Children's Home run by Appletree Treatment Centre Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 1 SC386003 Registered provider: Appletree Treatment Centre 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 privately operated. It provides care for up to 5 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection, and all were spoken with.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2025 Full Good 11/06/2024 Full Good 20/06/2023 Full Good 27/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 3

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Summary of findings

Children’s overall progress and experiences are undermined by ineffective leadership. Leaders do not understand the importance of effective safeguarding. At times, they have not followed their own risk management measures or the advice of safeguarding partners.

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Summary of findings

Leaders do not consistently monitor staff practice or evaluate the impact of care provided to children. As a result, weaknesses in safeguarding practice and the quality of care provided to children are not identified or addressed promptly.

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Summary of findings

There is a restrictive culture at the home, with some practice focused on managing staff needs rather than promoting children’s individual needs, rights and wellbeing. Leaders and staff do not consistently consider if these restrictions are appropriate and how they affect children. Consequently, children do not consistently receive care that is responsive to their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff implement blanket rules, such as preventing children from accessing downstairs areas until day staff come into work and not allowing children to keep books in their own rooms. These responses are not appropriate and do not take account of the children’s individual needs. In addition, these rules increase distress for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Managers and staff do not adapt their approach or make reasonable adjustments to support the children effectively. As a result, children’s needs are not consistently understood or met, and opportunities to promote their emotional wellbeing are missed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not hold accurate information about children’s health needs. Records lack a clear overview of children’s health. Leaders do not identify emerging risks relating to children’s health conditions or take steps to understand these. There is a lack of multi-agency collaboration to ensure that children’s emotional health needs continue to be met and they receive the specialist support that they need. Poor levels of support for children’s health mean that staff do not have the knowledge they need to help children remain healthy, and children are not always receiving the services they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home provides a generally warm and personalised environment. Children’s bedrooms reflect their preferences, and staff have supported one child to design their bedroom. However, children cannot access all areas of the home because one bathroom remains locked for staff use only. This unnecessarily limits children’s choice and access to their home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 4 Staff plan children’s moves on from the home effectively. One child benefited from a 4- month transition plan before returning to foster care with their sibling. Staff shared the necessary information with foster carers and supported a successful move for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children enjoy a wide range of activities. These range from weekly clubs such as swimming and dance classes to trading-card games club. Some of these activities include trips to football stadiums, sea-life centres and the cinema. Children also enjoy an annual holiday. These experiences broaden children’s interests, help them to develop new skills and create positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff build some warm and nurturing relationships with children. Children readily seek comfort from staff and reach out for hugs. Staff also support positive peer relationships, and children also play positively together.

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

Staff do not consistently demonstrate an understanding of children’s behaviours or respond in a therapeutic and nurturing manner. They do not always follow the strategies outlined in children’s behaviour support plans and, on occasion, their responses to children during incidents have led to children becoming more distressed. Following incidents, staff often focus on the impact of the behaviour on themselves and their colleagues rather than supporting children to reflect on their experiences, understand their emotions and develop appropriate coping strategies. This approach does not reflect trauma-informed or nurturing care.

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

Some staff place responsibility on children for behaviours that are often expressions of distress. Children’s feelings are at times minimised or dismissed, with staff directing them to ‘calm down’ or ‘sit still’ rather than providing support to help them regulate their emotions. For one child, managers have agreed a policy of reporting all incidents of physical aggression towards staff to the police. This approach does not consider the child’s individual needs, and managers have failed to challenge external professionals in relation to their advice around it. This leaves the child at increased risk of criminalisation.

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

Leaders do not work effectively with all professionals and follow safeguarding advice. In one case, the manager delayed notifying the Disclosure and Barring Service about an important matter. Action was only taken after the independent person made a recommendation. On another occasion, the manager tried to delay access for an emergency duty team worker who needed to complete a welfare check. These failures weaken safeguarding arrangements and place children at risk of harm.

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

Staff do not always use physical intervention as a last resort or in a proportionate way. Children report discomfort during holds, yet staff continue to use techniques without adapting their approach. The impact of restraint on one child’s health needs has not been considered. Professionals have raised concerns about the use of restraint for children, and managers have not taken action in response to these concerns. When children have been injured during restraints, there has not been effective consideration Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 5 as to how this happened. The manager described one injury a child suffered during a restraint as self-inflicted. This placed responsibility on the child rather than considering the underlying circumstances and the child’s support needs.

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

Leaders and staff do not consistently balance safeguarding with children’s individual rights and development. Practice is overly restrictive and, at times, institutional. Some blanket restrictions limit children’s privacy and dignity, are risk-averse and do not consider children’s individual needs.

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

Leaders take some actions in response to allegations of abuse, but they do not fully explore concerns or clearly record their decision-making. Children are not routinely informed of the outcome of investigations where appropriate. These shortfalls reduce transparency, weaken safeguarding practice and leave children feeling unheard. On one occasion, the manager dismissed considering the reasons for a child’s escalating behaviour. This failed to show curiosity about what had led to an incident and allegation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior leaders have failed to create and maintain a culture where safeguarding is consistently prioritised. They do not follow their own risk management arrangements and have continued to allow an individual who is subject to external scrutiny to influence safeguarding oversight and key decisions. This includes involvement in decisions concerning children’s care planning, allegations management and safer recruitment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not consistently prioritise children’s needs. The manager stated that some decisions made in relation to children’s care were to protect staff. This demonstrates a focus on prioritising staff’s needs rather than promoting children’s wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not maintain effective oversight of staff practice or children’s needs. They do not consistently challenge shortfalls in practice, which limits staff learning and prevents sustained improvement. Leaders have also failed to ensure that staff receive training that reflects children’s needs. For example, staff do not have training in autism or self-harm, and they do not understand when it is appropriate and necessary to restrain children. These shortfalls mean that staff do not have the skills and knowledge they need to provide safe and effective care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say they feel supported. However, managers do not provide staff with regular, effective supervision. Supervision records lack sufficient focus on children and reflection on how staff are caring for them. Although the quality of supervision has recently improved, this progress is not yet consistent. As a result, staff do not routinely receive the guidance and challenge they need to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not ensure that children’s confidential information is stored securely. Staff stored one child’s records in an outbuilding alongside unwanted items awaiting disposal. This poor practice leaves sensitive information vulnerable to unauthorised access. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 6 The organisation has commissioned external consultancy support to address systemic organisational shortfalls as well as individual ones in the home. This work is at an early stage and has not yet had sufficient time to result in sustained improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Family members report that staff communicate with them well and provide regular updates about their children. This ensures that those involved in children’s lives receive important information and remain informed about their care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 7

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2) (a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 9 August 2026

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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— 9 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 8 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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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)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

*Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 9 August 2026

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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; and

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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. 9 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 9 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iv)(ix))

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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

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

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)) 9 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that children’s case records are stored securely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: SC386003 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Appletree Treatment Centre Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Meathop Park, Meathop, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria LA11 6RF

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Inspectors

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector (lead) Kerry Chater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC386003 12 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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