Children's Home run by Embrace Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 1 Registered provider: Embrace 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 owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking if this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance visit took place on 29 December 2025, which identified serious and widespread concerns. Serious shortfalls were identified in respect of the safeguarding practices, leadership and management of the home and quality of care being provided. Compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and regulation 6 (the quality and purpose of care standard).

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the provider’s compliance with the notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, one child has remained living at the home, and one child has moved on.

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This monitoring visit

The previous manager left in January 2025. At the time of this visit, the home was being managed by an interim manager from another home in the same company. The newly appointed responsible individual is providing the necessary support. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 2 There has been one missing-from-home incident since the last visit. Staff did not follow the child’s plans or take action to safeguard the child from going missing from the home. Therefore, a requirement has been issued under regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

Since the incident, leaders and managers have strengthened their oversight of incident reporting and used reflective practice to identify learning, which has been shared with the staff team to support improved practice. Senior management oversight identified missed opportunities for staff to provide reassurance following an incident for the child, which contributed to them going missing.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers responded promptly to the shortfalls identified in staff practice, addressing the issues directly with the staff involved. The interim manager has further explored this during supervision, ensuring that staff understand expectations and their responsibilities under the revised procedures. Additional training has been provided to all staff to strengthen their knowledge and prevent reoccurrence.

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This monitoring visit

Measures are now in place to prevent children from accessing items that may present a risk to them or others. Previously, children were able to gain access to company vehicles by taking keys from the staff office. In response, additional steering locks have been fitted to all vehicles, and the keys for these are stored separately from the vehicle keys. All keys are now held securely in individual locked cabinets, ensuring that safe and consistent practice is maintained.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, staff have received training on exploitation, county lines and gang culture. Team meetings have reinforced learning, with staff from other homes delivering focused sessions on areas such as report writing and risk reduction. This has strengthened the team’s knowledge and confidence in supporting children’s safety and wellbeing.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now provide targeted sessions that help children develop their understanding of personal safety, boundaries and independent living skills, enabling them to make safer decisions at the home and in the community. Culturally appropriate activities further promote children’s confidence and sense of identity, as well as their ability to form safe and healthy relationships.

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This monitoring visit

The child living at the home is supported through a structured independence plan and engages in weekly practical activities to build key skills in areas such as personal safety, budgeting, hygiene and cooking. Changes to the staffing arrangements have been made so that the child works consistently with adults they trust, resulting in improved engagement, attendance at appointments and participation in community activities. The child is now accessing youth provision and exploring education and employment options. These actions have strengthened their confidence and preparedness for moving on. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 3 Outstanding repairs and maintenance in the home have now been addressed. Senior managers have introduced a monitoring tool to track maintenance tasks, ensuring that any required work is recorded, prioritised and carried out in a timely manner. This system also provides clear oversight of jobs that have been finished, supporting

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This monitoring visit

It is Ofsted’s view that the provider has taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Requirements from the last full inspection were not considered as part of this visit and will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/11/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/07/2025 Full Inadequate 20/08/2024 Full Good 17/04/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 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 with 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 10 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 6 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff actively follow the home’s policies and procedures to keep children safe when they go missing from the home.

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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

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; 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) (3)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that when staff have been dismissed from previous roles, these situations are thoroughly explored and appropriately assessed for risk. 8 February 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

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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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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; and 8 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 7 help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when children are not attending an education setting, they are actively encouraged to engage in a structured routine that is regularly reviewed for effectiveness.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (5) or regulation 46 (review of premises) requires or authorises the registered person to contravene or not comply with—

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Requirement Due date

any other provision of these Regulations; or

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Requirement Due date

any conditions in relation to the registration of the registered person under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b) (5) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff details are accurate and that the home’s statement of purpose reflects the conditions of its registration. 8 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 8 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all statutory documents that inform children’s care plans are received in a timely manner. This includes pathway plans, statutory review documents and personal education plans.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all relevant documents are included in children's records on time to support their planning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraphs 11.1 and 11.5)

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Embrace Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 116 Duke Street, Liverpool, Lancashire L1 5JW

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Inspector

Nicola Jeffery, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2672566 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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