Children's Home run by Lonsdale Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1183605 1 Registered provider: Lonsdale Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in February 2016 and the manager registered in May 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 11 February 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1183605 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/02/2025 Full Outstanding 04/03/2024 Full Outstanding 21/02/2023 Full Outstanding 02/11/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1183605 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children are making exceptional progress from their starting points. One child was supported to move school when their needs were not being met. The child is now in full time education and meeting all their milestones.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Risks for children have significantly reduced since they moved into the home. These risks have reduced significantly due to the care and support provided by the staff team. One parent said that ‘the way they [staff] have embraced my [child] is beyond anything I could have ever wanted. My [child] feels so loved and special.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend education provisions and make exceptional progress. When children are not in full-time education, staff ensure that they have an informal provision in place. The assistant manager and registered manager advocate for children to ensure that children have appropriate provision that meets their specific needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff excel at prioritising the well-being of the children. Staff build trusting and meaningful relationships with the children, which ensures that their emotional, physical and mental health needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a home that is welcoming, friendly and safe. Children benefit from a consistent and nurturing approach to care from staff, an ethos that permeates throughout the staff team. Children’s achievements are celebrated through photos and life-story work. One parent said that they would not want their child to live anywhere else. One child’s social worker said that ‘their [staff] dedication to [child] wellbeing, advocacy, and development is having a positive impact on their general wellbeing. They are happy and settled now.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to make sense of their behaviours in a reflective, nurturing, and safe manner. Staff have an understanding of each child’s individual needs, and this is reflected in the continuity between risk assessments and support plans. When a child’s needs or circumstances change, staff work with the placing authority to review and update plans, ensuring that support remains child-focused and responsive.

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

A strong safeguarding culture underpins practice in the home. As a result, children say that they feel confident talking about anything that might worry them. Children have comprehensive safe care plans, which are reviewed and updated regularly. These outline the known behaviours of the children and provide staff with clear guidance to support them effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183605 4 Safeguarding incidents are rare, and when they do occur, staff respond in a timely, confident and considered way. Safeguarding processes are followed, and relevant people are notified of safeguarding concerns.

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

Children receive strong, positive behaviour support from the staff who care for them. This is reflected in the warmth, attention and encouragement offered to each child. Staff regularly praise children for their achievements and for their individuality. This nurturing approach helps children develop self-awareness and self-esteem, which in turn supports positive behaviour.

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

Staff use proactive and creative approaches to help children work through their significant and complex trauma. The registered manager ensures that children have access to consistent, highly trained staff who support them to process and share their lived experiences.

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

Safer recruitment checks are carried out for all staff members. This ensures that only those who are safe and suitable to work with children are employed at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager provides inspiring leadership and consistently sets high standards through their own practice. Team morale is exceptionally strong, and staff describe feeling a genuine sense of shared responsibility for the quality of care delivered, which contributes to ongoing development and improvement. The manager is highly respected by the team, children, their families, and external professionals, reflecting the trust and confidence placed in their leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager works tirelessly to ensure that children can remain in touch with important people in their lives. One previous foster carer said that staff go ‘above and beyond, meet us halfway [for family time] and let us come to the home to bake’. This helps the children to maintain and develop strong support networks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager creates an environment where staff are enabled to work confidently and consistently with high levels of autonomy. Staff have high aspirations for their own development and the work they undertake with the children. This drives a culture of professionalism and provides exceptionally high standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are robust monitoring and review systems in place. The registered manager regularly reviews all records, and systems ensure that placing local authority care plans and other key documents are clearly accessible. When required records are not provided, the registered manager consistently escalates this, emphasising the importance of having the correct documentation in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager knows the strengths and areas for development of the service. He has created a learning environment where practice is constantly scrutinised to ensure that it meets their high standards. There is clear evidence when records or processes are Inspection report for children’s home: 1183605 5 amended in a proactive way, which shows that the registered manager anticipates change rather than simply reacting to issues as they arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is stable, providing consistency and continuity of care for the children. A high proportion of staff hold the relevant qualifications for their roles, and those who do not are actively working towards achieving them within the required timescales. Staff work collaboratively, demonstrating strong teamwork and a shared commitment to the children’s well-being. They report feeling well supported by both managers and colleagues, with regular supervision, team meetings and access to ongoing training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were made following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183605 6

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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 for children’s home: 1183605 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lonsdale Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 20 Brookhouse Road, Caton, Lancaster LA2 9QT

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Inspectors

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Karen Andrews, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1183605 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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