Children's Home run by Prosperity Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 1 Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and 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, 2 children were living in the home. The children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 3

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Summary of findings

Children’s individual experiences and progress in the home vary significantly. While some children are supported to make progress in key areas, such as education and health, progress in other aspects of their lives remains limited or, in some cases, has declined. Children’s views are not consistently acted on, and some children have expressed frustration with delays in their care planning.

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Summary of findings

Staff show warmth and provide nurturing support to children. However, incidents are not always managed effectively. Language used in incident records is not consistently child centred and does not always reflect the home’s ethos.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have implemented some positive changes in the home. However, they have not maintained effective oversight of all areas. As a result, shortfalls in staff practice are not consistently identified or addressed.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, children’s progress in the home has been inconsistent. Although there has been a reduction in incidents and identified risks, children experience restrictions that are not always clearly justified or regularly reviewed. These include limited access to time alone in the community and the use of monitoring measures, such as bedroom door alarms, without sufficient rationale or documented evaluation. In addition, children have experienced delays in their care planning, with insufficient challenge from staff and managers to the placing authority.

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improvement to be good

Some children report that some staff members are kind and supportive. However, one child has consistently expressed frustration regarding their lack of independence and limited opportunities to access the community. Despite this being a long-standing concern, there has been little progress in addressing this issue over several months.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s educational needs and work with external professionals to promote positive outcomes. One teacher said, ‘Staff know [name of child] well and are incredibly supportive of their education.’ As a result of the encouragement of staff, children’s attendance and engagement in education have improved.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are understood, and staff promote healthy routines. Therapeutic support is available where required, and staff regularly consult the therapist linked to the home. This contributes to a better understanding of how to meet children’s emotional and mental health needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to maintain relationships with their families, and children spend time with individuals who are important to them. They are encouraged to build and Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 4 maintain positive peer relationships. However, children do not have opportunities to spend time outside the home without staff supervision. Plans to support increased independence are insufficient and lack progression. This approach is not aligned with children’s age, stage of development or the experiences of their peers and limits their ability to take age-appropriate risks and develop independence.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to learn about different cultures, celebrations and communities. Children participate in activities such as fundraising events and cultural celebrations. Despite this, there is limited focus on children’s individual cultural identities and personal preferences. One child said they miss aspects of their cultural background, including specific foods and attending church. Staff were unsure whether this had previously been explored, indicating that children’s cultural and identity needs are not consistently understood or promoted.

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improvement to be good

Incidents have reduced since the last inspection in both frequency and severity. Staff encourage positive behaviours in the home and use incentives and natural consequences. However, when incidents occur, staff do not always manage these in line with children’s behaviour support plans and risk assessments. Additionally, language used in children’s records is sometimes lacking in empathy and does not reflect the ethos of the home.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is rare and is only used as a last resort. Staff speak confidently about the positive use of de-escalation strategies that work for individual children, but this is not always accurately recorded. Where physical intervention has been used, recordings lack sufficient detail. This has not been addressed through managerial oversight.

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improvement to be good

Allegations management has improved since the last inspection, and the manager has developed an individualised allegations protocol and management plan with the local authority social worker and the local authority designated officer. However, further work is required to ensure that any allegations are subject to managerial oversight and to consider allegations management when staff are lone working with children.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage in direct work with staff that is relevant to their needs and helps them make safer decisions. One child said, ‘Staff have helped me to recognise some things I used to do that meant I was not safe.’ Children are encouraged to express their views, and staff speak openly with children about their experiences. However, on one occasion, a child wanted to write a letter of complaint; however, this was not appropriately responded to by staff and was not addressed by the manager.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide positive support in response to any incidents of self-harm or if a child is missing from the home. Staff support children to access the internet safely and respond to any concerns effectively, ensuring that children understand online risks and that appropriate boundaries and online safety procedures are followed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is led by an experienced manager who is involved in its day-to-day operation. The manager knows the children well and demonstrates a strong commitment to their wellbeing. However, the manager does not consistently delegate tasks to staff effectively and is frequently involved in managing incidents. This has affected their capacity to maintain effective oversight of the home and provide consistent managerial direction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

When the manager has been directly involved in incidents, these are not always subject to independent review or oversight. As a result, shortfalls in staff practice are not consistently identified or addressed, limiting opportunities for learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff report that the manager is supportive, approachable and readily accessible. Regular supervision is provided, and the manager offers appropriate support to individual staff members when concerns arise. However, when issues relating to staff practice or tensions in the team are identified, responses are not always inclusive or sufficiently thorough. Investigations do not consistently seek or reflect the views of the wider staff team or children. As a result, some matters are not managed sensitively, and children have become aware of staff conflicts to an extent that is not appropriate. This has not been addressed or resolved effectively by leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager ensures that team meetings are well attended and uses them as opportunities to share relevant updates and good practice. The manager uses the support of the home’s therapist, who will attend team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has strongly advocated for children’s education and challenged external decisions where necessary. As a result, one child was able to attend their primary school graduation and has continued to engage in mainstream education and maintain excellent attendance. However, delays in care planning for another child have not been appropriately challenged or escalated with their local authority social worker.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Although a change in the independent visitor has been proposed, the manager has not ensured that monitoring by the independent person is sufficiently robust or timely. As a result, external scrutiny is not consistently effective in identifying and addressing shortfalls in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 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 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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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) (2)(a)(b)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

children’s plans are progressed effectively;

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Requirement Due date

shortfalls identified in staff practice are addressed effectively and actions completed; 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 7 feedback from children is acted on where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

systems are in place to provide independent managerial oversight of any incidents that directly involve the manager.

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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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

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice; (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that language used in the home, including in recorded documents, is always child friendly and inclusive.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans are individualised and provide them with appropriate freedom and choice in line with their age, understanding and risks. 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ensure that staff— 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 8 ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s views are appropriately acted on or escalated to the relevant external professionals.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered person must ensure that any issues or complaints raised by children are addressed effectively and appropriately.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 9 This regulation is subject to any monitoring or surveillance requirements imposed by a court. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any use of monitoring or surveillance has a clear rationale for all children affected.

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Requirement Due date

There must be documented local authority permission in place.

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Requirement Due date

Its use must be discussed with children before implementation and be subject to effective, regular review and scrutiny.

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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

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. (Regulation 5 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any delays in children’s care plans or sustained delays in communication from the local authority are appropriately addressed, challenged and escalated. 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff always follow protocols and procedures in place for administering medication, that records are accurate, and that any errors are swiftly identified and addressed. 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 10

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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 conducts a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This includes ensuring that children’s views and feedback are gathered regularly. In addition, information contained in reports must be accurate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 2701412 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prosperity Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 8, Venus House, Altham Business Park, Altham, Accrington BB5 5BY

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Inspector

Justina Henry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2701412 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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