Children's Home run by Bliss Care and Support Services Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 2844298 1 Registered provider: Bliss Care and Support Services Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of several homes operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in September 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The inspectors spoke with the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2844298 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are building trusting relationships with the child by providing therapeutic care. There has been a reduction in incidents. The social worker said that the child told them that they feel safe. This demonstrates that the manager and staff are providing the child with consistent and effective care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to visit family members who live a significant distance from the home. The child spends time living with their family. This supports the child to maintain relationships with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand how the child communicates. The staff have introduced a ‘feelings book’. Staff encourage the child to write in this book and record how they feel. This helps them to think about their experiences in a safe environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has not attended education for a significant period. The staff endeavour to help the child experience educational activities to enhance the child’s learning. This supports the child’s continuing learning and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a relaxed atmosphere. However, the home environment requires some repair work to be completed. The registered manager does not always ensure that the maintenance of the home is actioned immediately in order to ensure the safety of the child and staff. For example, the child’s bedroom window did not have a blind or curtains. This could impact on the child’s privacy. However, the provider took immediate action to address this.

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

The child has an individual risk assessment. Staff frequently update the child’s risk assessment. This helps to ensure that staff have the most up-to-date information in relation to the child’s vulnerabilities and risks. The child’s risk assessment includes strategies for staff to follow in practice. This helps staff to reduce risks to the child.

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

Staff use rewards and consequences to help the child understand rules and boundaries. These consequences are proportionate and effective. This helps the child to understand positive behaviour.

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

There have been incidents of physical intervention. Records demonstrate that these are proportionate and necessary to keep the child and staff safe. Physical intervention records include information in line with regulation.

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

Safer recruitment processes are followed. This means that staff are recruited safely. Recruitment checks ensure that only suitable staff are employed to work with the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2844298 3 There is a clear missing-from-home procedure for the child. Staff know what to do when the child goes missing from home. However, staff do not always follow the missing-from- home plan. This could impact on staff’s safeguarding practice to keep the child safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is caring and ambitious for children. She advocates well for the child. A deputy manager supports the manager. A member of staff said, ‘Management are approachable and supportive, providing guidance and oversight to ensure high standards of care are maintained.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered and interim manager review incidents and use this to develop staff practice. The staff ensure that the language they use in children’s plans and records is child focused. This supports staff caring practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The workforce plan does not include the relevant information in line with regulation. This is in relation to staff experience and qualifications. This does not impact on the care of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and interim manager understand the strengths and areas for the development of the operation of the home. Internal and external monitoring systems are effective. This helps the registered manager continue to review the quality of care that staff provide for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The appropriateness and suitability of the review of premises assessment does not include consultation with relevant people. This is a missed opportunity for the registered manager to evaluate the suitability of the location and any impact on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One serious incident has not been reported to Ofsted. This means that the regulator does not always have sufficient oversight or scrutiny of the management of significant incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2844298 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 within the given timescales.

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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

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

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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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure children’s privacy in the home environment.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home is well maintained, and any damage or maintenance issues are identified and rectified in a timely manner. 19 March 2026

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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

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; and 19 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2844298 5 are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that, if necessary, staff follow the missing-from-home procedure.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all significant incidents are notified to Ofsted. 19 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the views of relevant people are taken into consideration when considering the appropriateness and suitability of the home’s location. 19 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2844298 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which details the qualifications and experience of staff currently working within the staffing structure. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8).

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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: 2844298 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bliss Care and Support Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bliss Recruitment, 99 Walton Vale, Liverpool L9 4SR

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Inspectors

Karen Andrews, Social Care Inspector Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2844298 8 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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