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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 1 Registered provider: Holywell Children’s Services Limited

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider and offers care for one child with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

No children were living at the home at the time of this monitoring visit.

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 September 2025. Ofsted took action under section 20B of the Care Standards Act 2000 and issued a notice suspending the registration to carry on the children’s home. Seven requirements were also raised at the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to monitor the progress made by the provider and to ensure that the provider was adhering to the suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, staff have been deployed to other homes within the organisation. The home is currently being refurbished and redecorated.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have held meetings with the staff to reflect on the findings of the last inspection. Staff reflected on the lessons learned and considered how they can improve the quality of care provided to children. Managers are in the process of strengthening documents and systems to support staff in their work. Training for staff on these new systems is ongoing.

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This monitoring visit

Although staff have received training in record-keeping, recording and reporting, missing-from-home awareness, substance misuse awareness and risk assessment training, some training is still outstanding, including behaviour management and communication strategies. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 2 Leaders and managers are addressing the shortfalls and are working in line with their action plan. While work is ongoing, these changes will require time to embed. All of the requirements raised at the last inspection are restated and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/09/2025 Full Inadequate 01/07/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 4

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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

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

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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that managers and staff understand and act on risks to children’s welfare and safety promptly and effectively. This includes staff understanding their roles and responsibilities, following risk assessments, and adopting a consistent approach. 16 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— 16 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 5 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

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager having oversight of the care being provided in the home and using monitoring systems to take swift and effective action where there are shortfalls in the care of children. In addition, leaders and managers must ensure that all local authority documentation for children living in the home is obtained.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(i)(ii)) 16 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 6 Specifically, that leaders and managers ensure that the staff provide care to children in line with their plans and that the home environment is decorated, furnished, and maintained to a good standard and that any damage to the home is repaired promptly.

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 16 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(b)) 16 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 7 This specifically relates to staff supporting the child to be able to self-manage conflict before it escalates.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all local authority documentation is on file. 16 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—

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to children in the home being engaged in education, training, or employment. 16 January 2026

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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: 2763683 8

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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

Dave Carrigan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2763683 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 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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