Children's home run by TrueCare NW Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2806504 1 Registered provider: TrueCare NW 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 operated 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 the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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Inspection date: 9 September 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: 2806504 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

One child moved out of the home on the day of the inspection, and one child remains living there. The inspector observed positive relationships between the staff and the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have a good understanding of children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities and know how to keep them safe. Individualised risk plans provide staff with useful information and guidance. However, clear guidance is not recorded regarding the responsibilities of waking night staff implemented in response to safeguarding concerns. This has not had an effect on the safety of children, as communication between staff has been consistent and clear.

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Findings from the inspection

Behaviour management in the home is positive. Children are supported in managing their feelings and emotions and encouraged to reflect on incidents. When staff have responded inconsistently to children’s behaviour, the manager has addressed this and implemented support to improve practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported through regular discussions on how to keep themselves safe and are educated on topics specific to their risks and vulnerabilities. However, shortfalls in recording mean that the manager was unable to demonstrate one child’s understanding or the impact of resources used to help them understand topics such as knife crime.

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Findings from the inspection

The rationale of staff when deciding to search children’s bedrooms is clear, and children have generally been present. However, when room searches have taken place without children being present, records do not always indicate if the child was informed of the search on their return.

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Findings from the inspection

There are inconsistencies in the recording of information when children go missing from the home. It is not always clear whether staff follow the agreed procedures to search for children and ensure their safe return home. Return home interviews are carried out following the children’s safe return, and the manager uses these as opportunities to gather information that could contribute to reducing the risk of further missing-from-care incidents and keeping children safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s health needs are well understood by staff. Children are receiving the specialist health input they need to support their physical and emotional well-being, and staff have received training from health professionals to help them support the children in their care.

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Findings from the inspection

The team works well with other agencies, and the manager is a strong advocate for the children. Professionals provided positive feedback regarding the safeguarding Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2806504 3 practices and information-sharing from the team and how this has contributed to keeping children safe during a recent escalation of incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is committed to ensuring that children are supported by a skilled and knowledgeable staff team. Regular team meetings and supervision sessions are carried out. Staff are provided with appropriate training that is centred around children’s specific needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Significant incidents are managed with transparency and fully investigated. However, managers have not notified the regulator of all serious incidents. This limits the regulator’s oversight of significant events in the children’s lives. A requirement has been raised regarding this. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2806504 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2806504 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

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)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s risk plans contain details of all measures in place with clear steps for staff to follow to keep children safe. 8 October 2025

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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

there is any other incident which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 8 October 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2806504 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are informed of all room searches that have taken place in their absence. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that all children receive proactive direct work, targeted to their specific needs, to help them understand how to keep themselves safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2806504 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: TrueCare NW Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 107 Ditchfield Road, Widnes WA8 8RF

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2806504 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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