Children's Home run by Cherish Children’s Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 1 Registered provider: Cherish Children’s Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home and spoke with the inspectors.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in 2022. The registered manager post is currently vacant, and a new manager has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Good 29/10/2024 Full Good 20/06/2023 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 3

p.2

Summary of findings

All 3 children feel happy and safe at the home and have positive relationships with the staff team. Staff work effectively with relevant professionals, sharing information and reporting incidents appropriately to support children’s safety and wellbeing.

p.3

Summary of findings

Children are making good progress, and they are all accessing education and have plans in place for further education.

p.3

Summary of findings

Staff talk to children about risk and keeping themselves safe. The number of incidents of children being missing from home has reduced.

p.3

Summary of findings

Practice in the home is of a good standard. However, there are a number of shortfalls in recording and the monitoring and review systems. Changes are required to ensure that there is improved oversight and evaluation of significant events at the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team recognises children’s progress, taking into account their starting points. Children’s achievements are acknowledged and celebrated, helping to build their confidence and sense of accomplishment. Plans in the home, such as organising a prom for the children, demonstrate the care and recognition of celebrating children’s achievements.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend time with the children, ensuring that they have positive experiences both in and out of the home. Staff think creatively about activities and make good use of the local area and outside space. The home is welcoming, with children’s presence reflected throughout with photos, personalisation and recognition of their identity and achievements.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well managed. When it is not possible to facilitate a visit before a child moves into the home, or the child has not wanted this, staff take appropriate steps to meet the child where possible, and they ensure that they feel welcomed and supported on arrival.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend meaningful time with their families, including supervising family time in the home. One family member said the team are caring, understand the child, look after them well and provide them with what they need.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well supported. They are registered with appropriate health services, and staff ensure that they attend appointments. When there are concerns about children’s health, including specific medical conditions, staff act promptly to seek immediate medical attention. Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 4 Staff support children’s education and help them prepare for the future. All children are engaging in education and sitting their GCSEs, and they have plans in place for further education. Staff also support children to develop practical skills that promote independence, such as preparing for and completing their theory and driving tests.

p.3

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

All children say that they feel safe in the home. They know how to make a complaint and have staff they can talk to and trust. Staff engage children in open discussions about keeping themselves safe, helping them to identify triggers and develop coping strategies, while considering the child’s wishes and feelings.

p.4

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

Staff keep children safe by having a good understanding of each child’s individual strengths and vulnerabilities. Risks are clearly identified and understood by staff. Risk assessments are detailed, outline all known risks and provide clear guidance for staff to follow to reduce and manage these effectively.

p.4

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

Safeguarding practice is effective. When incidents occur, staff manage them well and act appropriately to ensure that children’s safety is paramount. Staff follow procedures and liaise well with other professionals. Staff attend regular meetings with external professionals to support the children’s care. When children are missing from home, staff look for them and take the time to talk to children on their return.

p.4

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

Children recognise the progress that they have made, particularly in relation to keeping themselves safe. Their achievements are regularly discussed and celebrated. There has been a reduction in significant incidents, which is also recognised by the wider professional network. Feedback from professionals highlights that staff work collaboratively to promote the best possible outcomes for the children.

p.4

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

Children receive a variety of direct work that is linked to their wishes, feelings and individual plans. Staff have built positive and trusting relationships with children that support them during difficult conversations. Records of these sessions show that children are spoken about with respect, and their earlier experiences are thoughtfully acknowledged.

p.4

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

Staff use appropriate de-escalation techniques when children are struggling to regulate their emotions. Strategies are informed by staff knowledge and understanding of the children and their past experiences. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep children safe.

p.4

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

There is a swift and thorough response to allegations, with appropriate safeguarding measures taken. However, on one occasion, a child made a complaint that was not appropriately concluded with external agencies. Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 5 There are robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that only the most suitable and safe people work at the home.

p.4

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

The manager does not have sufficient oversight of all care practices at the home. Their monitoring and auditing systems have not identified the shortfalls identified at this inspection. This demonstrates that the monitoring and review systems are not currently effective and embedded into practice.

p.5

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

One child was allowed to vape in the home with the agreement of the local authority, although this has now been addressed and is no longer happening. Leaders and managers must ensure that they have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and consistently adhere to the home’s policies.

p.5

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

Staff have access to a variety of training. However, they have not completed training in relation to a specific health need for one child, which means they do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to fully support the child’s individual needs.

p.5

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

Staff receive regular supervision. However, these sessions lack sufficient detail and reflective discussion to support learning and development. Additionally, staff receive annual appraisals, but these do not include feedback from children, staff or professionals, which limits opportunities for reflection and learning.

p.5

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

The independent person visits the home monthly; however, these visits do not consistently include feedback from family members or discussion with the children, nor do they include whether the children’s bedrooms are being seen.

p.5

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

Leaders and managers are child focused and demonstrate a clear vision for the care they aim to provide. The manager has high aspirations for children, with a strong focus on providing positive experiences, high levels of support and achieving stability for children.

p.5

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

Staff report that they receive positive support from the manager, who is accessible and available to offer advice and guidance when needed. Additional support is available from the therapeutic team attached to the home, but this is not yet fully embedded into practice.

p.5

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

The manager and staff advocate for the best interests of the children, including escalating their concerns when they feel the child’s needs are not being met effectively. They use their knowledge of the children to ensure that appropriate action is taken. Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 6

p.5

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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.6

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)(c)(e)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they operate the home in line with the home’s ethos and statement of purpose.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are effective monitoring and reviews systems in place to improve oversight and evaluation of significant events at the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff receive training that is specific to children’s individual needs and experiences. 17 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 7 The registered person must ensure that staff are provided with effective supervision to support their learning and development.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3)

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all complaints are fully considered and progressed to a clear outcome, including obtaining and recording conclusions from any relevant external agencies. 17 July 2026

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the independent person consults regularly with a range of stakeholders as part of their assessment of the home. They should ensure that children are spoken to, feedback is sought from their family members and their bedrooms are seen. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered manager should ensure that staff appraisals include the views of members of the staff team, children and professionals. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

p.7

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: 2689544 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cherish Children’s Care Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8, Skyways Commercial Campus, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool FY4 3RS

p.8

Inspectors

Rebecca Robson, Social Care Inspector Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2689544 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9