Children's home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 1 SC473475 Registered provider: New Horizons NW Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home. The inspector spoke to all children about their experiences of living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 5 November 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/11/2024 Full Good 06/02/2024 Full Good 26/04/2022 Full Good 13/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are happy living in this home. They enjoy positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff know the children exceptionally well, creating a relaxed atmosphere where children feel secure and cared for. This sense of belonging is reinforced by the home's warm, family environment, with photographs displayed throughout.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make excellent progress across all areas of their lives. Children remain living in the home on a long-term basis. This provides children with stability and enables children to feel secure and confident. Children say that they view staff as extended family. This strong sense of belonging helps them and staff to work through difficulties in a nurturing way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Feedback from social workers, families and professionals is consistently positive, with some describing the care as 'amazing'. Staff use detailed care plans and tracking tools to monitor progress and ensure that children's needs are met. Planned conversations help children to explore aspects of their lives, which are recorded well. As a result, children feel listened to and empowered to make positive choices. Sessions are rooted in research, supporting both staff and children to deepen their understanding of important topics.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are offered new experiences that reflect their interests, including hobbies, clubs and community charity work, such as fundraising for a local children's hospital. These opportunities broaden children's horizons, build their confidence and strengthen their connections beyond the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is prioritised, with staff forging strong partnerships with schools and colleges. Staff advocate for children to ensure that they access appropriate education settings. For example, one child successfully transitioned to a nearby high school, which promoted their independence. Children's attendance and achievement are consistently high. They are supported by staff who assist with homework, GCSE preparation and relationship ‑ building with teachers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children's health needs are well managed. Children are encouraged to access therapeutic and specialist services when required. Creative approaches, such as the manager bringing her therapy dog into the home, enhance wellbeing and provide opportunities for children to relax and discuss sensitive issues. These strategies help children to feel supported and develop effective ways to manage their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions are carefully planned and positive. For example, staff-maintained contact with a child who moved into semi ‑ independent living, enabling them to continue visiting and telephoning the home. Independence planning is creative, involving work experience, voluntary roles and life-skills workshops. Staff work closely with personal advisers to Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 4 prepare children for adulthood, ensuring that they leave with confidence and practical skills.

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

Children's voices are central to decision ‑ making and practice. Staff listen carefully to concerns and experiences, adapting care plans to reflect children's views. This empowers children to take ownership and strengthens their trust in those caring for them. Children consistently report that they feel safe and supported in managing their risks.

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

Safeguarding practice is strong and embedded across all aspects of care. Staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and act swiftly to identify risks. When incidents occur, staff's responses are proportionate and preventative. Since the last inspection, there has been one incident requiring physical intervention to keep a child safe; this was appropriate and clearly documented.

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

Staff engage children in sessions exploring risk awareness, online safety, peer relationships and emotional regulation. These are tailored to children's individual needs and delivered in ways that ensure children understand. Children are encouraged to reflect on experiences and develop strategies to manage risks confidently.

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

Robust monitoring systems track incidents, patterns and emerging risks. Managers use this data to adapt safeguarding strategies and strengthen protective measures. Behaviour monitoring has been particularly effective with two children, enabling staff to identify triggers and tailor interventions that reduced risky behaviour over time. This analytical approach ensures that safeguarding is proactive as well as reactive.

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

Consequences are rarely used and, when applied, are proportionate. Children are supported to understand the reasons for these if used, with detailed conversations recorded. The manager reviews these and has challenged staff, where necessary, to ensure that consequences are appropriate and aligned to the issue.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides strong, visible leadership that sets a clear tone of excellence across the home. Staff feel supported, motivated and confident, creating a professional culture where high standards are consistently maintained. The service is well organised and responsive to children's needs, with staff demonstrating commitment and pride in their work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision and annual appraisal. These are used constructively to track progress, refine practice and drive improvement. This represents clear progress since the last inspection and reflects the manager's determination to sustain professional development. Relationships within the team are respectful and supportive, contributing to a positive environment where staff wellbeing is actively promoted. Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 5 Induction arrangements are thorough and carefully overseen, ensuring that new staff are well prepared for their responsibilities. Specialist input, including training delivered by a clinical psychologist, equips staff to understand children's early experiences and respond with sensitivity. This targeted investment enhances resilience and ensures that staff are confident in meeting children's individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings are purposeful and consistently child centred. Staff receive clear safeguarding guidance and are encouraged to share research relevant to the children that they support. This reflective, evidence ‑ based practice strengthens professional confidence and embeds a culture of continuous learning, ensuring that staff remain alert to emerging risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers demonstrate persistence and determination when working with external professionals to uphold children's rights. Managers are strong advocates for children accessing education settings and specialist support that can meet their needs. This has led to positive outcomes for children’s education and attendance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers welcome external scrutiny from the independent visitor and other professionals involved in the children’s care. Regulation 44 reports from the independent person are detailed and reflective, providing valuable advice that managers use to support improvement. The manager also completes her own audits, strengthening oversight and understanding of the home. However, one quality of care review did not include staff views, demonstrating a minor oversight. Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 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 complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 5 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that the review includes staff's views.

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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: SC473475 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: New Horizons NW Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: New Horizons (N W) Ltd, Unit 17-18, Navigation Business Village, Navigation Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YP

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

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Inspector

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC473475 9 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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