Children's Home run by Woodside House Care Ltd in Blackburn with Darwen

Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 1 SC357455

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Registered provider: Woodside House Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

A private provider operates this home. The home provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The home was registered with Ofsted in February 2008, and a new manager has recently been appointed.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/06/2025 Full Good 04/03/2025 Full Outstanding 02/10/2023 Full Good 14/06/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 3

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Summary of findings

Children are settled in the home and have positive relationships with staff. They take part in a range of enjoyable activities together, which helps them feel connected and supported. Children also benefit from regular direct work sessions that help them explore and manage any worries. They continue to spend time with people who are important to them.

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Summary of findings

Children have individual risk assessments that outline clear strategies to guide staff practice. When a child goes missing from home, staff follow appropriate procedures to support their safe return. However, the effectiveness of consequences is not consistently recorded, which limits the home's ability to evaluate what works well for each child.

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, the home has experienced a change in ownership and management. These changes have not directly impacted the children's day-to-day experiences. Staff receive regular supervision and take part in team meetings, which helps maintain consistency in care. Leaders and managers could further strengthen their oversight by more effectively using feedback from the independent person to inform their monitoring and development of the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have moved into the home since the last inspection. One child experienced a planned transition and has settled well. The second child arrived in an emergency. Staff provided supportive care during the move-in period. However, it soon became clear that the environment was not the right fit for the child's needs. Staff worked with the provider to arrange a planned move to one of the organisation's other homes, where the child is now settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children spend time with their family. Staff work hard to understand children's relationships with their family. This helps to ensure that children are safe when they see people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from opportunities to enjoy different activities of their choice. Children enjoy activities together, such as going to adventure parks or ice skating. These memories are saved in a file for children to keep. This helps them to increase their social interactions and to develop interpersonal skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children understand the risks around them through ongoing direct work sessions. These sessions cover topics such as vaping, smoking and online safety, giving children age-appropriate guidance to help them make safer choices. Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 4

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

Staff have a strong understanding of each child's risks and vulnerabilities. Children have individual risk assessments that are regularly reviewed and updated, ensuring that staff always have the most current information about their needs. Children's plans include clear strategies to support them, which helps staff provide consistent, predictable care and respond safely to any emerging risks.

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

There are limited incidents within the home. However, when they have occurred, staff have acted appropriately, and children have been supported to remain safe.

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

When children have been missing from home, staff have followed procedures and sought to contact family to locate the child. Staff have ensured that children have had an independent return home interview and that follow-up work has been completed.

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

Staff use de-escalation techniques with children before using a physical intervention. There have been incidents of physical intervention. Records demonstrate that these are proportionate and necessary to keep the child and staff safe. Physical intervention records include information in line with regulation.

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

When consequences are used, they are appropriate, and staff explain to children why they are used. However, the effectiveness of consequences is not consistently recorded, which limits the manager's ability to evaluate what works well for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change in ownership and several changes in management. However, this has been managed well and has not had a direct impact on the children. The newly appointed manager has submitted their application to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy working at the home and that they are supported by the management team. One staff member said, 'They make sure you are ok and feel valued and listened to and you can really feel the improvements being made.'

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff follow safer recruitment processes to ensure that all pre ‑ employment checks are completed. These checks confirm that only suitable adults are employed to work with children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions take place regularly, and staff use these sessions to reflect on children's experiences and how best to support them. Team meetings have strengthened since the new manager took up the role, and these discussions are now more reflective and focused on improving practice. During the most recent meeting, one child was invited to join part of the session to share their views, helping staff understand what matters to them and how to shape their care accordingly. Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 5 Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the home's strengths and the areas that require further development. Their oversight could be strengthened by more rigorous monitoring from the independent person. Without this level of scrutiny, leaders and managers miss opportunities to identify patterns, evaluate practice and take timely action to improve the service. Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 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 registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(3)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the effectiveness of consequences is recorded to understand the impact upon the child. 2 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment. The registered person must ensure that the independent person consults regularly with a range of stakeholders as part of their assessment of the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,' page 65, paragraph 15.5) Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 7

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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: SC357455 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Woodside House Care Ltd

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Inspector

Karen Andrews, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC357455 9 regulates and inspects 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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Inspector

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