Children's Home run by Therapeutic Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 1 Registered provider: Therapeutic Care Limited

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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 operated by a private provider and provides care for up to two children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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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

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

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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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 13 November 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/11/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 3

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improvement to be good

The children living in this home are settled and are making progress. However, there have been some shortfalls in how safeguarding incidents are managed.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and one child has moved out. The child who moved in has been supported to settle and is forming positive relationships with staff. The child was able to meet some members of staff before they moved in and was given information about the home. However, the suitability of the local area was not fully considered and risks were not fully explored.

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improvement to be good

Family time is promoted and encouraged. Children spend time with family and friends in the community. Children are offered a range of leisure activities, and one child has recently enjoyed a holiday abroad with staff. However, some decisions taken by the manager in relation to children having independent time in the community have not always been in accordance with the local authority care plans.

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improvement to be good

Education is valued in the home. When children are reluctant to engage in education, staff are persistent and encourage children to attend. One child has recently been supported to complete their end of year exams, despite this being a source of anxiety for them. When children do not have education provision, the manager works with other professionals to remove barriers to education and identify a suitable provision.

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improvement to be good

Children are prepared for independence. Staff and the manager ensure that children have the skills needed to live independently. Staff have ensured that children’s views are included in their plans and staff act as advocates for children.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are met. Staff encourage children to attend appointments and referrals are made to specialist services when required. Children and staff have access to the provider’s therapeutic team, which allows for a good understanding of children’s emotional health. Staff are very supportive when children suffer bereavement and loss and children are given time to grieve.

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improvement to be good

The home is a comfortable environment for children. Children can personalise their bedrooms and chose the decor in the home. A memorial has been made in the garden to allow children to remember their loved ones. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 4

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding procedures are understood by the current staff team, who understand how to escalate concerns appropriately, including to external agencies. However, there have been lapses in safeguarding practice involving former staff members. In one instance, a child had been able to obtain the keys for the home’s vehicle and drive away, creating a potential safety risk. The provider responded promptly to this issue and has implemented additional preventative measures to mitigate future risks .

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improvement to be good

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Staff employ a therapeutic approach and when incidents occur, these are mostly managed effectively. One child has lived at the home for over a year. During this time, staff have supported them to manage several difficult life events. Staff and the manager have consistently provided stability for the child.

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improvement to be good

There have been some missing-from-home episodes for both children. When these have happened, staff have responded in accordance with procedures. Staff search for children and ensure that they are warmly welcomed when they return. Children are given the opportunity to speak to someone independent from the home, which allows them to safely express any worries or concerns.

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improvement to be good

Staff hold regular discussions with children on important issues, such as sexual health, consent and substance misuse. Children are educated on the dangers of the internet and acceptable social media interactions. When it has been necessary, regular checks on devices have been carried out to ensure that children are not accessing unsafe content.

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improvement to be good

Most new members of staff have been safely recruited. However, a full employment history has not been obtained for one staff member. Furthermore, full exploration and analysis of their history had not been carried out. This does not ensure that only suitable adults work with children.

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

The manager is working towards the relevant management qualification. He is supported by an experienced responsible individual. The manager has formed positive relationships with external professionals and family members.

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

The manager is aware of the shortfalls in the home and is devising a plan to address the shortfalls in practice.

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

There is a core staff team and any shortfalls in staffing are filled by staff from within the company. However, there have been occasions when the manager has not ensured that a sufficiently skilled and experienced member of staff has been on shift in the home. This has meant that children have not always received an appropriate level of care and support. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 5 Staff have access to a range of training opportunities. When children present with new or emerging needs, the manager ensures that staff are equipped with the appropriate skills to respond effectively. Several team members are experienced and hold relevant qualifications in residential childcare. New staff go through a robust induction process. The provider actively promotes career development, which contributes to staff retention and ensures consistent care for children.

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

Staff state that they feel supported by the manager. They benefit from regular supervision sessions where they can reflect on their practice. Team meetings are held regularly and allow staff to air their views and discuss ways to enhance the care provided for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 6

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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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children do not have unsupervised access to the home’s vehicle.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are supervised by staff in accordance with their plans. 22 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 22 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 7 promotes their welfare.

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is a sufficiently experienced and skilled staff member working in the home at all times.

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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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a full employment history is obtained for all staff employed. Additionally, any issues in a staff member’s history must be fully explored and analysed. 22 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 22 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 8 In particular, the registered person must ensure that unsupervised time in the community is in line with the child’s placing authority plan.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the safer area report is used and considered when considering a new referral to the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.23)

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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: 2771219 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Therapeutic Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Therapeutic Care Ltd, Errigal House, Avroe Crescent, Blackpool FY4 2DP

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Christopher Grindrod

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Inspector

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2771219 10 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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