Children's home run by Lytham Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2759240 1 Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to two children who may have learning disabilities and social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there was one child living at the home. Another child has recently left the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 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

Date of last inspection: 29 October 2024

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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: 2759240 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2759240 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who currently lives at the home says that they are happy living at the home. Children make good progress from their individual starting points. Children have positive relationships with staff, who speak with affection and pride about the children and treat them with dignity and respect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a nurturing approach and listen to children. Children feel able to share how they are feeling with staff, who provide appropriate support to help them manage their anxieties. One child, for example, was able to discuss their feelings of low mood with staff, who offered lots of encouragement and sought specialist support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy spending positive time with their families and other significant people. This helps children to stay connected to the people who are important to them. Staff support children to spend time with family who live far away and put plans in place to make sure this is safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children regularly attend school. When a school placement does not meet a child’s needs, the manager challenges this appropriately. Staff work closely with children, placing authorities and the virtual school to identify alternative provisions. Staff also travel long distances with children to enable them to attend schools that meet their educational needs. The manager escalates concerns to relevant professionals when education plans negatively affect children’s educational opportunities. When children are out of education, staff are creative in engaging them in informal learning and, where appropriate, supporting them to explore employment opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met well. They attend all routine health appointments, such as at the dentist and optician. Children who are anxious or afraid about medical treatment are provided with reassurance and support to overcome their anxieties. When specialist health intervention is needed, staff take action to secure this support. Staff consistently advocate on children’s behalf and challenge delays when necessary. In relation to one child who vapes, staff use their skills and knowledge to implement agreed strategies aimed at reducing behaviours that pose a risk to the child’s health and well- being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a range of leisure activities in the local community, which helps to strengthen their sense of belonging. They also enjoy spending time relaxing in the home with staff or developing their independent living skills. Staff encourage children’s individual interests, which supports their self-esteem and confidence. Staff also help children to develop their independence in a safe and structured way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved out of the home since the last full inspection. This transition was planned and completed at the child’s pace. The child has remained in contact with staff, who are a continued source of support for them. A professional said, ‘This was one of Inspection report for children’s home: 2759240 4 the best transitions I’ve been involved with. There was a shared plan that we worked towards.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and welcoming. Children have their own personal space with all the necessary furnishings. However, repairs to damage and wear and tear are incomplete, and the gardens are bland spaces with no equipment for children to use. Additionally, communal areas of the home are not personalised to the children living there.

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

Children are generally settled and rarely go missing from home. There are clear protocols in place for staff to follow if a child does go missing. Staff are persistent in their efforts to locate children when they are missing, and children receive support from staff when they return to the home.

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

Staff understand safeguarding procedures and ensure that children’s welfare is a priority. Children know how to raise concerns and regularly share their views about their experiences of living in the home.

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

Staff understand children’s risks and have purposeful conversations with them about their safety and well-being. This is a strength of the home. Children’s plans are detailed and include clear strategies for staff to follow. Plans are regularly reviewed and updated.

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

Staff know the children well and have a good understanding of their behaviours. They are proactive in their practice, using diversion and de-escalation techniques effectively. On occasion, it has been necessary to physically hold children to ensure their safety. The manager provides oversight and challenge to ensure that staff use the least restrictive methods. Children and staff are given opportunities to reflect after incidents. However, the timing of these discussions is not always clear, and on some occasions the person completing the debrief with the child has been involved in the incident.

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

Children have positive relationships with each other. When disagreements occur, staff support them to resolve these constructively. Staff encourage positive behaviour and reward and celebrate children’s achievements. This helps to build their self-esteem and good character. When consequences are necessary, managers oversee their effectiveness and proportionality. However, consequences are not always restorative in nature, which is a missed opportunity to help children understand the impact of their behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an experienced and appropriately qualified registered manager in post. He has a clear vision of what he wants to achieve for the children and for the development of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2759240 5 The manager demonstrates a good understanding of children’s needs. He speaks warmly about the children and is proud of the progress they are making. He is a strong advocate for children when services are not meeting their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable and consistent staff team that is child focused. Team meetings are held regularly and well attended, and staff understand their value. They are used as an opportunity for staff to come together, share information about children and to discuss operational matters at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is practice related. As a result, children are cared for by staff who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are experienced, work well as a team and are proud to work at the home. One staff member praised the manager’s ethos and views of a caring home and said that he is an excellent manager. The manager leads by example and cares about staff development and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have the necessary qualifications and skills to fulfil their roles. Records demonstrate that staff training is up to date and current. All staff are qualified or working towards a relevant childcare qualification. This ensures that staff keep their skills and knowledge up to date and are competent in caring for children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has systems in place for the monitoring and oversight of the home. In addition, the wider leadership team provides support to highlight positive practice and address any shortfalls where improvements are required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that significant safeguarding incidents are reported to relevant professionals. However, not all significant incidents have been reported to Ofsted in a timely way. Inspection report for children’s home: 2759240 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that significant incidents are notified to Ofsted without delay. 14 January 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. In particular, this means completing timely repairs to damage and wear and tear. Communal areas of the home should have child-friendly items and activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that any child who has been subject to physical intervention is given the opportunity to express their feelings about their experience Inspection report for children’s home: 2759240 7 as soon as is practicable and that debriefs are carried out by a person who was not involved in the incident. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60)  The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature to help children recognise the impact of their

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Recommendations

behaviour on themselves and others. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.38)

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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: 2759240 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lytham Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 400 Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L9 9DB

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Inspectors

Samantha Cooper, Social Care Inspector Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2759240 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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