Children's home run by Adored Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 1 Registered provider: Adored Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this children’s home. The home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager post is vacant as of 3 September 2025. There is a new manager who intends to apply to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected, or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children have been admitted to the home without staff receiving essential information, leaving them unprepared to meet children’s individual needs. The interim manager was not involved in the admissions process, resulting in unsafe oversight from the outset.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Inconsistent staffing and varied responses to incidents limit the progress being made by children. Staff gather children’s views, but these are not always acted on. Despite this, children report feeling happy living at the home and have formed positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not have a sufficient understanding of children’s needs, which contributes to their upset dysregulation. As staff are learning in a reactive way, children can feel misunderstood and unsupported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s care plans are not consistently followed, which has resulted in children having unsupervised contact with family members that does not align with their agreed plans. However, staff do support children to maintain positive relationships with their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are not routinely attending education. Although staff provide learning resources in the home, these are not used consistently. There are no clear or effective plans in place to support children to re-engage with education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not consistently encourage and support children’s independence or individual interests, which does not support children to develop their confidence and self-esteem. In addition, staff’s responses to independent activities, such as travelling alone, are not planned or risk assessed, leaving children vulnerable to potentially harmful situations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Although the communal areas of the home are nicely presented, children’s bedrooms do not provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Although the bedrooms are personalised, they were observed to be untidy and filled with unhealthy snacks, indicating limited staff oversight of children’s diets and general environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not provide consistently personalised care. Children’s plans lack sufficient detail, and staffing pressures result in inconsistent routines. In addition, children receive excessive rewards, mainly in the form of unhealthy snacks that are not supportive of their healthy development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children attend routine health appointments. However, staff are unable to fully meet children’s wider health needs. Although staff continue to encourage one child who repeatedly refuses medical appointments, there is no clear strategy in place to overcome these barriers. Furthermore, staff have not completed the specialist training required to meet children’s more complex health needs, leaving gaps in safe and effective health oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 3 Serious and widespread shortfalls compromise children’s safety, fail to promote their welfare and significantly limit their progress.

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

Staff do not have a sufficient understanding of children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. Children’s plans do not provide effective guidance to inform staff practice. Risk assessments are not routinely reviewed or updated following incidents, limiting opportunities for learning and preventing a reduction in safeguarding concerns.

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

Staff delay notifying external agencies about significant events because they are unclear about thresholds and reporting procedures. Leaders do not routinely debrief children or staff after incidents, and managers fail to identify some safeguarding issues, further compromising children’s safety, effective oversight and learning.

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

Staff do not help children to understand their behaviours or experiences, limiting opportunities for reflection and learning. Direct work lacks focus and purpose and does not address each child’s specific risks or needs.

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

Staff do not consistently explore allegations or involve key professionals, leaving children without timely protection or the support they need.

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

Although staff are trained in the use of physical intervention, they do not always recognise when a physical intervention has occurred or record it accurately. One incident was not recorded at all, and staff do not fully understand the required procedures or how to support children after such incidents.

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

Staff do not follow missing-from-home procedures. Their responses demonstrate limited curiosity, delayed action and inconsistent interpretation of guidance. Return home interviews are not consistently carried out, and plans for children who go missing are ineffective in reducing further episodes.

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

Staff do not apply boundaries consistently, resulting in inconsistent care for children and contributing to division and uncertainty within the staff team.

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

Children say that they feel safe at the home and are able to approach staff when they are worried. Staff respond to children’s immediate needs. However, a lack of consistent preventative work means that children do not always receive the right level of support to address their underlying issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The interim manager has not been given the support needed to carry out their role effectively. As a result, there are weaknesses in management oversight and gaps in the identification and addressing of poor practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 4 The manager knows the children well and speaks positively about them. However, they do not challenge partner agencies effectively, resulting in children’s individual needs not being fully understood or met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staffing levels are insufficient to meet children’s needs safely, particularly during incidents when higher levels of support are required. The frequent reliance on agency staff prevents children from receiving consistent care from a stable and familiar staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff complete the provider’s identified mandatory training. However, they have not undertaken learning that relates specifically to the needs of the children they care for. These gaps in specialist training limit staff’s ability to respond effectively to known risks, particularly those associated with children’s health needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Quality of care reports do not yet reflect children’s lived experiences. Before accepting new placements, the manager did not use staff feedback or an action plan to drive necessary improvements. There are no clear development plans for the home or staff, which limits the ability to strengthen the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive regular, reflective supervision to support their development or improve practice. Team meetings focus on sharing information rather than driving learning or strengthening the quality of care and staff practice. Recruitment is unsafe, as essential checks are not completed before staff begin working at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 5

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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 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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s individual risk management plans provide staff with clear strategies to manage and reduce risk.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that managers and staff follow safeguarding procedures in response to allegations and disclosures. 6 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 6 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 6 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that leaders and managers review the effectiveness of any physical interventions used, that staff have a clear understanding of what constitutes a physical intervention and record all such incidents in a timely and accurate way.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(a)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that incidents are evaluated with scrutiny, taking into consideration any possible learning outcomes that can be implemented within children’s risk management plans and to support the development of staff. 30 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 30 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 7 that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they have an up-to-date care plan from the placing authority for each child in their care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children’s care plans include information about children’s education targets and achievements, including their overall progress and achievements.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are supported to contribute to their individual care plans.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any admission to the home is planned and considers the individual needs of the child and staff’s ability to meet their needs.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements

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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;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all safer recruitment checks to assess the suitability of staff are completed prior to commencing work at the home. 27 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 8 *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

Specifically, ensuring that the home’s therapeutic care plan’s strategies are embedded within the home’s placement plan. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home environment is homely, clean and well maintained and that any damage is repaired promptly.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the care provided to children is personalised and that staff have clear care plans that accurately reflect each child’s individual needs. 30 March 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

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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non- attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii)(viii)) 30 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 9 The registered person must advocate on behalf of children who are not in full-time education by challenging and escalating concerns with the placing authority and relevant education professionals. Furthermore, children must be supported to attend school regularly.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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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

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that appropriate referrals to relevant health professionals are made on behalf of children. They should also ensure that staff understand each child’s health needs and are provided with specialist training to help them meet these needs.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that staff promote healthy lifestyles for children that are enforced through clear and consistent boundaries. 30 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2830806 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Adored Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Princess Hotel, 18-20 Alexandra Road, Blackpool FY1 6BU

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Inspectors

Paul McKay-Smith, Social Care Inspector Samantha Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2830806 11 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

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

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