Children's home run by A-Triangle Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2712048 1 Registered provider: A-Triangle 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 is a privately owned home that provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 12 November 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2712048 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/11/2024 Full Outstanding 23/01/2024 Full Good 01/08/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2712048 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to build positive relationships with staff. Staff know children well and treat them with dignity and respect. Staff spoken with during the inspection spoke fondly and with pride about the children they support. One child said, ‘I like living here; the staff are great and make me feel protected.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have their voices heard through individual support sessions, and staff advocate for children’s best interests. Children said that if they have any worries or concerns, they can speak to staff, who will listen and help.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been challenges for children attending their education and having access to suitable education providers. The manager and staff have worked with children, their placing authorities and the virtual school to support them to enrol at college. There have also been difficulties in obtaining children’s up-to-date education, health and care plans (EHC plan), which has delayed their enrolment in college. The manager has suitably challenged this with the relevant professionals to ensure that children’s educational needs can be met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to gain life skills to develop their independence and prepare them for adulthood. Positive behaviours are encouraged, and achievements are rewarded and celebrated to support and encourage children to develop good character.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend routine health appointments. When children are new to the home, they are supported to register with local health providers. Staff encourage children to lead healthy lifestyles. However, they have missed opportunities to support children to understand safe sexual health and to learn about the risks of cannabis use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to be involved in activities which promote their physical health, such as football, basketball and going to the gym. Children are encouraged to take part in activities and be involved in the local community. Staff also respect that, due to their ages, children often choose to spend time with their friends in the local area and in the online community.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no safeguarding concerns or allegations. When children have worries about things that have happened in their past, staff listen to them and take supportive action to ensure that these concerns are reported to the relevant professionals. Children’s welfare is a priority throughout.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s support plans are detailed documents and include clear guidance and strategies for staff to provide consistent care for children. The plans are reviewed and updated regularly. Inspection report for children’s home: 2712048 4 It is rare that children go missing from the home. When this does happen, staff take action to remain in contact with them and to search for them. However, staff do not follow the protocol detailed in children’s plans and do not report them missing to the police. This reduces the opportunity to locate children and to involve the relevant external professionals. This shortfall was identified by the manager and addressed with the staff involved.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When children cause harm to themselves, they feel able to speak to staff about this. Staff provide first aid and ensure that they are supported emotionally.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When children are new to the home, assessments are completed prior to them moving into the home. These assessments factor in all relevant and necessary information about the child and the staff’s ability to meet their needs. Staff support children to move into the home as sensitively as possible, taking into consideration their individual circumstances. One child, who is new to the home, said, ‘Staff made me feel welcome and have helped me to settle in quickly.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change of manager. This was managed in a planned and sensitive way to ensure that it did not impact children. The registered manager is supported by an experienced team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has systems in place for the monitoring and oversight of the home. He uses these systems effectively in order to highlight positive practice, address any shortfalls and drive improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and consistent team of staff. This means that children are cared for by staff who know them well. Staff enjoy working at the home and say that they feel valued and supported. The staff team is all male and children would benefit from female staff to support them to build relationships with people of a different gender.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed a wide range of training to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to meet children’s individual needs. However, some staff have not completed the required qualification within time frames.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have their performance appraised annually. Supervision sessions take place regularly. However, these do not always focus on staff practice or on how their practice has an impact on children. Records do not always provide sufficient details of the supervision sessions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend regular team meetings. These are an opportunity for the team to share information and updates about the children and to discuss any concerns or issues which may arise. Inspection report for children’s home: 2712048 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff understand the processes to follow when children are missing from the home. 24 October 2025

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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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are supported to understand safe sexual health and to learn about the risks of cannabis use. 24 October 2025

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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)) 24 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2712048 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, whenever possible, staff in day-to-day contact with children should include staff from the different gender groups to support children to build relationships with people of a different gender. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)  The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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: 2712048 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A-Triangle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Crescent East, Hardhorn Road, Thornton/Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3LJ

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Inspector

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2712048 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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