Children's Home run by New Horizons NW Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children's home: 1235384 1 Registered provider: New Horizons NW Ltd

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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 operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in August 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1235384 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/03/2025 Full Outstanding 05/12/2023 Full Outstanding 01/03/2023 Full Good 23/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1235384 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spent time with both children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live at the home for significant periods of time. They are provided with stability and a sense of belonging. The home is welcoming and has a family feel. Photographs of children and their artwork is displayed throughout the home. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to their individual tastes and provide them with a comfortable space to spend time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and education needs are understood by staff. Staff encourage children to attend routine health appointments. Children are supported to access education and one child attends school regularly. Managers and staff communicate with education professionals to overcome any challenges. Staff have supported one child through a difficult period in their education. They encourage positive routines and activities to prepare the child to return to education in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with people who are important to them. Managers and staff work proactively with professionals to progress the time that children spend with family members. For one child, this means that they have started to spend time overnight with a family member. Staff support children’s siblings to spend time in the home and stay overnight. This helps children to maintain special relationships and develop a sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s individual hobbies and interests are well supported. For example, one child regularly attends a drama group and has performed on stage. They also have an interest in animal care and spend time caring for a staff members horse. Another child regularly attends the gym with staff. Children enjoy holidays abroad and to a caravan. These experiences support children to develop confidence and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have developed trusting relationships with staff and they enjoy many moments of laughter together. However, some records reflect that not all interactions with children are positive in relation to staff practice. The language in some records does not reflect a consistently caring and supportive approach.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk assessments are updated regularly and include clear actions for staff to take when risks are identified. There are very few incidents in the home. On one occasion, staff appropriately held a child to keep them safe. Detailed records were kept, and the child and staff were supported to reflect on the incident. Inspection report children's home: 1235384 4 Staff talk to children about issues that may impact on their safety. However, when one child raised safeguarding concerns arising outside of the home, staff did not adequately explore the concerns with the child. Managers did not escalate the concerns to professionals involved with the child to allow for multi-agency decision making. This practice potentially leaves children at risk of harm.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When one child raised a concern about staff practice, managers responded appropriately. Safeguarding professionals were informed and a thorough investigation took place. The child was kept up to date with the progress and outcome of the investigation. This ensures that children feel listened to and know that their concerns are responded to.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children rarely go missing from the home. When incidents do occur, staff respond quickly and effectively. Risks in relation to one child being missing from home and misusing alcohol and substances are understood by staff. Staff are confident in talking to the child about these issues and risks have reduced.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Regular key work sessions support children to reflect on their achievements and any difficulties they may have experienced. Children are supported to make progress towards their goals. Staff use incentive charts to promote progress and help children understand what is expected of them. For one child this is focussed on helping them to develop their independence skills as they prepare to move on from the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safer recruitment practices ensure that only safe adults are working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated to providing high- quality care. Staff and external professionals talk about him in high regard, and he provides strong leadership in the home. One member of staff described leaders and managers as ‘supportive and approachable’. They said, ‘Their leadership creates a safe, open and supportive working environment where staff feel valued and heard’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff take part in a robust induction to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. Managers ensure that staff receive regular, reflective supervision. There is a focus on staff wellbeing and professional development. Appraisals consider the progress staff make. The views of children and other professionals are taken into account.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. They are used to share important information about children and how they need to be supported. Staff contribute to these meetings, creating a sense of shared ownership about how the home operates. The manager regularly introduces research into team meetings. Staff embrace the opportunity to identify areas they can develop their care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff take part in a range of training, in line with the homes statement of purpose. Training ensures that staff have the skills to understand children’s individual vulnerabilities. This includes risks associated with substance misuse and the impact of a Inspection report children's home: 1235384 5 child's specific health condition. The provider has invested in virtual reality training for staff. This resource helps staff to consider the impact of trauma on children and increase awareness of their own emotions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have oversight of staff practice. Children’s progress is monitored and patterns and trends are considered. This supports leaders and managers to understand the progress children have made living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from external professionals is very positive. One professional said, ‘I can confidently say that this home is one of the most child ‑ centred and nurturing homes I have visited.’ Inspection report children's home: 1235384 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 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare. (Regulation 12(1) (2)(i)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all potential safeguarding concerns raised by children are fully explored and considered alongside other professionals. 02 April 2026

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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—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

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 staff— 02 April 2026 Inspection report children's home: 1235384 7 meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child's respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff practice meets the emotional and behavioural needs of the children.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective recording. Information about children must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.4).

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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 children's home: 1235384 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: New Horizons NW Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: New Horizons (NW) Ltd, Unit 17-18, Navigation Business Village, Navigation Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YP

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Natalie Waterhouse

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Inspector

Anna Belshaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1235384 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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