Children's Home run by Embrace Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 1 Registered provider: Embrace Care 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 owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in June 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in the home. The provider’s therapeutic lead is managing the home on an interim basis. She is an experienced registered manager.

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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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This monitoring visit

Ofsted judged this home as inadequate at the full inspection on 30 and 31 July 2025. Inspectors identified serious concerns in relation to the care and protection of children. Two compliance notices were served, under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress and actions taken by the provider to meet the two compliance notices. The inspectors found that the provider has acted to meet the steps in both compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have reviewed and updated children’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans. Risk assessments are reflective of children’s vulnerabilities and provide clear strategies for staff to follow. The acting manager led a workshop for all core staff which provided clear guidance on how to respond to incidents and support children’s individual behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Supervision sessions have enabled leaders and managers to review staff’s learning and knowledge, using case scenarios and discussions. As a result, they are confident Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 2 that staff are familiar with the plans in place and understand the risks faced by the children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have reviewed the company safeguarding and whistle-blowing policies to ensure that these are fit for purpose. Step-by-step flowcharts have been created for the updated policies, which have been shared with the staff team. These flowcharts are accessible to staff to use when required to ensure that there is consistency in response to incidents.

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This monitoring visit

Effective monitoring and review systems are in place. Leader and managers’ oversight has improved, and regular audits ensure that identified shortfalls are addressed in a timely manner. Leaders and managers have reviewed serious incidents and have identified areas for development in the staff team. The senior leadership team now meets on a weekly basis to review progress in the home and identify any further areas for learning.

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This monitoring visit

There are vacancies in the staff team and recruitment is ongoing. The provider has used staff from their other homes to cover any staffing shortfalls. The acting manager has worked hard to ensure that staff are known to the children, to provide consistency.

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This monitoring visit

Incidents of bullying have reduced significantly since the last inspection after one child left the home. The acting manager has completed an analysis of bullying incidents, with ongoing direct work for children being completed to educate them further in this area.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has developed good working relationships with children’s local authority social workers. She has requested all relevant care planning documents for children, which have been received. Improvements have been made to the home environment, including in overall maintenance and children’s access to laundry facilities. However, the issue regarding driveway access to the home has not been fully resolved, therefore the previous requirement under regulation 6 has not been met and is restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/07/2025 Full Inadequate 20/08/2024 Full Good 17/04/2024 Full Inadequate 06/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i)(ii)) 30 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 30 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 5 understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(vi)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the driveway to the home should be repaved to ensure safe access.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 116 Duke Street, Liverpool L1 5JW

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Inspector

Carrie Mayes, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 7 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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