Children's Home run by Brinscall Care Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 1 Registered provider: Brinscall Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2022. The registered manager left the home in May 2026. A new manager was recently appointed. He has not applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2025 Full Outstanding 23/04/2024 Full Good 03/10/2023 Full Good 18/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 3

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Summary of findings

There are shortfalls in the leadership and management arrangements. These shortfalls have had a negative impact on children’s overall progress and experiences.

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Summary of findings

The children spoke about the positive relationships they have with the people who care for them and about their experiences of living at the home. They continue to make progress despite the shortfalls.

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Summary of findings

The newly appointed manager has been in the role for a short time. He has had a positive impact on children and staff. He is enthusiastic and motivated and has identified areas for improvement.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, children have experienced several changes to staffing in the home. This includes a new manager and several changes in the staff team. This has impacted on staff providing consistent care for children.

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improvement to be good

Children speak positively about the new manager and the staff team.

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improvement to be good

One child moved in and out of the home in a short time because staff struggled to meet their needs. However, some children have had planned moves out of the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff use specific strategies to support children and monitor their behaviours. This system is also used at school. This helps to ensure that children receive consistent care. Records show that some children are penalised for the same behaviours at school and at home. However, children are positive about these strategies as they include a rewards system through which they can earn extra money.

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improvement to be good

All children are in full-time education. Staff ensure that children have consistent routines at home. This helps to support their attendance.

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improvement to be good

The changes in the staff team have impacted on staff consistently sharing information. The manager is working hard to improve this so that relevant information is shared.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. They support one child to manage their health independently. Staff work with a specialist nurse and education professionals to ensure that the child’s health is managed safely. Staff are creative in educating the child about their health needs. This helps to convey important messages in a child- friendly way. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 4 The home environment is welcoming. Children’s rooms are personalised to reflect their interests. However, significant repairs are currently being carried out. This impacts on the overall presentation of the home.

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improvement to be good

Gaps in management oversight have impacted on staff providing consistent and safe care for children. A safeguarding concern for a child was not managed well by the responsible individual, including them not sharing relevant information with the child and staff. A staff member subsequently took appropriate action to address this.

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improvement to be good

The child’s risk assessment was updated. However, the risk assessment does not include all relevant information for staff. The risk assessment does not include strategies identified for staff to follow in practice.

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improvement to be good

Door alarms are used consistently on all children’s bedrooms despite there being no safeguarding need identified. No clear rationale is provided for this. This does not demonstrate that the registered manager assesses risk based on children’s individual needs.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention is used as a last resort to keep children safe. Managers debrief staff following any use of physical restraint to reflect and review if this was appropriate. Children are encouraged by staff to talk about these incidents and how they make them feel.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from home, staff follow the protocols in place, which are individualised to each child. Following any episode of a child going missing, debriefs are conducted with the child and staff, providing an opportunity to reflect on the incident.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been shortfalls in the overall management arrangements. There is currently no registered manager. An acting manager is in post, however, they have not applied to register with Ofsted.

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

The newly appointed manager is enthusiastic. He is starting to make improvements to staff practice to improve the quality of care that staff provide for children. He is beginning to develop relationships with children and interactions between him and the children are positive.

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

Staff are positive about the impact the manager is having on staff morale. One staff member said, ‘He has brought a renewed energy to the house,’ and another said, ‘We are already a more cohesive and effective team.’

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

The responsible individual and manager address known issues about poor staff practice in a timely way. However, there are shortfalls in some decision-making which have had a Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 5 negative impact on staff practice. This does not ensure that staff can continually improve the care they provide for children.

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

The manager reviews incidents. However, they do not always identify areas of staff practice that need to improve. This includes staff having discussions with children which do not consistently demonstrate professional curiosity or identify follow-up work. This means that some opportunities to improve staff practices are missed.

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

The home’s statement of purpose is not up to date. This means that the regulator does not have the most up-to-date information about staff working in the home.

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

Serious incidents are not consistently reported to Ofsted in line with regulation. This impacts on the regulator maintaining effective oversight of the home.

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

Team meetings are well attended by staff. Records demonstrate that staff talk about children. However, they do not show how staff reflect on their care and safeguarding practices.

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

Staff appraisals are well structured and help staff to consider their strengths and areas for improvement. Staff supervision records demonstrate that staff are supported in their roles. There is a thorough agenda, which includes discussion on key elements of staff’s roles and responsibilities.

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

The independent visitor carries out regular visits to the home and includes children’s views in their reports. However, they do not routinely attempt to gain external feedback from family or professionals to support their assessment. This would improve the overall quality of the reports. Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that all known risks to children are detailed in children’s risk assessments, which must include strategies to manage risk. 1 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 7 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

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)(f)(h)) 1 September 2026

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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. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 1 September 2026

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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 is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 1 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 8 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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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); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must notify HMCI without delay.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the statement of purpose must include relevant details of the experience and qualifications of staff, including any staff commissioned to provide education or healthcare. 1 September 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any systems used to monitor children’s behaviours are regularly scrutinised to ensure that their use is fair. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that the staff are supported at team meetings to reflect as a team on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 9  The registered person should ensure that staff appraisals take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and of children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph

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Recommendations

13.5)  The registered person should ensure that, in carrying out a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home, the independent visitor consults regularly with staff, family members and external professionals. (‘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: 2661511 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Brinscall Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 27, Barnfield House, Accrington Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 3NY

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Inspectors

Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Claire Foster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2661511 11 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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