Children's Home run by Sanitas Cura Ltd in Sefton

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 1 Registered provider: Sanitas Cura Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager were registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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Inspection date: 4 September 2025

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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Inspection date: 4 September 2025

Judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Inspection date: 4 September 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable

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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: 2835139 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

A child moved into the home without enough consideration of whether staff had the skills and experience to meet their needs safely. Although the manager had considered the referral, spoken with professionals such as social workers and attempted to meet the child at their previous placement, there was no documented evidence that they had fully assessed the risks and ensured that staff received adequate training in preparation. This did not demonstrate sufficient thought into keeping the child safe. The child went missing from the home during their move.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not consistently follow good practice when the child is missing; they fail to search known locations or act on information provided by the child regarding their whereabouts. This lack of proactive response compromises the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements and increases the child’s exposure to harm.

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Findings from the inspection

When the child goes missing from the home, they self-report high levels of substance misuse, and there are known indicators of criminal exploitation. The current risk assessments and associated protocols lack clarity and do not provide staff with specific guidance on how to respond effectively to reduce the risk of harm. This limits staff’s ability to safeguard the child and to address their vulnerabilities in a consistent and informed manner.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered person does not demonstrate sufficient professional challenge to placing authorities to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. The placing authority has not provided clear or comprehensive guidance regarding staff expectations. As a result, staff are unable to deliver consistent and well-informed support to children.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff did not challenge the placing authority decision to allow the child to have vapes. Staff were advised that they could purchase them and did so, which put the child at risk and demonstrated poor judgement and a lack of safeguarding awareness. This exposed the child to potential health harms and undermined efforts to promote their well-being and safety.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not monitor practice well enough to understand how decisions and actions affect children’s safety and well-being. Management oversight is weak, and there is no clear strategy to review incidents or guide staff to improve care.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered person does not ensure that risk assessments focus on the child’s specific risks, needs and vulnerabilities. It is not clear what actions staff should take to reduce the risk of harm. The missing-from-home protocol does not offer sufficient guidance for staff. This means there are delays in contacting the police, family and the local authority. This has led to delays in action being taken. Managers do not Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 3 evaluate how staff respond to risk, which means the child does not always receive the help they need when they are unsafe.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered person does not consistently notify Ofsted of all serious incidents, as required. This failure to report undermines the regulator’s ability to maintain effective oversight of the care provided and limits external scrutiny of safeguarding arrangements. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the child’s health needs are consistently prioritised. Behaviours that pose a risk to health, such as vaping, must be sufficiently challenged. 7 November 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. 7 November 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 5 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they respond to the needs of the child effectively and with the aim of reducing the risks. The registered person must ensure that all risks are identified and controlled.

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 7 November 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 6 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have the skills and experience to meet the needs of the child.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the registered person must ensure that all plans are up to date and reflect any risks and needs.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive training that is in line with the children’s needs. 7 November 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

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 7 November 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 7 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they effectively challenge and escalate any concerns with the placing authority’s particularly when there is a lack of care plan or safety plan for a child.

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 7 November 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sanitas Cura Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 64 Mill Lane, West Derby, Liverpool, Merseyside L12 7JB

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Inspector

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835139 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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Inspector

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