Children's home run by Cherish Children’s Care Limited in Fylde

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 1 SC476868

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Registered provider: Cherish Children’s 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 is a private children’s home that is registered to care for up to four children who may have learning disabilities and social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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Inspection date: 20 August 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 20 August 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: SC476868 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager was absent at the time of the inspection. The deputy manager and the operations manager supported the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children and staff share positive and trusting relationships. One child said, ‘The staff are all amazing.’

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to attend routine health appointments. When children refuse to attend, the reason for this is explored with them and they are encouraged to understand why health appointments are important.

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Findings from the inspection

Regular direct work and key-worker sessions with children support them to understand how to keep themselves safe and to discuss their feelings and emotions. Staff cover topics that are associated to the children’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. In the main, this is conversational and takes place across the whole staff team. However, when needed, it is completed in response to a significant event and is targeted to a specific topic.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff have taken suitable action in response to children being involved in relationships together. They have worked sensitively and carefully with children and their placing authorities. This has enabled them to make considered and balanced decisions about the care planning for children, ensuring there are detailed safety plans in place for staff to follow.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have worked with children to promote positive and healthy relationships. When it was deemed it was no longer suitable for children to remain living together, they worked with the placing authority and children to make informed decisions about one child’s move from the home and to ensure that the best interests of all children living in the home had been considered.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have responded suitably to significant incidents such as substance misuse and fire setting behaviours. Children are supported to engage with external professionals, such as the drug and alcohol support service and the fire service, to enable children to understand and respond to risks.

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Findings from the inspection

When it has been necessary to impose consequences because of children’s actions or behaviours, they are reasonable and proportionate. However, the manager does not always review the measures to ensure their effectiveness and to ensure that they are fair and balanced.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff follow children’s plans and procedures when a child goes missing from the home. Staff search for children and encourage them to return as quickly as possible. Following their return, staff show professional curiosity to find out where they have Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 3 been and who they have been with during their absence from the home. This is shared with relevant professionals.

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Findings from the inspection

Support plans and risk assessments do not always include clear guidelines and strategies for staff. They do not always include up-to-date information following changes to children’s care needs. This requirement will remain in place from the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

When it has been necessary to physically hold a child, it has been reasonable and proportionate. The manager has completed an overview of the incident and reviewed the effectiveness of the measure. All relevant professionals have been notified.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been some changes to the management oversight of the running of the home. New monitoring and auditing systems have been put in place; however, they are not yet embedded and therefore their effectiveness is not yet evident. This requirement will remain in place from the last inspection. In addition to this, the independent visitor does not regularly view children’s bedrooms or obtain feedback from key people, such as children, staff and families, to enable them to assess effectively the impact of the quality of care on children.

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Findings from the inspection

There was no record of practice-related supervisions taking place regularly since the last inspection. This limits the manager’s ability to support staff development and address any areas for improvement. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/05/2024 Full Good 03/05/2023 Full Good 03/05/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 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 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

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)(h)) 2 October 2025

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)) 2 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 6 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that support plans and risk assessments include clear, relevant and up-to- date information to care for children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 2 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b)) 2 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)) 2 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cherish Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8a, Skyways Commercial Campus, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 3RS

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC476868 8 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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