Children's Home run by Gracewells Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 1 Registered provider: Gracewells Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2024

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2024 Full Good 05/03/2024 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 11/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home have affected children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child lives in an annex attached to the home. Levels of staff support for this child have reduced in line with their independence plan. However, the child has not been provided with the necessary support to live and thrive without staff supervision or to prepare them for the transition to adult accommodation. This means they are moving on from the home without the key skills needed to live independently. Furthermore, the lack of staff supervision of the child means that the staff are unaware of safeguarding concerns for the child. As a result, the child is not being safeguarded effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not ensure that children’s health needs are met. Despite identifying one child's outstanding vaccinations a year ago, staff have failed to take effective action to address the matter. At the time of this inspection, the vaccinations remained outstanding. Staff failed to collect another child from spending time with friends to attend a scheduled appointment with an optician. Consequently, the child missed the appointment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not support children in maintaining clean and safe bedrooms. One child’s room was unclean, with clothes covering a plugged-in extension lead and no sheets being on the bed. Another child’s ensuite bathroom and toilet were dirty, and the shower was leaking into the room below, creating a hazard. These issues were rectified during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders’ and managers’ oversight of maintenance issues in the home is poor. The internal and external areas of the home are not maintained to an acceptable standard. Risks were identified in the area leading to the annex. Exposed boilers, pipes and water tanks pose risks, as a child can access them without staff supervision. Some communal areas of the home are dirty and require redecorating due to wallpaper peeling from the wall. There are hazards in the garden, including a broken roof tile and flowerpots filled with cigarette ends from staff smoking in the area. The manager was unaware of these issues before the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff promote children’s education by ensuring that they are safely transported to their education provisions. This consistent support enables children to engage more fully in their learning.

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

Due to shortfalls in safeguarding practice, children have not been safeguarded effectively. The reduction in supervision of the child living in the annex means that staff are not aware when friends are sleeping over. Staff did not know that the child and their friends have consumed alcohol in the home. This means that action has not been taken Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 4 to ensure that the children are safe. This leaves the child and others in the home at risk of harm.

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

Risk management plans do not provide staff with any clear guidance on how to respond to children’s risks. On one occasion, staff did not carry out a welfare check or obtain medical advice when a child was under the influence of alcohol. This placed the child at risk of harm. Furthermore, a child had a sleepover at a friend’s home without staff carrying out regular welfare checks and ensuring that the child attended their appointment with an optician.

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

Responses to children who go missing from home are not always effective. Staff do not always follow children’s plans. On one occasion, staff failed to search for the child or report the incident to relevant professionals within the specified timescales. As a result, there was a delay in locating the child.

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

Safeguards are not in place to ensure that children access the internet or age-restricted content safely. Some children have access to films and computer games that are not age appropriate. Parental controls are not in place to ensure that access to these is safe.

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

Direct work with children is not effective. Staff do not always speak with children following incidents or when risks are identified. This is a missed opportunity to support children in developing strategies to manage their emotions and to safeguard them by educating them on potential risks and how to stay safe.

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

Children say they feel safe in the home. Safer recruitment processes are followed to ensure that only suitably vetted and safe adults work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of the care provided to children is poor. Systems are not in place to support leaders and managers in maintaining effective oversight of the care provided in the home. This limits the opportunities for the manager to identify shortfalls in staff practice and any patterns or trends in relation to incidents. In addition, the quality of care review report has not been submitted to Ofsted within regulatory timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Records demonstrate that the manager reviews safeguarding incidents. However, their evaluation lacks detail and is not reflective. This means that the manager does not always identify shortfalls in practice, limiting opportunities for staff to learn and reflect on their support for children. Furthermore, no monitoring is carried out to ensure that actions are addressed following the manager’s review of incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have access to a range of training opportunities, both online and face to face. Not all staff have completed refresher training, including PACE and health safety training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff spoken to are positive about the support they receive from the registered manager. They benefit from regular supervision, but the records fail to show any Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 5 reflection on the care provided to children. This is another missed opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff team meetings take place regularly. Recordings of these meetings are basic and do not reflect the discussions about children’s care needs and risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management and staff have developed positive working relationships with other professionals and family members.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The children are cared for by a consistent manager and staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 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, 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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c)(d)) 3 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 7 Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

staff take action to safeguard children at all times;

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Requirement Due date

staff provide appropriate levels of supervision for all children in all areas of the home;

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Requirement Due date

children’s records are maintained to include all known risks;

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Requirement Due date

staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding to meet children’s needs and manage risks;

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Requirement Due date

meaningful work is carried out with children to help them understand how to stay safe. This specifically relates to online safety, the use of electronic cigarettes, substance misuse and independence skills;

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Requirement Due date

meaningful direct work is carried out with children following safeguarding incidents;

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Requirement Due date

staff take action to search for children when they are missing;

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Requirement Due date

staff understand and follow children’s missing-from-home protocols;

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Requirement Due date

children do not have access to exposed water tanks, central heating expansion vessels, boilers or gas pipes.

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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; 3 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 8 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

all incidents are reviewed and that all shortfalls in staff practice are identified and addressed;

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Requirement Due date

staff are provided with guidance to meet children’s individual needs and safeguard them at all times;

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Requirement Due date

systems are in place for monitoring and reviewing the quality of care provided at the home;

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there is sufficient staffing at the home to meet the children’s needs.

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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; 3 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 9 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

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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vi)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that:

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children are supported in maintaining their bedrooms to an acceptable standard;

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all areas of the home are free of hazards, and all maintenance issues are addressed;

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Requirement Due date

staff adhere to the home’s smoking policy;

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staff support children in developing independence skills in accordance with their age and level of understanding.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. 3 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 10 After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the quality of care review report is shared with Ofsted.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2577168 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Gracewells Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Stables, Blackburn Farm, Ribby Road, Wrea Green, Preston PR4 2PA

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Inspectors

Michelle McGrath, Social Care Inspector Michelle Snape, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2577168 12 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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