Children's Home run by Bluebell children’s care Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 1 Registered provider: Bluebell children’s care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider and offers care for up to 3 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there was one child living at the home, who shared their views with inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. A new manager has been appointed who has applied to register.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 28 January 2026

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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: 2813238 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/01/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/09/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 3

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Summary of findings

Staff provide a caring environment in which the child feels settled and supported. The child has made clear progress, particularly in their school attendance and emotional wellbeing.

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Summary of findings

Safeguarding practice has improved, with staff demonstrating increased confidence in managing risks and reducing incidents of the child going missing from home.

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Summary of findings

However, there have been lots of changes in the leadership and management of the home, resulting in inconsistent oversight and practice. The newly appointed manager has begun to address these issues, with clearer structures and expectations being embedded to improve consistency and outcomes for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote a warm and nurturing atmosphere, where the child is supported to feel settled and relaxed in a caring and welcoming home. The child is encouraged to personalise their bedroom, helping to create a sense of belonging. Staff also support the child to care for their pet, which contributes to the homely environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers have made improvements to decision-making processes regarding referrals. Before a child moves into the home, the manager gathers comprehensive information about their needs and experiences. This enables informed and balanced decisions about the suitability of the placement. Managers share relevant information with the staff team to ensure they are well prepared to support children from the outset.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have developed a positive and trusting relationship with the child. Interactions are characterised by care, respect and consideration. The child is supported to communicate and demonstrate mutual respect in their relationships with staff. The child feels safe and cared for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the child’s engagement with education and learning effectively. The child, who was previously not attending school, is now making measurable progress and attending regularly. There is strong communication between staff and education providers. The child benefits from consistent expectations and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the child’s health needs. When concerns arise, such as difficulties with daily routines or sleep hygiene, staff take appropriate action to address these issues. Staff also recognise the importance of emotional well- being and ensure that therapeutic support is available where needed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 4 Staff place a strong emphasis on celebrating the child’s achievements and recognising progress. This helps the child to build confidence and self-esteem. However, this approach is not always balanced with the need for clear and consistent boundaries. In some instances, rewards have been provided despite the child not meeting expectations. The manager has begun to address this by modelling clearer boundaries and supporting staff to implement a more consistent approach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and encourage the child’s individual interests. The child is supported to access a range of activities both in the home and in the wider community. They enjoy creative activities, animal care and shared social experiences. This contributes positively to their wellbeing and supports the development of social skills and responsible behaviour.

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

Staff demonstrate increased confidence in managing a range of risks and vulnerabilities. Since the last inspection, staff have gained practical experience in responding to incidents where the child has gone missing. A consistent response has led to a significant reduction in the frequency of missing-from-home incidents.

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

Staff ensure that the child is given opportunities to talk and reflect following any significant incidents. These discussions support the child to consider safer and more appropriate ways of managing similar situations in the future. The child is also offered the opportunity to speak with an independent person on return from any missing-from- home episodes. Staff recognise the importance of listening to the child’s views to better understand their experiences and inform future care.

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

Staff have now all completed relevant training in relation to a range of relevant risks, including child sexual and criminal exploitation. This strengthens their ability to respond effectively and safeguard the child.

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

Staff understand the risks associated with the child’s access to online devices. Plans are being developed, with relevant professionals, to safely support the child to access technology in a structured and age-appropriate way. Staff are working towards helping the child to take appropriate risks as part of their development.

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

Staff communicate effectively with other professionals regarding the child’s needs and risks. This ensures a coordinated and consistent approach to safeguarding and care planning. However, there has been one occasion where a required notification was not submitted to Ofsted following the outcome of a child protection enquiry. This limits the effectiveness of external oversight.

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

Robust recruitment processes are now in place. All necessary checks are completed before staff commence employment, ensuring that the child is cared for by suitable and vetted adults. Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 5 The manager undertakes regular reviews of the home’s location, including gathering and evaluating information from local services. These assessments are used effectively to inform decisions about the suitability and safety of the home.

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

There have been significant changes in the leadership of the home since the last inspection. This has included a period without a registered manager and the recent appointment of a new manager. As a result, the staff and the child have experienced varying leadership styles and care standards.

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

Different managers have applied varying approaches to oversight, monitoring and feedback. This has led to some inconsistency in expectations communicated to staff, particularly when the child first moved in. The current manager has implemented a clear structure for oversight and is in the process of embedding this approach.

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

Staff receive supervision regularly. However, due to changes in leadership, the quality, style and content of supervision have varied. This has resulted in some inconsistency in the support and guidance provided to staff. Staff report that the new manager is approachable and supportive.

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

Systems for tracking the child’s progress are in place; however, these are not yet streamlined or consistently applied. Information is recorded across a range of documents, which does not always support a clear or accessible understanding of progress. This approach does not fully consider the child’s individual learning style.

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

Team meetings are held regularly and are used to share useful information. Staff discuss key aspects of care planning, including referral decisions. These meetings support communication within the team and contribute to effective care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 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

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

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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

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)(b)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must make sure that staff are provided with consistent support, oversight and supervision. 31 August 2026

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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. 31 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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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;

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must make sure that staff know how to support the child’s behaviour through the use of consistent boundaries and the use of rewards and consequences.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)) 31 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should encourage children to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. The registered person should track and record children’s progress in a way which is accessible and easy to understand, taking into account children’s different learning needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 8

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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: 2813238 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bluebell children’s care Ltd

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Inspectors

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Melanie Cotterill, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2813238 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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