Children's Home run by Theophelian Ltd in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 1 Registered provider: Theophelian Ltd 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 provider. It offers care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke to the inspector about their experience of living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an experienced acting manager in post. They have applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/08/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 3

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, staff have made significant and sustained improvements, resulting in more consistent and effective care for the child.

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Summary of findings

The child has been supported well by staff to make good progress and is now more settled in the home.

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Summary of findings

There is an experienced and effective manager in post who provides clear leadership and guidance for staff. Staffing has remained stable, enabling the child to build and maintain positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has remained living at the home and has received support from a consistent staff team to make significant progress. Staff have developed positive and trusting relationships with the child. As a result, the child now accepts nurture, guidance and reassurance from staff, who provide care in a kind and responsive manner while maintaining appropriate boundaries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s educational needs and encourage the child to maintain 100% school attendance. While it is recognised that the child’s current provision is not suitable in the long term, staff have worked closely with external professionals to identify a more suitable provision. A clear plan is in place for the child to move school in the next academic year. Staff have also developed a transition plan in partnership with education professionals to ensure that the child is appropriately prepared and supported in line with their needs and understanding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are persistent in their efforts to ensure that the child has fun and opportunities to spend time with other children in group settings. The child engages in various clubs and activities, including a football club, swimming group and a martial arts group. Staff work closely with group leaders to implement an incentive chart to support the child’s continued attendance and enable them to progress through the sport with their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of family time for the child. They work closely with the child’s parent to gradually increase the frequency of family time, which now includes the child’s wider family and siblings. The child’s parent said:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

‘I was really nervous at first when [name of child] was moving in, but I can’t say a bad word about them, they’ve done so much for my child, and they’ve worked really well with me. [Name of child] is always happy when I see them, and although I want them back with me more than anything, right now I’m glad they are there if they can’t be with me.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 4 The child says they really love the staff and the home and particularly like all their toys and bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated and furnished to a good standard, providing a warm and welcoming environment. The child is actively encouraged to personalise and adapt their bedroom in line with their developing and changing interests. At the time of this inspection, the child was being helped to change their bedroom from a superhero theme to an iconic American pop star theme. Staff support the child in expressing their views and exploring different interests, demonstrating a child-centred approach to care.

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

Staff know and understand the child’s needs and risks well. They provide consistent, nurturing responses that are in line with the child’s behaviour support plans and risk assessments, which set out clear strategies for staff to follow. As a result, significant incidents in the home have steadily decreased. However, the child would benefit from additional, more child-friendly plans that are tailored to their age and stage of development. This would support greater engagement and enable the child to have increased input into their care and support.

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

Since the last inspection, the child has not gone missing from home and there have been no incidents requiring physical intervention. Incidents that occur in the home are managed effectively. Following incidents, staff carry out work with the child to develop their understanding of resolving conflicts, coping with their emotions and developing healthy relationships with others.

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

Staff consistently use incentives, rewards and consequences effectively to promote positive behaviour and encourage the child to express their views, wishes and feelings in a constructive way. They maintain a consistent approach, ensuring that clear and appropriate boundaries are in place. Staff work closely with an external therapeutic professional to continually adapt and develop their practice to meet the child’s individual needs. The therapeutic professional said, ‘The team are fabulous. I work with lots of homes, and they are one of the best. The progress made has been amazing, and [name of child] has blossomed in their care.’

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

One allegation has been made since the last inspection. This was managed sensitively and appropriately by the manager, who took immediate action to ensure the child’s safety. The manager sought external scrutiny from relevant professionals and ensured that all identified actions from the investigation were addressed. The child’s views were sought and considered.

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

Staff use additional resources and tools to help them keep the child safe in line with their age and identified risks. This includes the use of a child seatbelt lock when travelling in the car and the use of a bedroom door alarm at night, both implemented with local authority authorisation. However, these measures have not been subject to regular review, and the child’s views have not been considered effectively. This limits Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 5 opportunities to ensure that such arrangements remain proportionate, appropriate and responsive to the child’s developing needs and understanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager has the necessary skills and experience to support and guide the staff team effectively. Staff say the manager is approachable, kind and always available when needed. The manager knows and understands the child’s needs well and has appropriate plans in place to ensure that they continue to make progress in all areas of their life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training and development are clear priorities for the manager, who has effective systems in place to maintain a comprehensive overview of staff performance, development needs and areas for growth. The manager ensures that staff remain responsive to the child’s changing needs and risks and that any identified training needs are addressed promptly and appropriately. Staff say they find the training provided helpful, and they say they can speak to the manager or external professionals for guidance and advice whenever required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions are held regularly and provide opportunities to discuss the child, reflect on practice and explore the individual wellbeing needs of staff. The manager also holds regular team meetings to reflect on practice, share positive examples, and identify areas for development across the staff team. Staff are encouraged to refresh their knowledge and training during these meetings and to discuss any changes needed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager promotes open communication and fosters positive working relationships between staff and external professionals. He works collaboratively with the local authority social worker to ensure that the child’s views are consistently shared and considered. The manager also provides appropriate challenge to the local authority where necessary, advocating effectively to ensure that care planning and decision- making remain in the child’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established systems to monitor and review incidents in the home, the quality of direct work undertaken with the child, and the child’s overall progress. Since the last inspection, the manager has carried out a detailed quality of care review, which clearly evaluates developments in the home and identifies progress, changes and areas for further development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 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 keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 30 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 7 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35 (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(i)(ii)(c) (4))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that child-friendly versions of all relevant documents are available and that the child is encouraged to contribute to them in line with their age and level of understanding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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: 2808413 8

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Inspector

Justina Henry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2808413 9 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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