Children's Home run by Arborvitae Care Services Ltd in Manchester

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 1 Registered provider: Arborvitae Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 4 children who experience emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Date of last inspection: 14 October 2025

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Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, 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 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children benefit from regular key-work sessions that support them to explore a range of important topics, including making safe choices, understanding culture and diversity, using respectful language and developing personal routines. These sessions take place frequently and include both planned work and spontaneous discussions, giving children consistent opportunities to reflect and learn.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have transition assessments when they move into the home, however, these do not outline the specific skills, training or experience that staff need to meet each child’s individual needs. As a result, staff are not provided with clear guidance from the outset about how best to support children as they move into the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is maintained to a good standard. However, some communal areas require repair and redecoration to ensure a homely environment.

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Findings from the inspection

Children maintain meaningful relationships with their families. Staff communicate promptly with parents when incidents occur, ensuring families remain informed and involved in their child’s care. This supports continuity and helps sustain positive family connections.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to reflect on incidents, through restorative discussions. Staff use these opportunities to help children understand the impact of their behaviour and rebuild relationships. This contributes to a consistent and learning-focused approach to behaviour support.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported by staff who usually de-escalate situations well, with physical intervention used only when necessary. However, incident records do not always include the names of all staff involved, and not all staff are provided with a debrief. Together with inconsistent responses, such as sometimes allowing and sometimes confiscating vapes, these shortfalls limit the manager’s ability to fully review incidents and strengthen staff practice to keep children safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are safeguarded because allegations are taken seriously. Leaders and managers take prompt action to remove individuals who may pose a risk while investigations take place. This ensures that children are protected from potential harm and reassured that concerns are acted on quickly and appropriately.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager post is currently vacant. Since the full inspection, an interim manager was appointed but has since left, and the deputy manager has stepped up to the role. As a result, children have experienced inconsistent leadership, particularly in the continuity and quality of management oversight. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 3 Leaders and managers have developed an action plan to address identified shortfalls and maintain progress across key areas of practice. Children’s progress has been reviewed, and placement stability meetings have been held to consider children’s needs and the support required to sustain their placement.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have been provided with opportunities during team meetings to revisit required standards and reflect on how these should be applied in daily practice. These actions help maintain oversight and promote consistency, despite recent changes in leadership.

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Findings from the inspection

The progress made in meeting the requirements set at the full inspection was reviewed at this inspection, and some have been met. Not all remaining requirements could be considered in full and these will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Two additional requirements have been set in relation to shortfalls identified during this inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 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 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that oversight identifies risks for children and that these risks are addressed in line with children’s plans. Staff must clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, including following the actions set out in risk assessments and 26 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 5 behaviour management plans, specifically in relation to vaping.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the home is maintained to an appropriate standard and that repairs and redecoration are carried out. 26 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; 26 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 6 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager ensuring that any negative consequences used are proportionate. Details of the people involved must be recorded in full and a debrief must take place with all involved.

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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 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(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the manager working in collaboration with the child’s placing authority to meet the objectives set out in the child’s plans, particularly in relation to reducing restrictions placed on the child and developing relationships with families. 26 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Arborvitae Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 73 Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 5SE

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Inspectors

Nicola Forrester, Social Care Inspector Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2805993 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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