Darwen House

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 1 Darwen House Registered provider: Inspiracare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service is operated by a private provider. The provider can accommodate up to 13 children across two properties that are limited to accommodating looked-after children or care leavers. The provider operates in north-west England.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, the service provided supported accommodation for two children.

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provider

The provider registered in February 2024. The same individual performs the duties of both the registered service manager and the nominated individual. They have been in post since registration.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was arranged to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Poor decision-making by leaders and managers has resulted in the admission of children who are outside the scope of suitability for supported accommodation. This means that children’s level of vulnerability is consistently too high for supported accommodation and requires increased levels of staff supervision and support.

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This monitoring visit

Managers fail to adequately assess the suitability of children living together in a shared property. This has resulted in a deterioration of behaviour for current residents and puts them at risk of harm. It has also been necessary for children to move again to a more appropriate setting after a very short period. This negatively affects children’s ability to settle and trust those around them in the future. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 2 Staff struggle to locate meaningful, up-to-date support plans and risk management plans for children. Consequently, children do not benefit from an agreed approach that would ensure that staff respond in a consistent and effective manner.

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This monitoring visit

Staff recruitment processes are weak. Managers are not alert to indicators that would give rise to concern regarding an individual’s integrity. Managers do not always seek a reference from an individual’s last employer and have accepted references passed directly to them by the applicant. Furthermore, there has been a failure to explore discrepancies with dates of employment given by the applicant and those provided by the referee. Thus, resulting in potential gaps in employment. These failures compromise the effectiveness of the recruitment process.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are often inexperienced at working with children in a residential setting at the time of appointment. Staff complete a range of core training modules via an online training platform. However, the staff training matrix, designed to help managers monitor completed training, was out of date. The staff list on this matrix was also considerably different to the current staffing list for the service. Consequently, it is difficult to tell if staff have had the training they require to best support children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers fail to address fire safety, as well as health and safety issues in the property visited. Two fire exits were inaccessible without access to a key, potentially preventing evacuation in the event of an emergency. Routine maintenance issues, such as food splatters on walls and ceilings, also remained unaddressed and the fridge in one child’s bedroom contained a quantity of mould. These matters detract from a homely environment, where children want to live.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to notify Ofsted following serious incidents. There have been several incidents, including incidents of police involvement and fire setting on the premises, that the provider has not considered serious enough to warrant a notification. This limits Ofsted’s ability to ensure that the provider has taken the necessary actions to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Some essential information for children is not easy to access. The provider’s register of children who have been accommodated does not include all the required information. This means that crucial information is not available or is difficult to locate. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 3

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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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including 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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills appropriate for the work that they are to perform;

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Requirement Due date

implement recruitment practices that ensure staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(c)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they only accommodate children whose needs and risks can be met in supported accommodation, and consider the impact of accommodating a child on the children already resident. 24 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

*The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met. 24 November 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies, and share information where relevant to keep children safe;

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Requirement Due date

understand the relevant roles and responsibilities assigned to them by the registered person in relation to protecting children. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(f)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is a risk management plan for each child that outlines the most-appropriate strategy to manage each risk, and ensure that staff and children can evacuate the premises easily in the event of a fire.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any 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 or child criminal exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the supported accommodation undertaking or a person working for it;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is an incident involving the use of a measure of restraint of a child; 24 November 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 5 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all serious incidents are notified to Ofsted without delay.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep records of other information relating to the supported accommodation undertaking set out in Schedule 3.

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Requirement Due date

maintain the records in Schedule 3, which may be kept in electronic form; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are accessible to children, the CIECSS and each accommodating authority. (Regulation 25 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, maintain a full register of all children who have resided in the supported accommodation provision. 24 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff are aware of the child’s support plan and that their needs are being met through the support package being provided. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 35) Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 6

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to follow up information received by Ofsted and/or to ensure that the supported accommodation provider was complying with regulation.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Inspiracare Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Shikar Aktar

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Inspectors

Steve James, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Darwen House 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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