Children's Home run by Take Time 2 Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 1 Registered provider: Take Time 2 Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home and may provide care for up to 2 children experiencing emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2025. The registered manager post is vacant.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of inspection. However, they were not available to speak to the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

Social care regulatory inspectors started an inspection of this home on 21 January 2026. Inspectors returned to gather additional evidence on 18 February 2026, in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Inspectors identified serious and widespread failures resulting in poor care and experiences for children and young people.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the company has been taken over by an established provider. The previous manager and responsible individual who led the home have resigned from their posts. A new, experienced responsible individual is now in post and is in the process of applying for registration with Ofsted. An interim manager has also been appointed and has been leading the team since March 2026. Recruitment for a permanent manager is currently underway. There has been a significant amount of change in the leadership and management of the home within a short period. As a result, new systems and processes are being embedded, and any positive changes are still in the early stages.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers now demonstrate improved oversight of risk management. Systems and policies have been strengthened, enabling managers to monitor and review children’s risk assessments effectively. Structures are now in place to keep children safe. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 2 The child is in full-time education and enjoys learning with their friends. Staff have improved communication with the child’s school, and information-sharing is more effective. The child receives consistent support from home and school.

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This monitoring visit

The child enjoys regular time with their family. Staff are developing positive relationships with family members and maintain regular communication to keep them informed about the child’s experiences. This helps to promote the child’s emotional wellbeing.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are beginning to incorporate therapeutic parenting approaches into the child’s day-to-day care. The provider has employed an in-house therapist who is reviewing the child’s care planning and observing their experiences. The therapist provides valuable feedback to staff on how best to meet the child’s needs. As a result, the child is settling well into the home.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a significant reduction in the number of safeguarding incidents. All behavioural incidents are now clearly recorded, with evidence of meaningful and analytical management oversight. Staff have not needed help from emergency services to manage any incidents. Support for children continues to improve.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now have all the information they need to care for the child. Staff have retrospectively gathered information about the child, which was missing when they first moved in. This has been incorporated into the child’s care planning and daily care. Improvements are being made to processes for gathering information about children before they move in.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers now have improved oversight of staff training. Adopting a ‘back to basics’ approach, the manager is supporting staff to repeat the full induction programme. Staff are becoming better equipped to understand and meet the children’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers now ensure comprehensive checks are completed before staff are employed. All staff files have been audited, and any gaps have been addressed. This ensures that children are only cared for by safe adults.

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This monitoring visit

There are sufficient staff to meet the child’s needs. Recruitment is ongoing to increase staffing capacity to safely accommodate a second child. Leaders and managers are now taking a child-centred approach when considering new placements.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held following this visit, and it was concluded that the provider had made sufficient progress in addressing the concerns raised in the restriction of accommodation notice for it to be safely lifted.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection were not reviewed during this visit and so have been restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2026 Full Inadequate 12/08/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 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 with 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; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must make sure that children’s risk assessments and plans provide a realistic assessment of the level of risk and a clear plan for how staff will address each risk. Risk assessments should be specific to the individual child.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make sure that all safeguarding incidents are recorded in sufficient detail and are evaluated effectively.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make sure that staff have all the information they need to understand children’s vulnerabilities and risks.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 7 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 5 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.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must make sure that realistic, evidence-based decisions are made about the suitability of this home for children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 7 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, a copy of the child’s local authority health assessment must be held on the child’s records.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that recording is accurate and up to date. 7 June 2026

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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— 7 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 6 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;

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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)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that management oversight and evaluation are used to drive improvements to the quality of care at a pace that is helpful for children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that effective partnerships are established with other agencies.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make sure that the home’s statement of purpose is of a reasonable length and clarity so as to be fit for purpose. The information set out in the statement of purpose is a key part of the agreement between the registered person and placing authority. It helps confirm that that home is the right one for that child and that the home can meet the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6)  The registered person should make sure that the home is kept to a homely, domestic standard, which meets the needs of the children. This includes making sure that all repairs are completed in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Take Time 2 Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Incuba, 1 Brewers Hill Road, Dunstable LU6 1AA

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2808528 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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