Children's home run by Lancashire County Council in Preston

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 1 SC035439 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This children’s home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to three children who may have emotional and social difficulties. At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This home was judged as having serious and widespread concerns at the assurance inspection on 12 November 2025. Shortfalls were identified in the arrangements to safeguard children and the effectiveness of the leadership and management. Two compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The compliance notices were in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review whether leaders and managers have taken sufficient action to meet the steps required in the compliance notices.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Risk management plans have been updated following incidents and emerging concerns. These plans include clear steps for staff to follow. Staff were able to describe these plans confidently. Handovers between staff and team meetings now include short learning sessions to reinforce understanding. These improvements show a commitment to improving practice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Decisions about children living together have been reviewed and strategies have been introduced to reduce risks. Staff are aware of these measures and plans are in place to increase children’s safety. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 2 Staff spoke positively about their understanding of children’s vulnerabilities and the steps they need to take to keep them safe. Staff are engaging in learning to build confidence in managing safeguarding scenarios.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Management oversight of incidents has improved, with evidence of analysis and learning being shared with staff. This is helping to strengthen practice and reduce repeat concerns.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff training has improved, with most staff completing safeguarding and child sexual exploitation training. Leaders recognise that further training is needed in areas such as substance misuse and plans are in place to address these gaps. Staff expressed confidence that these developments will help them respond more effectively to risks.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The staff team is now more stable, with permanent staff and deputy managers providing greater consistency for children. Leaders have worked hard to reduce reliance on agency staff and this progress is helping to create a more settled environment. Continued focus on staff development will further strengthen the quality of care.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Detailed risk assessment and analysis are in place; balanced decisions have been made about children’s individual risk associated with their access to mobile phones.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A case review on 12 December 2025 determined that the steps outlined in compliance notices issued under Regulation 12 and regulation 13 have been met.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Requirements made under regulations 8, 14, 21 and 37 were not considered as part of this visit. They will be considered at the home’s next full inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/05/2025 Full Inadequate 23/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/06/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 4

p.3

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.

p.4

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—

p.4

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.4

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)(a)(d)(e)(h))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that that staff must complete the training that equips them to care for the children individual needs effectively. 12 January 2026

p.4

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

Requirement Due date

that staff— 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 5 help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.5

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement;

p.5

Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child's education or training provider and the child's placing authority;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

p.5

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)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(ix)(x))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must advocate on behalf of children who are not in an appropriate educational placement, by challenging and escalating concerns with the placing authority and virtual school.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that when children are not in receipt of education, they are provided with suitable, structured activities to help them to sustain or regain their confidence.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 6 that each child's relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have structured plans and routines each day.

p.6

Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children's home's premises;

p.6

Requirement Due date

and any limitation placed on a child's privacy or access to any area of the home's premises—

p.6

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate;

p.6

Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that locks on internal doors are removed. 12 January 2026

p.6

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children's home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the home's rotas contain a record of actual hours worked and contain staff full names. 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 7

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and ensure that staff communicate with one another all important information relating to children living in the home. This includes the effective use of handover time when staff are starting and ending shift. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure staff consistently follow the homes policies and procedures and that everyone working in the home must understand their roles and responsibilities including adhering to professional boundaries for the benefit of the children living in the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 54, paragraph 10.20) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 8

p.7

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.

p.8

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 9

p.8

Children's home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

p.9

Children's home details

Registered provider address: Lancashire County Council, PO Box 100, Preston PR1 0LD

p.9

Inspectors

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC035439 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10