Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 1 SC039683 Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a local authority and is registered to provide care for up to 6 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 4 children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 7 and 8 October 2025. Shortfalls were identified in the arrangements to safeguard children and the effectiveness of the management arrangements of the home. 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. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 2 At the monitoring visit on 11 November 2025, it was determined that the steps outlined in compliance notices issued under Regulation 12 have been met. A compliance notice issued under Regulation 13 was reissued in relation to the lack of continuity of care that children are experiencing. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/10/2025 Full Inadequate 06/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/12/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 4

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improvement to be good

Two children have moved out of the home since the last inspection. The children who are now living at the home are more compatible with each other. This has contributed to a calmer and more settled atmosphere. This improved compatibility has helped reduce conflict and has supported more positive interactions between the children.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that appropriate educational arrangements are in place for each child. Attendance is not yet consistent for all children, and some children continue to require support and encouragement to participate in educational activities.

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improvement to be good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their individual identities, which helps them feel comfortable and settled. Some children have lived at the home for a long time; staff know them well and respond to their needs with insight and care. Children say that they feel safe.

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improvement to be good

There has been an increase in the amount of individual time that staff spend with children, providing them with more structured opportunities to reflect on their progress, experiences and future goals.

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improvement to be good

When children move out of the home, staff support them to retain the relationships they have with staff and other children where this is appropriate. Where possible, children make choices about how they say goodbye to staff and other children.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practice is not yet consistent. Most incidences of children going missing from home are responded to appropriately, staff follow children and search for them in areas they are known to frequent. However, on one occasion, a child was missing for several hours without staff being aware that they had left the home. A fact-finding exercise was completed following this incident and learning identified. This incident was not notified to Ofsted, which prevented the regulator from having timely oversight of safeguarding concerns within the home.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is rare. There has been only one physical intervention, which was proportionate and effectively managed to safeguard the child. Subsequent management oversight and the discussions with the child and staff afterwards were thorough and supportive.

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improvement to be good

Room searches are carried out appropriately. Children are consulted in advance and are provided with clear explanations for the search, which supports transparency and maintains trusting relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 5 There is an improved system in place for the management of serious incidents. The introduction of a new procedure has strengthened management oversight and clarified escalation processes, demonstrating learning from previous shortfalls and a commitment to improving safeguarding arrangements. However, this is not yet fully embedded into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staffing within the home is not yet fully stable. Children continue to comment on the presence of new and unfamiliar staff. Although leaders have taken steps to improve consistency and a permanent staff team is now in place, some members of the leadership team are not yet in post and temporary staff continue to work at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings are now held regularly and are focused on improvement. These meetings provide increased clarity around expectations and support ongoing development in staff practice and children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff supervision is regular and reflective. Staff report feeling well supported by leaders, describing supervision and management oversight as accessible and responsive. As a result, staff morale has improved and cohesion within the team has strengthened.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff describe greater stability within the home, improved consistency of care and more effective oversight. Practice has become more proactive, supported by clearer communication and strong multi-agency working. One staff member said, ‘We’ve come together as a team, the children are more settled and we’re moving in the right direction.’ Staff have pride in their work and are confident that recent improvements will be sustained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. Professionals describe the home as caring, child-centred and relationship focused, with strong support for children’s education, activities and emotional wellbeing. They note improvements in recording and practice. One social worker reported that a child who previously felt unsettled is now happier and more settled within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A case review was held on 4 February 2026, where it was agreed that the reissued compliance notice under Regulation 13 is met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 6

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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, 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 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 the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are cared for by a consistent staff team. 27 February 2026

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to,

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or 27 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 7 concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that significant incidents are notified to Ofsted.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where children are not engaged in full time education the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations and the quality standards paragraph 5.15 page 28)

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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: SC039683 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lancashire County Council, PO Box 78, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Claire Rose -Dudley

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC039683 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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