Children's home run by Exceptional Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 1 Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home with whom the inspector spoke.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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

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: 2537801 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2024 Full Good 13/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/08/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home, and three children have moved in. One child was supported during a planned move. However, another child who remained in the home became unsettled, and staff struggled to help them feel safe. As a result, the child moved out of the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of education. Children who are not in school are supported to learn at home. Staff ensure that children have structure to their days, with weekly planners and incentives in place. One child has been supported to develop independence skills by preparing a meal planner, including budgeting, working out the amount of ingredients needed, adding to develop their own creations and recording the learning objectives and outcomes.

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improvement to be good

Children are educated about maintaining their health. Children are registered with universal health services. Staff refer to external agencies for additional support for children, including sexual health, low mood and drug and alcohol issues.

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improvement to be good

Children understand how to make complaints. Leaders and managers fully explore complaints and take action to improve how children’s views are sought and listened to. A mumbles and grumbles book has been introduced for children to use.

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improvement to be good

There have been a number of serious incidents. Leaders and managers have oversight of all incidents. Management oversight is evaluative and reflective and identifies shortfalls in staff practice. However, they have not been proactive in implementing measures to prevent further incidents. One child’s risks continued to escalate, and subsequently, the child moved as staff were unable to effectively support them.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are detailed and regularly reviewed. They consider the child’s needs, factors that could increase risk and actions staff can take to minimise risk. Easy-to-follow guides have recently been implemented for staff to use to ensure they know what action they should take to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Allegations are dealt with efficiently. Allegations about staff members are referred to external agencies, such as the local designated safeguarding officer. Staff understand the whistle-blowing procedures. Leaders and managers follow processes for managing allegations about staff and take effective action to safeguard children.

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improvement to be good

There has been one incident involving missing medication. Medication has not been stored safely to prevent a child from having unsupervised access to it. Staff did not pick Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 4 it up at the earliest opportunity, due to a lack of regular medication checks. Leaders and managers fully investigated the incident and identified gaps in staff practice. New systems have been put in place to prevent this from happening in the future.

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

The home’s leadership has been inconsistent and unstable. Staff said they have not always felt supported or well led. The registered manager recently left following a period of absence. A new manager, who knows the home well, has been appointed and has applied to register.

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

Staff are provided with regular supervision sessions, which are effective and explore children’s needs and progress, as well as staff emotional well-being and development. Staff are able to discuss any concerns openly without fear of judgment.

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

There has been a lack of stability in the staff team. Some staff have left, and new staff have been appointed. Lack of management has meant that new staff have not always been provided with the support they need. There are still staff vacancies, and other staff are due to move to another home within the company. This has impacted the stability of children living in the home.

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

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. Leaders and managers discuss serious incidents with staff and provide an opportunity for reflective learning to improve staff practice. Leaders are clear about their expectations of staff. Team meetings are an opportunity to learn and develop staff practice to improve the care provided to children.

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

Leaders and managers have systems in place to review and improve the quality of care provided to children. However, reports of the quality of care are not consistently sent to the regulator. Additionally, leaders and managers do not ensure that the independent person has opportunities to talk to children and gain feedback from other professionals and family members. Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 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 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that when patterns of risk to children and gaps in staff practice are 24 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 6 identified, they use proactive approaches to help staff recognise and minimise the risks.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the home has a full staff team to provide consistent care and stability for children, as outlined in their statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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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. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the independent person is provided opportunity to receive feedback about the home from the children, their families and other professional supporting the children. 24 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2537801 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Exceptional Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Exceptional Care Limited, Malthouse Business Centre, 48 Southport Road, Ormskirk L39 1QR

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Inspector

Sarah Probert, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2537801 8 regulates and inspects 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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