Children's Home run by Willow Homes for Children Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2853209 1 Registered provider: Willow Homes for Children Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in October 2025 and is operated by a private company. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke with the child during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2025.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2853209 2

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Summary of findings

One child lives at the home. They feel safe and happy, enjoy positive experiences and are making good progress. They have respectful relationships staff. The child’s needs are understood, and there is an appropriate response to changing risks, ensuring that they are protected from harm. A newly registered manager, who is suitably experienced, leads the home.

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Summary of findings

The following shortfalls were identified: complaints are not consistently recorded and are not always shared with local safeguarding partners in accordance with the home’s statement of purpose. Incidents do not always provide a clear account of the actions taken by staff to reduce risk. Records of staff working in the home lack sufficient clarity. Development plans are not specific or measurable enough to demonstrate progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child feels happy and settled at the home and is making good progress from their starting point. They have positive, affectionate relationships with staff who treat them with dignity and respect. Staff ensure that the child feels able to express their views, and they are confident that staff will listen and act on what matters to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health needs are well met. Staff ensure that they attend routine health appointments and make timely specialist referrals when required. They use the trusting relationships they have developed with the child to encourage them to reduce behaviours that may negatively affect their health, such as self-harm. As a result, the child has experienced improved health outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been significant barriers to the child’s education due to delays by the local authority. The manager has proactively challenged these issues and advocated on their behalf. Staff provide a consistent routine and opportunities for informal learning, including private tutoring and structured community activities, which support the child’s engagement in learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to maintain relationships with their family, ensuring that contact takes place safely. As a result, the child enjoys increasingly positive and meaningful time with the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively promote the child's independence, confidence and self-esteem. The child enjoys a range of activities that reflect their interests, and staff encourage them to try new things, such as horse riding and attending Pride events, helping them to develop their identity and broaden their experiences. Inspection report for children's home: 2853209 3 The home environment has been decorated to a high standard and is warm and welcoming. The child has been supported to personalise their home to reflect their individuality.

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

Staff understand the child's risks and know how to keep them safe. The child says they feel safe in the home, and they do not go missing. They enjoy carefully planned free time in the community, which enables them to take age-appropriate risks.

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

The child’s risks are decreasing because of the support and care they receive from staff. Staff spend time with the child to help them explore underlying triggers for behaviour and develop coping strategies.

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

Staff manage any incidents effectively and work well with other professionals to ensure that the child is kept safe. Room searches are carried out sensitively, with the child's consent sought where possible, and their dignity and privacy respected.

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

Physical intervention is rare and has reduced for the child since living in the home. This is because staff understand the child well and are consistent in their approach to managing behaviour. Staff ensure that the child’s achievements are celebrated. They are rewarded either through verbal praise or through treats such as a trip to London to see their favourite musician.

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

The child particularly enjoys their new scooter, which gives them freedom during leisure time. When it is necessary to impose consequences, they are reasonable, proportionate and necessary. They are discussed with the child and are restorative in nature.

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

The manager does not always ensure that complaints or their outcomes are recorded or that outcomes are shared with the child and their family. One complaint was not formally recorded, and the child is not always offered the opportunity for an independent review. Although one concern was recorded as an allegation, the local authority designated officer was not consulted on either occasion. The child's social worker was satisfied with the staff’s response, and leaders and managers have reflected on practice and strengthened processes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A newly registered manager has been appointed, and he is well supported by an experienced leadership team. He has a clear vision for the child and the development of the staff team. He is a strong advocate for improving the child’s experiences and speaks proudly of their progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager reviews all incidents and maintains oversight of the child's safety, reflecting on staff practice and identifying lessons learned to improve behaviour support. However, some incident records do not clearly describe the actions taken by staff to manage risks, limiting the effectiveness of monitoring and oversight. Inspection report for children's home: 2853209 4 There is a stable team of staff who work well together. The child is cared for by staff who know them well and provide consistent support that promotes their safety, emotional wellbeing and stability. Agency staff have been used in response to the child’s changing risks, and this has been kept to a minimum. However, staff rotas do not clearly record who has worked in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a wide range of training. Not all staff have undertaken additional, specialist training to fully understand the child’s individual needs, such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, staff receive appropriate guidance from the home’s therapist and are meeting the child’s sensory needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager supports staff through regular practice ‑ related supervision and probation reviews. Staff value the manager’s support for their development and wellbeing. Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended, providing opportunities to share information about the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring and oversight systems in place, using them to identify strengths, address shortfalls and drive improvement. However, development plans do not contain clear, measurable actions and have not been regularly reviewed to demonstrate progress since the child moved into the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2853209 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 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

allegations are reported in accordance with the home's statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

all staff have access to additional training that relates to the needs of the child;

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Requirement Due date

all significant incidents are evaluated with scrutiny, taking into consideration any possible learning outcomes to support the development of staff. 4 September 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. 4 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2853209 6 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the staff duty rota records the full names of all persons working at the home and provides an accurate record of the shifts worked.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3)) 4 September 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should make best use of information from internal monitoring, including the quality of care review. Development plans should contain all necessary information to support continuous improvement. Actions should be specific and measurable. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2853209 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Willow Homes for Children Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 France Street, Westhoughton, Bolton BL5 2HG

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Inspector

Samantha Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2853209 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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