Children's Home run by Contemporary Concept Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 1 Registered provider: Contemporary Concept Care 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 owned and managed by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. The child did not speak with the inspector and chose to provide their written views.

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 June 2026

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 June 2026

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

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 June 2026

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 June 2026

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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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 June 2026

Date of last inspection: 3 September 2025

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 June 2026

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 June 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2025 Full Good 23/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 3

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Summary of findings

Two children have recently moved out of the home. Their moves were well planned, and they both had positive experiences living in the home.

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Summary of findings

One child has moved into the home. They are receiving nurturing care from a stable staff team.

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Summary of findings

The child is making some progress from their starting point. However, improvements are required to enable them to progress further.

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improvement to be good

There have been 3 children living in the home since the last inspection, and they have had different experiences.

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improvement to be good

Two of the children have made good progress and were supported by staff to make the move onto the next stage of their lives. Both children now live in their preferred area and have secured apprenticeships.

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improvement to be good

One child recently moved into the home. The move was well planned with their family and social worker, and the manager ensured that staff spent time getting to know the child before they moved in.

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improvement to be good

The child is subject to a deprivation of liberty order. The child is responding positively to the nurturing approach of staff. This means that staff have been able to make measured reductions in the level of supervision the child receives.

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improvement to be good

The child attends home-based tutoring on a weekly basis. Staff work with education professionals to find a suitable local school. However, staff have not offered learning opportunities alongside the tutor support. As a result, the child has a poor daily routine and spends many hours on their phone.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to be healthy and active. Staff respond to changes in children’s physical and mental health and access community services for the support they require. However, for one child, staff have not sought specialist advice in relation to a long-term health condition and have not supported them to complete recommended health routines.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children to develop their independent living skills. Children say that they budget and go shopping with staff in preparation for adult life. One child said, ‘Staff Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 4 really helped me get ready for independence.’ However, incomplete records demonstrate that this is not structured or intended to support their learning.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy regular, good-quality time with the people important to them. Staff display flexibility and travel long distances to enable children to spend time with their loved ones. Staff work proactively with social workers and families to ensure that their time together is meaningful and safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff listen to children. They provide opportunities for children to share their feelings and wishes, and their views are respected. Children say that they appreciate the support staff provide to them. However, staff have not consistently engaged with one child. As a result, the child is not developing the skills to manage their own difficult feelings and maintain positive interactions with others.

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improvement to be good

Children say that they feel happy, but the staff team’s ability to keep them safe is inconsistent.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand how to keep children safe. Children have individualised risk assessments that identify known risks and outline appropriate strategies for staff to follow. Staff also have access to weekly therapeutic support provided by a psychologist to discuss strategies to support children.

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improvement to be good

Staff use key-work sessions and conversations to develop children’s ability to keep themselves safe. However, the frequency of the sessions and engagement of children in the sessions are inconsistent. The manager completes an audit of key-work sessions but has not reviewed their effectiveness. As a result, some children’s risks have not reduced.

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improvement to be good

Staff regularly review and update risk management plans in relation to incidents. However, there has been a lack of curiosity around new and emerging risks, and strategies to manage these have not been added to children’s safety plans. Therefore, some unsafe behaviours continue with limited or no staff response, such as phone use and vaping.

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improvement to be good

Incidents are rare and, when they do occur, records indicate that staff appropriately respond. However, on one occasion, their response was ineffective, and they called the police to manage one child’s behaviour. The child experienced being detained overnight by the police. As a result, the child was at high risk of criminalisation.

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improvement to be good

Staff use rewards and consequences as behaviour management strategies with children. Staff show a good awareness of their use of consequences. However, children are sometimes unclear about how long a consequence is in place for. The lack of clarity can cause frustration to children. Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 5

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

The manager has been in post since 2022 and has a good understanding of the children and the progress they have made.

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

There is a stable team of staff who feel supported in their roles. Staff have access to a programme of child-focused training, and specialist training is also provided to enable them to meet the specific needs of children. All staff have achieved or are working towards a recognised childcare qualification.

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

Supervision meetings take place regularly and provide staff with one-to-one, focused support. However, the recordings do not capture that reflective conversations have taken place relating to incidents. This limits opportunities for staff development and safeguarding learning.

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

Staff show awareness of their responsibility in relation to recording incidents. However, the quality of incident recording is inconsistent, and the manager’s evaluation lacks critical reflection and rarely identifies staff learning or changes to practice. This is a missed opportunity to embed a culture of learning and development in the home.

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

The manager has high expectations for her staff team and takes decisive action in response to staff performance. The manager offers supportive measures to ensure that staff provide the expected quality of care to children. The manager takes appropriate action against staff if this is not achieved.

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

The manager and staff team have built positive working relationships with partner agencies and families. They will advocate and challenge other services to achieve the best outcomes for children.

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

The manager ensures that repairs and redecoration are carried out in the home. However, some areas still require attention. Water damage on the lounge ceiling, which happened 3 months earlier, has not been repaired, and the child’s bedroom is unkempt.

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

The manager has carried out a location assessment that considers risks in the local area. Leaders and managers have sought information from police and community representatives. However, no responses have been received, and no consultation has taken place with neighbours. This prevents managers from developing an in-depth understanding of community issues. Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff are able to identify when to intervene in incidents to avoid the use of police intervention.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered manager must ensure that staff are able to identify and add new or emerging risks to risk management plans. 26 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 7 Additionally, the registered manager must ensure that staff are aware of their responsibilities in relation to the management of new and emerging risks and that they work with external agencies in response to risks.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the registered manager must ensure that staff talk to children about how to keep safe.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff follow recommendations made on children’s health plans.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered manager must ensure that staff seek advice and services in relation to children’s health.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the registered manager must ensure that staff support children to engage in healthy routines and attend appointments. 10 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that when a child is not attending school, the staff support them to engage in home learning and independent study and provide them with educational activities. This should form part of a daily routine and structure.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 9 help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff support children to develop socially aware behaviour and positive responses to others.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the registered manager must ensure the child is encouraged to engage positively with others, including professionals.

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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 children’s home that—

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 10 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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that incidents are thoroughly reviewed and critically evaluated to identify safeguarding learning and development.

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Requirement Due date

Also, the registered manager must lead reflective supervision sessions with staff.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered manager must ensure direct work is completed with children and that the effectiveness of the sessions is evaluated.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that internal areas of the home are well maintained. 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 11

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is recorded evidence of work completed with children to prepare them for living independently. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 57, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure that they consult with neighbours and include a summary of those discussions in the location assessment document. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that there are clear plans for when consequences will be used and for how long. These plans should be shared with the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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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: 2639649 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Contemporary Concept Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cross House Farm, Cryers Lane, Thornton-Le-Moors, Chester CH2 4LH

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Inspector

Caroline Bates, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2639649 13 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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