Children's Home run by Begin to Blossom Ltd in Oldham

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 1 Registered provider: Begin to blossom 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. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. Both children spoke to the inspectors during the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2026.

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Information about this children's home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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 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 have 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: 2823987 2

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Findings from the inspection

This assurance inspection has identified serious and widespread shortfalls in the safeguarding procedures in place to protect children. Leaders and managers have not identified or addressed failings in safeguarding practice. This places children at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection one child has moved out of the home. The placing local authority made the decision to move the child due to the home’s inspection judgement. This disrupted the child’s progress. One child has recently moved into the home and consideration was given to how their needs would be met. However, not all risks and vulnerabilities were fully considered alongside those of the other child already living at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff have not ensured that children’s health needs are addressed in a timely manner. Not all children have an up-to-date health assessment, limiting the manager’s ability to identify and respond to unmet health needs. There have been delays in accessing assessments and arranging outstanding immunisations for one child.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents of self-harm are not always responded to appropriately. On one occasion, a child injured themselves by banging their head. However, no medical advice or attention was sought by staff. Furthermore, it is unclear if regular checks were completed afterwards to ensure the child’s condition did not deteriorate.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has failed to consider children’s individual vulnerabilities when formulating missing-from-home protocols. Staff do not consistently search for children when they are missing-from-home. One child regularly stays away from the home on an unauthorised basis. However, robust and regular welfare checks are not completed. As a result, staff do not have a clear understanding of where the child is, leaving them at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments do not identify all known risks for some children. As a result, staff do not have clear strategies to manage and reduce risks effectively. Although the fire service have spoken to children about the risks of fire, steps have not been taken to ensure that children do not have access to lighters in the home. Consequently, the risk of fire setting has not been fully considered or mitigated.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has oversight of most incidents at the home. However, the managers evaluations do not routinely identify shortfalls in staff practice and there is a lack of professional curiosity when reviewing incidents. As a result, areas for improvement are not consistently identified and there is inconsistent learning from incidents. There are gaps in children’s records that the manager has not identified or addressed. Shortfalls in staff practice are therefore not responded to or resolved in a timely manner. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 3 There is a stable and committed staff team and the children say they have positive relationships with staff. However, robust recruitment checks have not been completed for all staff. This leaves children at risk of unsuitable individuals caring for them.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s education is valued at the home. Children have access to tutoring and staff also complete additional educational activities with them. The manager is working with other professionals to secure more suitable education provisions and is tenacious in her approach. The manager and staff have formed positive relationships with professionals. However, the manager has not challenged the lack of an up-to- date care plan for one child.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 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, 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;

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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

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 10 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 5 In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are effective and robust strategies in place to safeguard children and manage risk in the community.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all risk assessment documents are congruent with all known risks to children and identify clear strategies for staff to support children safely.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered person must ensure that timescales for reporting children missing from home reflect the level of risk they face. Furthermore, ensure that staff search for children when they are missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that children receive prompt medical attention after head injuries. Regular welfare checks must be completed and detailed records kept of these.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff are recruited safely. A full employment history must be obtained for all staff employed. Additionally, any gaps in employment must be fully explored and analysed. References sought must be analysed to ensure their suitability.

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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 fulfil their potential; and

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose;

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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; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 10 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 6 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they provide effective oversight to identify and address shortfalls in staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that information and incidents are scrutinised and analysed. Curiosity must be shown when assessing any risk to children.

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child's health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child's health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child's age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child's health and well-being needs.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 10 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 7 The registered person must ensure that staff strive to ensure that children's health needs are met.

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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 involve each child's placing authority effectively in the child's care, in accordance with the child's relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the registered person must ensure that each child has an updated care plan from the placing authority which outlines their current care planning arrangements.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Begin to blossom Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: C/O Hilton Jones Hollinwood Business Centre, Albert Street, Oldham OL8 3QL

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Inspectors

Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Claire Hobbs, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2823987 9 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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