Children's Home run by Holywell Children’s Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 1 Registered provider: Holywell Children's Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home was registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Information about this children's home

The home is operated by a private provider and offers care for one child with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

One child moved into the home. They did not speak to the inspector, but they provided written feedback.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been in post and registered with Ofsted since 19 June 2026.

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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 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: 9 September 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted suspended the registration of the home on 10 September 2025, during the last inspection. The home was suspended again on 3 December 2026 as the home remained unsuitable for children to live in. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 17 February 2026, and the suspension was lifted. Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/09/2025 Full Inadequate 01/07/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 3

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Summary of findings

The registered manager ensured that the child's move into the home was positive and well planned. Staff are working hard to build and maintain positive relationships with the child, their family and their professional network. The areas of development in the home relate to improving the child's daily routine and strengthening risk management plans. The registered manager also needs to enhance the effectiveness of the quality of care review process and ensure that staff obtain the required qualifications.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have developed positive relationships with the child. Staff seek and respond to the child's views about their home environment, daily routines and food choices. As a result, the child feels listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most staff are new to the home. However, they have experience and started their roles before the child moved in. The manager is actively recruiting to staff vacancies and is using a small number of casual staff. This provides the child with consistent care and helps them to begin to build trusting relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensured that the child's pet guinea pig was able to move into the home with them. Staff support the child to care for their pet. This helps the child settle into their new home and maintain an important source of comfort and emotional security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have established positive working relationships with the child's family, school and placing authority. They communicate regularly and effectively, ensuring that everyone involved in the child's care has up-to-date information and works together to meet the child's needs. Staff also support the child to maintain important family relationships despite geographical distance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the home has undergone significant refurbishment. It is comfortably furnished and decorated. The child was able to personalise their bedroom, choosing new wall colours and curtains. Photos of loved ones are displayed in their room.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has a suitable school placement. Although attendance remains low, it has improved since the child moved into the home. Staff maintain regular communication with school professionals and work collaboratively to improve the child's attendance and engagement in education. The child's school attendance is affected by their daily routine. Staff recognise this issue but have not taken effective action to establish a consistent and healthy routine. As a result, the child is not always able to engage fully in education, hobbies and other daily activities. Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 4

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

The child moved into the home sooner than anticipated. However, the manager ensured that known risks were identified and considered before the child moved in. The manager completed a timely assessment that demonstrated how staff skills and experience could meet the child's needs. Despite the emergency nature of the move, the manager ensured that the child's belongings and pet arrived at the home before the child. This helped provide continuity and reassurance.

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

There have been no significant incidents since the child moved into the home. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the child's individual risks and how these should be managed. They have received the necessary training to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to support this child safely.

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

On one occasion, the manager recognised a lack of professional curiosity in staff practice and used it as a learning opportunity. Staff practice and recording were reviewed, supervision sessions with staff involved were completed and the circumstances were discussed within a team meeting to promote reflection and shared learning.

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

Staff have complete risk assessments for each identified risk. These assessments clearly outline the risks, triggers, warning signs and preventative measures. However, some assessments do not provide sufficiently specific guidance about how staff should respond when risks arise. This does not support consistent safeguarding practice.

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

The child has not gone missing since moving into the home. An individual missing-from- home plan is in place, and staff understand the actions they should take should if the child goes missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a change in leadership in the home. The manager joined the home in the suspension period and has subsequently been assessed as suitable to be registered. The manager is supported by a newly appointed team leader. Both demonstrate enthusiasm, commitment and a clear ambition to achieving positive outcomes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has taken effective action to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. This has resulted in improvements to practice and oversight within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff spoke positively about the leadership arrangements and described the manager as approachable, supportive and readily available when guidance is needed. Staff are well supported in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly supervises staff. Supervision sessions are reflective and focus on professional development and improving practice. The manager uses scenario-based discussions and knowledge testing to assess staff understanding and identify areas for Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 5 further development. The manager encourages staff to contribute ideas about how the service can be improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager receives regular supervision from the responsible individual. These sessions are comprehensive and consider both the operation of the home and the manager's professional development. The responsible individual provides additional support through weekly telephone calls and face-to-face check-ins.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are 2 staff members who have worked for the provider for an extended period. They have recently joined the home and are significantly over the timescale to complete the required qualification. The manager is aware, has ensured both are enrolled on suitable courses and is tracking this issue through supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The provider has recently appointed a new independent visitor. Visits are thorough and provide appropriate scrutiny and challenge. The independent visitor also meets regularly with managers across the organisation to identify common themes and areas for improvement. The manager responds promptly to recommendations arising from these visits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager completed a timely review of the quality of care provided by the home. The review evaluates the quality of care during the reporting period and identifies actions to support further improvement. However, the manager did not include feedback from the child, staff or external professionals. As a result, the review does not fully reflect the views of those involved in the child's care. In addition, some actions are not sufficiently specific or measurable, which limits the manager's ability to monitor progress. Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff support children to establish and maintain positive routines, which enable them to participate consistently in education and normal daily life. 30 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. 8 February 2027 Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 7 The relevant date is—

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b)) 31 January 2027

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Recommendation

 The registered person should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their plans should include details of the steps the staff will take to manage any assessed risks. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: 2763683 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Holywell Children's Services Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Dalton House, 9 Dalton Square, Lancaster LA1 1WD

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Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2763683 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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Inspector

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