Children's Home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 1 SC042652

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Registered provider: After Care (NW) Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company to provide care for up to 3 children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2024 and has a suitable Level 5 qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection. The child spoke with the inspector and contributed their views.

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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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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 2 Ofsted completed an assurance inspection on 11 February 2026. This inspection took place due to an increase in safeguarding notifications to Ofsted. The inspector identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

At a case review meeting on 11 February 2026, Ofsted took the view that if more children moved into the home, this would have compromised the safety of the children already living at the home as well as the safety of the children moving in. Therefore, a restriction of accommodation notice was served on the provider, ending on 6 May 2026.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on 25 March 2026. The provider had complied with the restriction of accommodation, and no other children had moved into the home. However, there remained shortfalls in response to safeguarding incidents. At a case review held on 27 March, Ofsted remained of the view that the restriction of accommodation should remain.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A further monitoring visit took place on 5 May 2026. The provider had complied with the restriction of accommodation and made sufficient changes which demonstrated that it would be safe for children to move into the home. A case review was held on 6 May 2026, and the restriction of accommodation was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/01/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/05/2024 Full Good 06/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/05/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 4

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Summary of findings

The child is settled living at the home and is engaging in education. The child has positive relationships with the staff and there has been a reduction in incidents since the last inspection. Leaders and managers are taking steps to address the serious shortfalls identified at previous inspections. There are new safeguarding systems in place and staff have a better understanding of risk. There are improved monitoring and review systems which provide clearer management oversight. However, these changes are not fully embedded, so their impact on staff practice is not yet evident.

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improvement to be good

The child living at the home is settled and shared that the environment is ‘calm and relaxed.’ The child enjoys spending time with staff and has positive relationships with them.

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improvement to be good

Staff support and advocate for the child’s education. They worked closely with other agencies to support the child to complete exams and secure a suitable college course. One professional said that the child’s progress in education is ‘unbelievable.’

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improvement to be good

The provider has recently changed its commissioned service for therapeutic support, which the child is engaging well with. The child also benefits from meaningful conversations with staff to explore their understanding about different issues. Staff have opportunities to work with the new therapist to reflect on their practice and how they care for children.

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improvement to be good

Professionals say that staff do not always provide the child with adequate support to develop their independence skills. Although leaders and manager shared that independence work was being completed with the child, there was no evidence of this during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

The child’s bedroom is personalised and reflects their personality and interests. The home has been redecorated and is well maintained. The provider is reconfiguring the physical layout of the home to ensure that staff no longer sleep in shared spaces during overnight shifts.

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improvement to be good

The child said that they feel safe living at the home and the staff know them well. Staff have a good understanding of the child’s needs, risks, and vulnerabilities. Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 5 There has been a significant reduction in incidents since the last inspection. Risk assessments are up to date and specific to the child’s risks with clear actions for staff to follow.

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improvement to be good

Staff use effective de-escalation skills to support the child. This has led to a reduction in the use of physical intervention to keep them and others safe.

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improvement to be good

There are new systems in place to provide greater management oversight of incidents. For example, the updated incident record is more streamlined, with targeted questions for staff to answer. This enables managers to evaluate staff practice during an incident more effectively. However, the changes are not fully embedded, so their impact on staff practice is not yet evident. These changes demonstrate that leaders and managers are committed to improving and developing staff safeguarding practice.

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improvement to be good

There are updated recruitment documents that are more specific to ensure that only suitable staff are employed to work at the home. However, as no new staff have joined since the last inspection, their effectiveness cannot yet be measured.

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

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. She knows the child currently living at the home well and has a good understanding of their needs.

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

The operations manager continues to work closely with the registered manager and staff to address the shortfalls identified during recent inspections. Although new systems are in now in place, these are not fully embedded or effective. For example, some information was not available on the online recording system due to it having been deleted. As a result, the manager and staff could not show evidence of the child’s progress and plans for future support.

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

Staff say that they are supported in their roles and enjoy working at the home. They talk about their roles with enthusiasm and are committed to ensuring that children achieve the best possible outcomes. Staff have completed relevant training that is specific to the child’s individual needs.

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

Team meetings take place regularly. There is currently an emphasis on the improvements being made to practice and systems for recording, monitoring, and review. Staff are also provided with an opportunity to reflect on their practice and develop ways to ensure that children have positive experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 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 their full 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that all systems put in place to address any shortfalls support the improvement of the quality of care provided to the children effectively.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the provider must ensure that there are effective systems in place to record and retain children’s records. 28 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

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. 28 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 7 (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that any moves in and out of the home are well planned, and that full consideration is given to the children already living at the home.

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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

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that there is effective and professional challenge to local authorities when they think that decisions are not in the child’s best interests. 28 July 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff engage children in activities that help develop and support their independence skills as they prepare for adulthood. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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: SC042652 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: After Care (NW) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: After Care (North West) Ltd, 45 Kensington Road, Southport PR9 0RT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Timothy Blundell

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Inspector

Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC042652 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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