Children's home run by Therapeutic Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 1 Registered provider: Therapeutic 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 home is operated by a private provider and provides care for up to two children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2024 Full Good 18/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children spoke to the inspector during the visit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved into the home since the last inspection. The manager thoughtfully considered the child’s needs against the skill set and experiences of the team members to ensure that they could provide the right support. This child-focused approach has helped the child to settle into the home and feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An older child is preparing to leave the home in line with their care plan of independence. The manager is working closely with partner agencies to ensure that they move at the right time and to somewhere in the child’s best interests. This process is being managed sensitively and with a strong focus on the child’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a warm and comfortable environment, and children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. However, instances of children writing on walls have not been addressed promptly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood. They receive support from a range of specialist services when required. The manager seeks secondary medical opinions when necessary, ensuring that children’s health needs are fully met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children have been out of education, staff provide consistent support to help them re-engage. The manager and staff challenge decisions when necessary to secure educational placements that are well matched to each child’s needs. As a result, one child has successfully returned to school full time. Staff have successfully supported one child to secure employment opportunities that align with their interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely and have good communication with children’s families and other important people in their lives. This helps children to maintain important connections and strengthens the children’s sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to express themselves and are very much involved in the day-to- day decisions. Children feel valued and listened to. One child’s wish to have a pet was listened to and supported by staff. This helps children to build independence skills and learn responsibility.

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

Children’s safety and well-being are at the heart of staff practice. The staff have built trusting relationships with children and have regular discussions about important issues such as staying safe, managing relationships and emotional well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 4 Staff promote stability for children, which is underpinned by a clear understanding of children’s needs and vulnerabilities. Staff practice is further guided by effective risk management plans, which also incorporate the views of children, reflecting what they feel they need to keep safe and supported.

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

There are detailed missing-from-home-protocols in place, which guide staff practice when children go missing from home. However, there was one occasion when a child stayed out overnight, and staff did not check to confirm the child’s safe arrival. This limited staff’s ability to ensure the child’s safety.

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

Staff respond appropriately when there is an incident of self-harm. Children are provided with immediate first aid or alternative medical attention if required. Staff take time to understand children’s feelings, fostering a supportive environment. This supports children to develop healthier ways to communicate and promotes emotional safety. In addition, children are supported to access specialist therapeutic support. This has led to a reduction in the frequency and severity of incidents.

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

When an allegation was raised about a staff member’s conduct, the manager took appropriate steps to investigate the concerns. However, they did not consult with the local authority designated officer to ensure full transparency.

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

Staff recruitment is done safely to ensure that only suitable individuals work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced, ambitious and child focused. She sets high expectations and models good practice. As a result, children experience consistent care and support, which is contributing to improved outcomes for children. One member of staff said, ‘She [the manager] leads by example: calm, professional and always putting the children first.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team benefits from a comprehensive training and induction programme, which supports their ongoing development. The manager is committed to ensuring that staff also have access to tailored training in line with children’s emerging needs. This enhances staff’s ability to respond with confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions, which are reflective. This allows staff to consolidate their knowledge, discuss challenges and identify further learning opportunities. Staff appraisals take place yearly, which are enriched with feedback from children and their experiences. This approach contributes to positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and provide a forum for open communication and further opportunities for reflection and learning. The contribution of the organisation’s Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 5 therapist in these meetings enhances the staff’s ability to understand and respond to children’s needs in a trauma-informed way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective oversight of the care provided through several different quality-assurance processes. This ensures that staff practice is consistently monitored, and areas for development are identified and swiftly addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 6

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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

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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff understand their responsibilities when children are away from the home overnight. This includes making efforts to locate and see the children and working closely with other professionals.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that managers and staff follow safeguarding procedures in response to allegations. 31 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any damage to the home environment, such as when a child writes on bedroom walls, is addressed promptly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have 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: 2739063 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Therapeutic Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Errigal House, Avroe Crescent, Blackpool FY4 2DP

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Inspector

Shauna Morley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2739063 9 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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