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Social care · Social care monitoring visit

Children's Home run by Bluebell children’s care Ltd in Lancashire

Inspected 23 Dec 2025 · published 4 Feb 2026 · URN 2813238

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

Dawn Parton

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Group verified

    Bluebell Children’s Care Limited

  • Inspection date verified

    23 Dec 2025

  • Inspectors verified

    Dawn Parton

  • Name on report verified

    2813238

  • URN verified

    2813238

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

−71Very criticalmore positive than 8% of reports of this type

Reads more critically than most reports of this type.

Praisesafeseriouseffectiveeffectivelyclearindependent
Criticismat riskharmconcernconcernslimited

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings24w−33
  • What needs to improve527w−69

Strengths

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No standout praise found.

Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
8
Words of findings
551
about usual (typical 566)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 39, typical 46
Average sentence
19 words
Next steps
4
typical 5
Hedged sentences
0%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 2%What needs to improve 46%About the inspection 52%

Full report text

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 1 Registered provider: Bluebell Children’s Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider and offers care for 3 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were no children living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. A new manager has been appointed.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken following an inadequate judgement at the full inspection that took place on 30 September 2025. The purpose of this visit was to assess if the provider has adhered to the restriction of accommodation notice. This is the second monitoring visit undertaken since the full inspection.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The provider has operated in accordance with the restriction of accommodation notice and has not moved any new children into the home. At the time of this visit, no children were living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last monitoring visit, leaders have continued to focus on training for staff to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to care for children who come to live in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

All staff have completed face-to-face training to reinforce the home’s model of practice. This external learning is complemented by regular in-house group and individual training sessions that use scenario-based exercises to deepen understanding. Recent training has included work on responding to children who go missing from home and those who may be at risk of exploitation.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have ensured that staff receive ongoing training to strengthen their awareness of risk and their responsibilities in safeguarding the children in their care. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 2 All staff receive supervision, which is now taking place monthly. This supports staff to care for children safely and to be able to understand their needs.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have put in place systems to strengthen management oversight of children’s care records through improvements in the home’s electronic recording system.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Previous requirements were not considered at this visit and will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/09/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 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 within 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

In particular, ensure that children’s individual risk management plans provide staff with clear strategies to manage and reduce risk, particularly around children going missing and those at risk of exploitation.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk management plans also take into consideration other relevant safety plans provided by external agencies to manage and mitigate risk. 10 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 5 This also relates to managers and staff following safeguarding procedures.

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.

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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)(vi)(vii)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must advocate on behalf of children who are not in full-time education, by challenging and escalating concerns with the placing authority and virtual school.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that when children are not in education, there is clear structure and routine in place at the home to support independent study. 10 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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 the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 10 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 6 the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. Regulation 32 (1)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

p.6

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.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bluebell Children’s Care Limited

p.7

Inspector

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2813238 8 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.7

Inspector

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.8

Inspector

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Inspector

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

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