Children's Home run by Holywell Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 1 Registered provider: Holywell Children’s Services 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 owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to 2 children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 15 March 2024.

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This monitoring visit

Serious and widespread concerns were identified at the last assurance inspection. A case review was held on 5 November 2025, where a decision was made for Ofsted to issue a restriction of accommodation notice to prevent any further children from moving into the home. This monitoring visit was undertaken to assess the progress made on the shortfalls identified at the assurance inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The child who previously lived at the home was removed by the placing authority due to concerns about the quality of care provided. There are no children currently living at the home. The provider has adhered to the restriction of accommodation notice.

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This monitoring visit

The home is currently under renovation and is not suitable for children to move in.

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This monitoring visit

A fire risk assessment was completed by a competent professional on 29 September 2025. The manager has made progress on the recommendations in the assessment, although some remain outstanding. The remaining tasks are scheduled for completion.

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This monitoring visit

A permanent manager has been appointed and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted. The manager’s supervisor is the proposed responsible individual. The provider has not yet formally changed the responsible individual, and therefore, their suitability for the role has not been assessed by the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 2 The proposed responsible individual has undertaken supervision with the manager. The supervision record is detailed and covers all key areas of the running of the home. However, the actions identified at the previous supervision session were not considered, meaning development tasks and targets are not met.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual and manager have strengthened the admissions policy and procedures. The revised policy is comprehensive and provides clear guidance for the manager to follow. When implemented effectively, the policy will ensure that the manager receives all relevant information about a child before they move into the home and will support informed decisions about the suitability of the placement.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has a detailed plan to address shortfalls in promoting children’s health and wellbeing. However, the progress made against this plan is limited. Staff have not amended the former child’s health plan to include the action required to promote their physical health and a healthy lifestyle. In addition, staff have not received any further training on children’s health or how best to support this area of need.

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This monitoring visit

There is a sufficient number of permanent staff working at the home to provide care for one child. Since the last inspection, staff from another home within the organisation have been used to cover staff absence. The manager mitigated the impact of this on the former child by ensuring that the same staff, who were already known to the child, were used. This approach supported continuity of care and maintained positive relationships.

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This monitoring visit

Some staff are significantly over the timescale to achieve their residential childcare qualification. The manager has not implemented a structured support plan to assist them, although time has been allocated during shifts for staff to complete the required work. The manager does not have a clear understanding of staff’s progress and has not set targets or timescales to ensure compliance.

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This monitoring visit

The child who previously lived at the home made an allegation against staff. The investigation has not yet concluded. However, the manager ensured that immediate action was taken to ensure the safety of the child. The manager has also taken learning from the process and shared this with staff to strengthen practice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/04/2025 Full Good 05/03/2025 Full Inadequate 15/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 4 Th

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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 with 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that relevant risk assessments are carried out in a timely manner by competent professionals. They must also ensure that the recommendations of these assessments are carried out promptly. 26 January 2026

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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; and 26 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 5 ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is continuity in the leadership and care provided to the children.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all relevant information required to make informed decisions about new admissions is sought in a timely way. Robust assessments must be completed before a child moves in to determine if their needs can be met. The needs and compatibility of children already living in the home must also be carefully considered. Children whose needs cannot be met alongside the children who already live at the home must not be admitted.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 26 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; 26 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 6 use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s bedrooms are clean and tidy and broken items are repaired in a timely manner. The child should be encouraged to personalise their space.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are supported to have healthy lifestyles and diets and that emerging health needs are responded to promptly by staff. 26 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. 26 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 7 If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 26 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 26 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 8 undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the manager receives regular supervision.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children with home study by encouraging them to learn independent study skills and helping them to practise those skills. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should ensure that each Regulation 45 review focuses on the specific circumstances of the home at that time, including any areas of high risk for the children it cares for. The review should identify strengths and areas for improvement, and the written report must clearly set out actions for the next 6 months and how these will be addressed. The review process and resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Holywell Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Dalton House, 9 Dalton Square, Lancaster LA1 1WD

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Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2663221 10 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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