Children's Home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC042652 1 SC042652

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged to have serious and widespread concerns at an assurance inspection on 11 February 2026. The inspector found that children had suffered harm and staff were unable to meet their needs. In addition, there were shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. Due to this, Ofsted served a notice restricting accommodation at the home. This notice was issued on 12 February 2026.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the restriction of accommodation and review the actions taken by the provider to meet the requirements set at the previous inspections. The provider has complied with the notice, and no other children have moved into the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home. The children did not experience a positive ending to their time at the home. Leaders and managers failed to plan properly before one child moved into the home and staff were unable to meet their needs and ensure their safety.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not always support children appropriately or as detailed in their plans. For example, one staff member was supporting two children when an incident occurred, even though both children required one to one support. On another occasion, a staff member made a comment that upset a child, leading to a serious incident during which the child became distressed and self-harmed. This does not demonstrate safe or child focused care. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC042652 2 There has been a reduction in incidents since the last inspection. Staff have positive relationships with the child currently living at the home and have a good understanding of their needs. The child says that it ‘feels like home again’ and described the environment as ‘calmer and peaceful.’

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers identify and address shortfalls in staff practice. However, they do not always ensure that the relevant agencies, including the local authority safeguarding officer and Ofsted, in a timely way.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been redecorated throughout since the last inspection. Damage to the property is now repaired.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted found that the provider has not taken sufficient action to address all the requirements made at the last inspection, therefore some are reinstated. The restriction of accommodation notice remains in place.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/01/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/05/2024 Full Good 06/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/05/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC042652 3

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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 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

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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff working at the home have the experience, knowledge, and skills to meet the children's individual needs and vulnerabilities. In addition, they must ensure that children are supported by sufficient staff, in accordance with their plans. 29 April 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 their full potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 29 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC042652 4 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

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; and

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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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff working at the home, have the necessary experience, knowledge, and skills to meet children's needs and ensure their safety. In addition, they must ensure that there is sufficient staffing to care for children.

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that the registered person and senior leaders have effective management oversight of incidents, records, and documents. 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—

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Requirement Due date

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 the child's placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child's relevant plans is requested, if— 29 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC042652 5 the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child's needs.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(e)(i)) 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.

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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 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) (2)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that allegations made by children against staff are thoroughly investigated and recorded. 29 April 2026

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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)(b)(3)(d)) 29 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC042652 6 In particular, the registered person must ensure that leaders and managers obtain a reference from staff members' most recent employer, and all gaps in employment are explored and accounted for. Furthermore, all identification documents must be up to date.

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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: SC042652 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: After Care (NW) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: After Care (North West) Ltd, 45 Kensington Road, Southport PR9 0RT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Timothy Blundell

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Inspector

Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC042652 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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