Children's Home run by Thrive Residential Care Ltd in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 1 Registered provider: Thrive Residential Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in June 2025. There is no registered manager in post. An interim manager has been in post since September 2025 and has applied to be registered.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living in the home. All 4 children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 22 September 2025

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not ensured that children’s moves into the home are planned or informed by a clear understanding of children’s needs. As a result, children have moved into the home without appropriate assessment or preparation. This has led to children’s needs not being met and has exposed them to avoidable risk of harm. Poorly coordinated admissions have created instability for children already living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not take effective action to safeguard children when they are at risk of being harmed or targeted by peers. On several occasions, staff failed to intervene or escalate concerns when children have been subjected to intimidation or unsafe behaviour from other children. This lack of action has allowed risks to escalate and has left children feeling unsafe in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not recognise, understand or manage risks relating to children’s sleeping arrangements. Current practice demonstrates a significant failure to implement basic safeguarding expectations. Managers have not ensured that staff understand or follow clear boundaries to protect children’s welfare.

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Findings from the inspection

Prompt action has not been taken to manage allegations in the home. When concerns have been raised about staff conduct or children’s safety, leaders and managers have not responded with the urgency or rigour required. Delays in reporting and investigating allegations have compromised children’s safety and have undermined confidence in safeguarding arrangements.

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Findings from the inspection

Some aspects of children’s health have been managed positively by the staff. For example, 2 children have visited the dentist to address poor dental hygiene. However, there are ongoing concerns regarding children’s access to electronic cigarettes. The repeated presence of these creates ongoing risk triggers for children and the involvement of parents in supplying them complicates the home’s ability to manage these risks safely. This demonstrates a lack of effective boundary setting and undermines efforts to promote children’s health and welfare.

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Findings from the inspection

Oversight of the care provided to children is weak. Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff practice is safe or consistent. Shortfalls in decision ‑ making and managerial responses with delays in paperwork have contributed to a culture where poor safeguarding practice has left children vulnerable to harm within the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Recent missing ‑ from ‑ home episodes have been managed well. Staff take swift action and records are clear and welfare checks on children are completed. Return home interviews are arranged for children and staff follow the agreed protocol. This has helped to reduce some risky behaviours for some children; however, these Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 3 improvements are not yet embedded across wider safeguarding practice in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has made clear progress in their education and daily routines, and they are now attending school more consistently. This is progress from their starting point and reflects the positive impact of increased structure and support in the home. However, this progress has been undermined by the swift introduction of 3 new children into the home.

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Findings from the inspection

A case review took place following this inspection. The outcome of the case review was that serious and widespread concerns had been identified, and compliance notices were issued under Regulation 12, ‘The protection of children standard’, Regulation 14 ‘The care planning standard’, and Regulation 13, ‘The leadership and management standard’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 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

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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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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

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff take action to safeguard children at all times, that children are supported to have safe and appropriate sleeping 14 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 6 arrangements, that staff have the necessary skills to recognise that children are at risk of harm and ensure that all complaints and allegations are responded to in a timely manner and that information is shared with safeguarding professionals.

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that robust systems are in place for monitoring the home and the quality of care provided to children and that all incidents are reviewed. 14 May 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 14 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 7 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that robust assessments are undertaken prior to children moving into the home. These should include obtaining all relevant information and assessing the competing needs of children already living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are able to develop positive relationships with children that are helpful and purposeful. 14 May 2025

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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— that staff—

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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; 14 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 8 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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are prepared and ready to access education.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; 14 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 9 seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that information is shared with relevant professionals in a timely manner to enable them to make a decision on children’s care planning.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is clear rationale for the use of door alarms on children’s bedroom doors and that any agreement is clear about the need to have these activated. 14 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— 14 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 10 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

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

that each child is registered as a patient with a general medical practitioner and a registered dental practitioner; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has 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)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have the right advice relating to the dangers of electronic cigarettes and vapes and that staff must take appropriate action to dispose of such items.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority 14 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 11 and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred;

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff who are witness to an allegation being made are not completing debriefs with the child.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Thrive Residential Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Guardian House, Capricorn Park, Blakewater Road, Blackburn BB1 5QR

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Inspector

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2835292 13 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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