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Social care · Social care assurance visit

Children's Home run by Radical Services Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspected 19 Mar 2026 · published 2 May 2026 · URN SC061158

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

Judith Birchall

What we read, and from where

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  • Group verified

    Radical Services Limited

  • Inspection date verified

    19 Mar 2026

  • Inspectors verified

    Judith Birchall

  • Name on report verified

    SC061158

  • URN verified

    SC061158

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

−44Criticalmore positive than 24% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisesafecaring
Criticismpoorlimitedharm

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings22w−33
  • What needs to improve471w−37

Strengths

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No standout praise found.

Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
7
Words of findings
491
about usual (typical 479)
Reading level
Fairly hard
Flesch 50, typical 47
Average sentence
19 words
Next steps
6
typical 4
Hedged sentences
0%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 2%What needs to improve 39%About the inspection 59%

Full report text

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061158 1 SC061158

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Registered provider: Radical 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 one of several children’s homes operated by a private company. The home provides care for one child with social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in 2004. The registered manager left their role in May 2025. A new manager has recently been appointed and registered with Ofsted in March 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 10 September 2024

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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

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Information about this inspection

 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: SC061158 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

Since the last full inspection, the registered manager left the service in May 2025. Leaders appointed a new interim manager in November 2025. She has recently become registered. The new manager has reviewed and updated the home’s statement of purpose. She demonstrates an enthusiastic approach to providing good-quality childcare built on warmth and nurture in line with the aims and objectives of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The new management team has ensured that the home has been suitably refurbished, providing a comfortable and well-maintained environment for the child. The manager has appointed a new staff team and is supported by an experienced deputy manager. Safer recruitment processes have been followed to ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have received a detailed induction and have access to a full training programme. Training has covered all mandatory areas, with additional input on child exploitation and self-harm. Further training needs will be identified by the manager. This ensures that staff are developing a strong portfolio of skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have recently come together to attend their first team meeting. This has explored professional expectations, values and team-building exercises.

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Findings from the inspection

The effectiveness of the improvements and their impact on a child’s wellbeing and experiences could not be evidenced during this assurance visit. This is because there are no children currently living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The requirements and recommendations were not looked at during this inspection and have been restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061158 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2024 Full Good 01/08/2023 Full Good 03/08/2021 Full Inadequate 29/05/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061158 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that recommendations made in specialist assessments of the child are used to inform the care being provided to ensure that the child’s specific needs are met. 24 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061158 5 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the child is supported to maintain the condition of their bedroom and should not have access to hazardous cleaning materials. 24 April 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should develop methods to support the child to recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. Any consequences used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that staff use monitoring tools to work with the child to understand their day-to-day health needs and conditions around sleep hygiene and allergies. Information collected will support the making of any referrals required to health services. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061158 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Radical Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspector

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061158 7 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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