Children's Home run by Prospera Group Ltd in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 1 Registered provider: Prospera Group Limited

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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. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in September 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Inspection date: 20 November 2025

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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Inspection date: 20 November 2025

Judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Inspection date: 20 November 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Poor leadership and management.  Staff lack the skills, experience and support from managers to meet the needs of children safely.  Risk assessments do not include all known risks for the child and are therefore not addressed.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the home was registered with Ofsted, one child has come to live at the home. Before the child moved in, leaders and managers completed a detailed assessment to consider whether staff had the necessary skills to care for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Previous carers and the local authority social worker were consulted and plans for the child to move in were positive, with staff ensuring that the child was provided with information about the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a risk assessment in place; however, this does not include all known risks for the child or the actions that staff need to take to ensure the child’s safety. The child is allowed unlimited access to the internet and uses gaming consoles for significant periods of time, including throughout the night. The child is at risk of exploitation and is living far away from their hometown.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has a detailed education plan. This sets out what actions staff need to take to ensure that the child is provided with educational activities, including accessing the provider’s accredited system to support and complete learning. However, the child has not completed any courses and educational activities are limited to developing independence skills, such as cooking and posting a letter. This does not provide the child with opportunities to learn and develop.

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Findings from the inspection

A behaviour support plan sets out how the child should be supported by staff if they become upset or aggressive. However, incidents have not been managed well and the police have been contacted to support staff to manage incidents. Staff lack the skills and confidence to support the child in line with the therapeutic approach of the home. The child is at risk of becoming criminalised.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not support the child to develop a healthy routine. Although the child has been out with staff ice skating, recent changes for the child have resulted in them remaining in their bedroom gaming for long periods of time. Although staff address this, the focus is on the noise level and the impact on staff. Staff have contacted the police to help them to manage this. This does not support children to feel supported or valued. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 3 Rotas in place do not accurately reflect which staff have worked at the home. It is unclear how often the manager is available to support staff. A staff member has not had the opportunity to reflect on an incident. This does not allow staff to reflect on and improve their practice or identify any additional training and support needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Having considered the serious shortfalls found at this inspection, Ofsted issued three compliance notices, under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 8 (the education standard) regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons 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 persons 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s risk assessments accurately detail current risks and are updated to reflect any changes. Risk assessments must set 11 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 5 out the specific actions for staff to take to mitigate or respond to risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that rotas include all staff working in the home at all times.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there are systems in place for consistent, effective leadership and management in the home. The registered person must ensure management presence in the home and ensure that rotas accurately reflect the time the manager spends in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are systems in place for management oversight to review practice effectively. 11 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

*The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 11 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 6 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that managers and staff advocate for children to receive education.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that children have a clear structure and routine to their day. Children must have opportunities to learn, and activities must be in place to help them prepare for returning to education or employment. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 7 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prospera Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Langholme, Longsight Road, Langho, Blackburn BB6 8AD

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Inspector

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2839296 9 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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