Children's Home run by Prosperity Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 1 Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services

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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 company. 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 this assurance inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Inspection date: 29 July 2025

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: 2808376 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff do not take sufficient action to locate children when they are missing from home. During missing-from-home incidents, staff do not consistently look for children, nor are there any clear effective strategies identified for staff to follow to support children to return home promptly. As a result, a vulnerable child who was missing for almost two days was only searched for for roughly one hour.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff do not show professional curiosity and challenge. When a child is missing from home, they do not challenge other agencies, nor are they proactive in their approach when there is a delay in them supporting in the search for the child. As a result, one child has been arrested on three occasions when missing and staff have not always been aware of this until some time after their arrest.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff fail to identify and consider risks in relation to child exploitation. Despite numerous concerns, there are missed opportunities to implement strategies to safeguard one child and educate them on external risks. Some staff have carried out work with the child, although this is not consistent or effective, given that risks have increased for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been an increase in safeguarding incidents in the home. During these incidents, significant damage has been caused. Some of these incidents have resulted in police being called to the home. Leaders and managers identified the need for higher staffing ratios to support one child; however, they have not challenged the placing authority effectively to address this situation. As a result, there continue to be periods of heightened behaviours when damage is often caused.

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Findings from the inspection

Communal areas in the home are repaired and maintained following damage. However, children’s bedrooms and bathrooms are unhygienic and hazardous. There is evidence of smoking paraphernalia, mouldy food and broken and damaged furniture. Leaders, managers and staff have not taken sufficient action to address this to improve the children’s environment.

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Findings from the inspection

Leadership and management arrangements are poor and ineffective. The registered manager is not present in the home, and the provider has plans to register another manager.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not have effective monitoring systems in place to have oversight of the shortfalls identified. The required documents which should detail how to support and care for children are not available to staff. . As a result, staff do not have clear guidance to follow when there are concerns for children’s safety. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 3 Following this assurance inspection, Ofsted has issued three 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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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted will carry out further visits to monitor the provider’s response to addressing the shortfalls and compliance notices.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/04/2025 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 4

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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; 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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the appropriate training, skills and knowledge to take effective action to safeguard children. In addition, leaders and managers must ensure that children’s bedrooms are free from hazards. 31 August 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 5 *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 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)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that there is a suitably experienced and qualified manager and a competent experienced responsible individual who can oversee the management of the home.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, they must ensure that monitoring systems are used to identify and address shortfalls in the quality of care children receive. 31 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

*The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. 31 August 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that all areas of the home, including children’s bedrooms, are clean and maintained to an acceptable standard at all times.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff support children to understand socially acceptable behaviour, and de-escalate incidents effectively. 9 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 9 September 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 7 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should improve the quality of supervision records so that they clearly evidence reflective discussion and support staff’s professional development. Records should show how staff are being supported to deliver care that is consistent with the home’s trauma-informed model. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Prosperity Children’s Services Ltd, 8 Mercury Rise, Altham Business Park, Altham, Accrington BB5 5BY

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Inspector

Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2808376 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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Inspector

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