Children's home run by Identity Care

Inspection report for children’s home: 2825331 1 Registered provider: Identity Care

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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 owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 30 May 2025.

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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

Date of last inspection: not applicable.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2825331 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living at the home. The child spoke with the inspector and shared their experiences of living there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child knows how to make a complaint and feels confident that staff would support them if they had any concerns. They feel listened to and comfortable reporting worries. Staff take time to listen to the child, which helps build trust and supports the child to make positive changes. The child said that things have improved for them personally and that incidents are not as frequent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child informed the inspector that if they had a choice of where they could live, they would choose to stay at the home. They said they do not have preferred staff member because all of the staff are equally supportive and caring.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals have praised the staff for the good quality of care they provide. Communication about the child’s needs, and progress, is strong, ensuring consistent multi-agency support and improvement in the overall quality of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to access education, and when they have faced challenges, staff have advocated for them to have breaks or additional help. This support has enabled the child to focus on personal challenges without feeling overwhelmed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child’s independence while adhering to restrictions under the deprivation of liberty (DOL) order. Care is provided in the least restrictive way to keep the child safe. Staff follow care plans and the registered manager advocates for improvements, leading to reviews of these restrictions via regular updates of the child’s progress being provided to the local authority. These updates include specific focus on DOL restrictions and how reduction in specific restrictions may help the child make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although the home is far from the child’s family home, staff actively support regular visits with family and friends. This has helped improve family relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff actively seek and value the child’s views through consultations and one-to-one sessions. As a result, they now plan supervised activities outside the home, helping the child feel listened to and valued.

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

Risk assessments align with the local authority plans and clearly identify known risks and vulnerabilities. Staff understand the child’s needs and respond effectively to risk-taking behaviours. The child has developed positive coping strategies through the support of staff, who have helped keep them safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2825331 3 Staff help the child to understand risks and provide guidance that helps the child learn how to stay safe and look after their own well-being. The child shared that staff have helped them to develop coping strategies, which has resulted in fewer incidents of self- injury. Incidents are managed effectively. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep the child safe. All incidents are clearly documented with managerial oversight. The child receives an independent debrief and is encouraged to reflect on incidents.

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

Staff provide clear and consistent routine and boundaries for the child. This helps the child settle and understand what to expect each day, resulting in a calmer emotional state that supports their neurodiverse needs.

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

Staff follow behaviour plans and risk assessments to keep the child safe. The deprivation of liberty order is implemented in the least restrictive way and reviewed regularly to balance safety with the child’s independence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the child and the staff team well. He supports the team leaders with experience and enthusiasm, always keeping the child’s needs at the centre. By guiding the existing staff, he ensures that children receive consistent care from familiar faces and that the home runs smoothly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are recruited safely, and any issues with dates or unclear references are challenged by additional requests for information and clarification of past employment, particularly where an individual has worked with children and vulnerable adults. This ensures accurate and reliable information. In one case, a reference contained incorrect verification dates, which impacts the validity of safe recruitment checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and training, and a structured induction to build confidence. One staff member said this support helped them grow and start an additional qualification. While staff are up to date with training, the registered manager is not and must ensure that training remains up to date to maintain compliance with regulation and provide effective leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are enrolled on relevant qualifications, and the registered manager holds suitable qualifications. Staff report feeling confident in the manager’s leadership and the support provided, which promotes a well-managed home and consistent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although there have been some staff changes, the manager and staff have maintained stability for the child. The home now has a full, consistent team of staff who the child knows and trusts. This continuity has supported the child’s sense of security and emotional well-being, helping them feel settled and confident in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager challenges external agencies when decisions are not in the child’s best interests. They also contribute to reviews of legal documents and risk plans to ensure Inspection report for children’s home: 2825331 4 that restrictions are proportionate and reduced where possible. This proactive approach promotes the child’s rights, independence and overall well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: 2825331 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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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. This includes verifying references and ensuring all checks are accurately dated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that all staff are up to date with their training, specifically in relation to safeguarding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2825331 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Official Receivers Office, Seneca House, Links Point, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 2FF

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Inspector

Paul McKay-Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2825331 7 regulates and inspects 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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Inspector

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