Children's Home run by Almoner Care Group Limited in Liverpool

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2746850 1 Registered provider: Almoner Care Group Ltd

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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 by a private organisation. It is registered to provide 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, one child was living at the home. The child was away from the home on the day of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children's home

Date of last inspection: 30 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 inspection

At these inspections, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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: 2746850 2

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Findings from the inspection

This assurance inspection has identified serious and widespread shortfalls in the leadership, management and day ‑ to ‑ day operation of the home. Many of these concerns represent repeat requirements, demonstrating a failure to sustain improvement and ensure that the child consistently receives safe and effective care. The cumulative impact of these failings places the child at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are unclear about the parameters of the deprivation of liberty (DoL) order in place for a child. As a result, restrictions are applied inconsistently. Staff are unable to articulate how the DoL is implemented as the least-restrictive option. This lack of understanding has led to a child being inappropriately restricted in the home, raising concerns about the proportionality of practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Leadership arrangements are unclear and unstable, resulting in confusion about roles, responsibilities and decision ‑ making processes. Managers do not consistently provide effective oversight. This lack of structure undermines the home's ability to safeguard the child and deliver consistent care.

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Findings from the inspection

The provider has not completed a regulation 45 quality of care review since the home opened. This removes a key mechanism for identifying weaknesses, monitoring progress, driving improvement and providing the regulator with effective oversight.

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Findings from the inspection

Recruitment and selection procedures remain insufficiently robust. Staff have been appointed without appropriate checks or a thorough assessment of their suitability to work with vulnerable children. This exposes children to avoidable risk and demonstrates a failure to meet basic safeguarding expectations.

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Findings from the inspection

A risk assessment relating to a staff member with a criminal conviction is not being adhered to. Managers working in the home reported that they are unaware of the content of the assessment and therefore unable to ensure compliance. This represents a serious lapse in oversight and risk management.

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Findings from the inspection

It is unclear whether staff have received the training necessary to equip them with the skills and knowledge required for their roles. Training records are inconsistent and do not have sufficient management oversight. There is no evidence that staff are completing the required qualifications within the expected regulatory timescales. This undermines the competence of the workforce and fails to meet statutory requirements.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff, including the manager, have not received supervision in line with the statement of purpose or internal risk assessments. This means that staff are not being supported or monitored effectively, and opportunities to identify concerns or develop practice are missed. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2746850 3 There has been one missing-from-care incident, which was managed well. Staff proactively looked for the child and liaised with relevant professionals. However, the provider has not ensured that there is independent oversight of the incident, and a repeat requirement is issued to ensure that the child has access to an independent return home interview. This is a missed opportunity for the provider to gain an understanding of the reasons for missing episodes, identify risks and put effective strategies in place to protect the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments that are designed to support staff and protect children are not being followed. This includes both child ‑ specific and staff ‑ related assessments. As a result, risks are not consistently managed.

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Findings from the inspection

Fire doors leading to the living room and kitchen/dining areas are ill ‑ fitting and do not close properly. Although staff report that this issue has been raised, there are no clear timescales for repair. This presents an ongoing fire safety risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Record ‑ keeping practices are poor and unreliable. This includes documentation that had been altered without explanation, duplicate incident reports containing contradictory information and documents that are incomplete or missing details. These failings compromise the accuracy of safeguarding records and hinder the home's ability to understand children's experiences or monitor risk effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

Despite the significant shortfalls identified, the child has continued to live in the home for an extended period. During this time, he has formed positive and trusting relationships with core members of the staff team. Staff actively promote and support family time, and as a result of their consistent and thoughtful approach, family relationships have strengthened. With the support and encouragement of staff, the child has also successfully returned to an education provision, which is a significant achievement.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/06/2025 Full Inadequate 14/01/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/09/2024 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2746850 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 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 if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a rigorous assessment of suitability for the role is completed for all members of staff. Additionally, that any gaps in employment are fully documented, explored and analysed and appropriate references are acquired. 10 May 2026

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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;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs; 10 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2746850 5 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 they robustly challenge the placing authority when return home interviews are not provided after missing-from-home episodes.

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality-of-care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality-of-care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality-of-care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at previous inspections and is restated. 10 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children's home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the downstairs fire doors are replaced or repaired to ensure that they provide adequate fire protection. 21 March 2026

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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 10 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2746850 6 promotes their welfare.

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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;

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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) (a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have relevant training that is kept up to date, understand the provisions set out in the deprivation of liberty order and keep all records relevant and up to date.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) 10 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2746850 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Almoner Care Group Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Brunswick, Seymour Chambers, 92 London Road, Liverpool L3 5NW

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Inspectors

Michelle Edge, Senior His Majesty's Inspector Helen Humpreys, His Majesty's Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2746850 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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