Children's home run by Lonsdale Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2726012 1 Registered provider: Lonsdale Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to four children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted on 23 May 2023.

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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: 2726012 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2024 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2726012 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The inspector spoke with all four children as part of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place children’s well-being at the centre of their practice and consistently celebrate their achievements. Children’s day-to-day needs are well met, including the provision of routine, privacy, nutritious meals and enjoyable child-led activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child had the opportunity to go on their first holiday abroad accompanied by their sister. This experience provided a valuable opportunity for them to explore new environments and cultures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children through high-quality key-work sessions that help them understand their needs. These sessions enable children to identify and balance both emerging and existing needs, including emotional health, body positivity, sexual development and reducing the stigma around mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health needs are promoted and understood by the staff team. Staff support children in attending regular health appointments. This ensures that children’s health needs are being met and their welfare is promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Life-story books provide a clear record of each child’s journey. Children take these books with them when they leave, which helps them to recall and reflect on positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience well-planned and positive moves into and out of the home. For example, one child met with the manager before moving in to discuss changes to their care plan and their transition, ensuring that the move was sensitively approached and managed. Another child has recently successfully moved into semi-independence. The manager ensured that the child had the necessary resources to settle into their new home, including a new bed and television.

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

Children who go missing from home experience well-coordinated responses that reduce actual harm or risk of harm to them. There is a clear plan of the action staff should take to protect children and reduce further harm or the risk of harm.

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

Supervision sessions and team meetings help staff to reflect on their work and practice. This ensures that children receive consistent care.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s current and emerging risks. They take proactive and effective steps to help and protect children, and they adapt their practice when an approach is not working. Inspection report for children’s home: 2726012 4 Children receive help and support to manage their behaviours and feelings safely. Staff understand each child’s experiences and set clear, appropriate boundaries around what is safe and acceptable. They work to identify triggers for behaviour and consistently promote positive choices. Staff use effective de-escalation techniques and creative alternative strategies that are specific to each child’s needs, planning them in consultation with the child wherever possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An ambitious and knowledgeable management team leads and manages the home. The management team demonstrates a clear understanding of therapeutic approaches when supporting children with complex needs and ensures that staff implement these in their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with professionals is a key strength of the manager and staff team. Feedback from professionals is positive. One social worker said, ‘The home is one of the best I’ve worked with. It feels like a home, and I can see that the staff are happy about the relationship they build with the children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Not all staff had completed specific safeguarding training before working alone with children, which compromises the home’s ability to ensure consistently safe practice. As a result, some staff do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to recognise indicators of abuse or risk, follow safeguarding procedures confidently or maintain appropriate professional boundaries. However, the registered person took immediate action to rectify this. All staff are now trained to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The provider generally reports all significant incidents to the regulator, ensuring that effective oversight is maintained. On one occasion, leaders and managers took swift and effective action when a member of staff did not follow this procedure. However, another incident was not reported as required. The registered person has recognised this shortfall and has taken steps to ensure that this is not repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the management team and enjoy working at the home. Regular supervision sessions and team meetings provide a reflective space for staff to share their good work and reflections on their practice. Induction programmes are in place that offer a comprehensive introduction to the home for new staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2726012 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

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff have the skills to meet children’s needs, including how to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns. 25 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other 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; 25 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2726012 6 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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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: 2726012 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lonsdale Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 20 Brookhouse Road, Caton, Lancaster LA2 9QT

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Inspector

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2726012 8 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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