Children's Home run by Creative Living Care in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 1 Registered provider: Creative Living Care

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to three children with social or emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The two children living at this home were spoken to by the inspector during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted. However, they are currently not working in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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: 2731482 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

 Leaders, managers and staff have failed to take appropriate measures to keep children safe.  Missing-from-home risk assessments are not clear and staff do not always follow plans.  Staff are not skilled in supporting children through difficult incidents, and they implement inappropriate consequences.  The home conditions are poor and not welcoming for children.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, two children have remained living here and one child has moved out. Staff struggle to help children manage their emotions effectively. The consequences of unwanted behaviour have not been implemented appropriately, resulting in an escalation of incidents. A child was provided with a written consequence that confirmed that they would be leaving the home because the staff could not support them effectively, and they subsequently moved out. This does not promote a positive sense of self-worth for children.

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Findings from the inspection

There are no plans in place when children are out in the community on their own. Staff complete welfare checks, but they do not try to locate children when they are unable to make contact with them. Staff do not understand what actions they should take to keep children safe when they are out of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The missing-from-home risk assessment does not provide enough details about the strategies staff should take when children go missing from home. Additionally, staff do not follow the plans agreed in the risk assessment. As a result, children have not been kept safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not follow safeguarding procedures. When allegations about staff are reviewed, these are investigated internally. However, they are not reported to the relevant professionals, including the local authority designated officer. Additionally, notifications are not sent to the regulator in a timely manner.

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Findings from the inspection

The home conditions are poor. The home is dirty, the paint work is marked and there is damage to some of the walls. Door wedges have been used to prop open fire doors, which creates a fire hazard. This is not a homely environment for children.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has not reflected on the details in incident reports to ensure that children are cared for effectively. Although the manager has oversight of incident reports and staff and children are offered opportunities to explore incidents, the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 3 discussions are not always recorded and shortfalls in staff practice are not always addressed to improve the care provided to children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers lack effective monitoring systems to evaluate staff practices and ensure that children receive a high quality of care. As a result, opportunities to identify emerging or escalating risks have been missed, and staff are not adequately supported to enhance the care that they provide.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager is currently absent from the home, and senior managers are in the process of developing a plan to address this. However, before this inspection, senior leaders were unaware of the full extent of the shortfalls and did not have sufficient oversight.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, children have been supported to attend their education provision. One child, who has been out of formal education, has started to integrate back into school on a reduced timetable. Staff support children to engage in education at home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/10/2024 Full Good 28/02/2024 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)) 21 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 6 In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that staff understand what action they need to take when children go missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that clear safety plans are in place for children accessing the community independently.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that allegations or complaints are referred to the relevant agencies.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that the home is clean and well maintained and that any damage is repaired promptly. Additionally, door wedges should not be used to hold fire doors open.

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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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(d)(e)(h)) 21 September Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 7 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that arrangements are in place for the effective monitoring and oversight of staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that shortfalls in staff practice are identified and addressed effectively.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to de-escalate situations in line with strategies outlined in children’s plans.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that any decisions to end children’s placements are fair, proportionate and child centred.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that decisions to move children out of the home are communicated to children in a child-centred way.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that all children’s records are well organised. 10 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Creative Living Care

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 5b Lincoln House, 5 The Crossroads Business Centre, Freckleton Street, Kirkham, Preston PR4 2SH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michael Swarbrick

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Inspector

Sarah Probert, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2731482 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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