Children's home run by Waters Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2847614 1 Registered provider: Waters Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in September 2025 and is owned and operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2025.

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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: 2847614 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child spoke with the inspector, and another child provided written feedback.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled, have good relationships with staff and make steady progress. Children say they are happy living at the home. They report feeling cared for by staff who they can talk to without judgement. These positive relationships provide children with a sense of security and a trusted adult who they can approach if they have any concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals say they are pleased with the care that children receive. They state that children are engaging well with staff and making good progress. Staff are strong advocates for children and ensure that their voices are heard and respected in all aspects of their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have aspirations for their future. Staff encourage children to nurture and develop their interests and talents. This provides children with confidence and helps build their self-esteem so they can achieve their goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is modern and well maintained. Children are proud of their home and have been involved in decorating and personalising their bedrooms. Children’s artwork and certificates of achievements are displayed around the home. This helps promote children’s sense of stability and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s educational experiences are varied. One of the children attends school regularly, and the other child is not in education. Staff provide inconsistent learning opportunities at home for the child who does not attend school, and daily routines are not established. The registered manager has challenged the lack of education with external professionals. She has identified an education provision for the child, and staff are assisting the child in preparing for a positive return to education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not always use child-centred language when talking or writing about children. The language used by staff is institutionalised, which feels impersonal and may affect children’s sense of identity.

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

Children say they feel safe at the home. They are cared for by a consistent team of staff who know them well. Children can talk to staff about their lived experiences, which helps promote their sense of safety.

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

Incidents for one child have reduced with support from staff. Staff have helped the child plan how to safely spend time with friends in the community, which reduces the chance Inspection report for children’s home: 2847614 3 of them going missing. This collaborative approach encourages children to be actively involved in decisions about their care.

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

Staff engage children in regular discussions on topics relevant to their individual needs. This helps children develop awareness and understanding about risks and how to stay safe.

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

The management of incidents is inconsistent. Staff do not always seek medical advice or carry out bedroom checks when children have harmed themselves or misused substances. The registered manager is addressing this. The staff are being supported to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to respond to incidents effectively and keep children safe.

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

Staff work well with other agencies to prevent children from going missing and support their safe return home. When children go missing, staff ensure that they remain in contact with the child and encourage them to return home. However, staff do not consistently follow the actions detailed in the risk management plans. For example, staff do not actively search for children outside the immediate area despite this being a potential risk for one child. This increases the risk to the child and delays safeguarding responses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced registered manager and deputy manager. They are a strong presence at the home and are actively involved in children’s lives. They know the children well and have developed positive relationships with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has effective oversight of incidents and has a clear understanding of all aspects of the home. The registered manager addresses shortfalls in staff practice during supervision sessions and team meetings. These sessions are also used to keep staff up to date, share learning, and reflect on children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is well attended by staff and covers topics relevant to children’s needs. This ensures that children are cared for by suitably skilled staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable staff team in place, which provides consistency for children. Staff say they feel well supported in their roles and speak positively about the support they receive from managers. Staff have a broad range of experience, and the registered manager supports them in continuing to develop their skills. Inspection report for children’s home: 2847614 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 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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to keep children safe and that processes are in place to provide staff clarity on how to safeguard children, particularly in relation to incidents of self- harm and substance misuse. 27 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2847614 5 Additionally, the registered person must ensure that staff are proactive and consistent in their responses when children are missing from home.

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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

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

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(iv) (3)(b)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children have appropriate routines that promote their wellbeing. Additionally, approaches to promoting healthy routines must be consistent across the staff team. 27 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2847614 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the language used in the home is non stigmatising and not used in any way to make children appear different from their peers. The home’s environment and approach to care should fully reflect this principle. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.13)

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2847614 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Waters Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 414 to 416 Blackpool Road, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2DX

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Inspector

Danielle Allen, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2847614 8 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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