Children's Home run by Amelia Care Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 1 Registered provider: Amelia care limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. The home is registered to care for up to 3 children who may be experiencing social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were no children living in the home as the provider’s registration had been suspended.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post; however, they are not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 29 and 30 April 2026. The inspector identified serious shortfalls in relation to children’s safety and leadership and management arrangements. Due to the extent of concerns, a notice of suspension was served on the provider under section 20B of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken at the request of the provider to review their progress in addressing the concerns set out in the suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no children living in this home since the last inspection. One of the children who previously lived in this home moved into temporary accommodation and was cared for by staff from this home. The provider has operated an illegal, unregistered children’s home.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made changes to the layout of the property. This means that there are now only 2 bedrooms available for children. The provider cannot provide care for 3 children, as per their registration. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 2 Management oversight of staff performance is weak. Although the provider has policies and procedures in place for managing allegations and concerns about staff practice, these are not being followed by the manager. Disciplinary processes are not always implemented appropriately, and investigations into concerns are not sufficiently thorough. Concerns about staff conduct and practice are not being managed effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have accessed training that has strengthened their understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. They can explain how they would respond to a range of safeguarding scenarios, and their knowledge, skills and confidence continue to improve.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has now completed relevant background checks for all members of staff. Each member of staff also now has an appropriate contract, setting out their roles and responsibilities. Children will only be cared for by adults who have been properly checked and trained.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff receive regular and effective supervision. Since the suspension of the home, staff have participated in only one supervision session. The quality of supervision records is inconsistent, with some containing duplicated sections. This is a missed opportunity to provide effective oversight of staff practice and to ensure that concerns are identified and addressed promptly.

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This monitoring visit

Information about serious incidents is not shared with relevant professionals promptly. The manager has not notified the local authority designated officer about safeguarding concerns within a reasonable timescale, and there have been significant delays in the provider notifying Ofsted of serious incidents. In one instance, a notification relating to a significant incident that occurred in February has still not been submitted to Ofsted, despite two inspectors requesting it. This prevents effective external scrutiny and oversight.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have updated children’s risk assessments and plans. 'Each child’s plan contains a detailed crisis management plan that provides staff with clear strategies to support the child in a range of situations. As a result, staff have the information they need to safely care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have improved systems for audit and oversight. This includes checklists to monitor health and safety and the condition of the property. Managers have not used these audit tools in practice. Improvements to oversight have not been evidenced or embedded.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have effective systems in place for the safe handling and storage of medicines. The manager has updated the medication policy to include information about how children should be provided with medication while away from home. Staff have all completed training in the safe administration of medicines. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 3 A case review was held following this inspection, and it was decided that the suspension notice would remain in place.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements made at the inspection were not considered at this visit and so will be restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/04/2026 Full Inadequate 08/10/2025 Full Good 10/12/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 5

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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 with 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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. 22 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 6 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered provider must ensure that children’s plans provide staff with clarity about the steps they should take to meet children’s needs and keep them safe. In addition, the registered provider must also ensure that all staff have the skills to assess and respond to risk in accordance with children’s individual plans.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered provider must ensure that all staff fully understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. This must include a clear understanding of their duties in respect to whistleblowing and the requirement to raise concerns about the quality of care or the safety of children without delay.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered provider must ensure that the premises of the home are subject to regular and effective risk assessment, and that any identified risks are promptly addressed and resolved to maintain a safe environment for children, staff and visitors.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; 22 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 7 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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that there are enough staff to meet the needs of the children and that these staff have the skills, experience and knowledge to meet the needs of the children.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered provider must ensure that staff have access to regular supervision and training to develop professionally and provide children with continuity of care.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered provider must ensure that management monitoring systems are effective and that managers take decisive action to address shortfalls in staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the 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 is of integrity and good character; 22 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 8 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

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered provider must ensure that robust recruitment checks are completed for all staff before they start working in the home. This should include references, employment history and evidence of the individual’s right to work in the United Kingdom.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered provider must ensure that only staff who are formally contracted to provide care for the children undertake such duties.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered provider must ensure that effective management monitoring systems are embedded to maintain the accuracy of children’s case records.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 22 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 22 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 9 maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered provider must ensure that there is an accurate record of when staff are working in the home. This should include staff’s full names and hours worked.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered provider must ensure that there is an accurate record of all visitors to the home. This should include full names, their role, the purpose of the visit, time arrived and time they left.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Amelia Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Heath Business and Technical Park, Heath Drive, Weston, Runcorn WA7 4QA

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Inspectors

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Sally Griffiths, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2743870 11 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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