person is appointed to make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for children’s care and that subsequent reports are shared in a timely manner with Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 7 the regulator. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northridge Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Richard House, 9 Winckley Square, Preston PR1 3HP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Joanne Kitchener

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Inspector

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2800616 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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