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

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032838 1 SC032838

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Registered provider: Appletree Treatment Centre 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 managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to 8 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 2014.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 5 children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a school on the same site as the home. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this site.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at a full inspection on 12 and 13 May 2026. Compliance notices were issued under Regulation 11, ‘The positive relationships standard’, Regulation 12, ‘The protection of children standard’ and Regulation 13, ‘The leadership and management standard’. This monitoring visit took place to consider the response to the steps in the compliance notices issued. The inspector also considered the remaining requirements and recommendation made at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have met all the steps in the compliance notices. The remaining requirements have also been met and action taken in response to the recommendation.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now carry out direct work with children to explore how their behaviour affects others. These sessions encourage curiosity and reflection, helping children to Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032838 2 recognise and understand one another’s feelings. Children are supported to take responsibility, apologise for their actions when appropriate and move forward positively in their relationships.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have completed additional learning to strengthen their response to any future allegations made by children. The manager uses quizzes to identify gaps in staff’s knowledge and uses the findings to inform targeted development sessions in team meetings and supervision sessions. A new quality assurance process provides the manager with greater oversight of staff practice and ensures that staff meet the expected standard. This oversight and targeted learning strengthen accountability and enhance children’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

Behaviour is managed well by leaders and staff, and this has resulted in a reduction in incidents of physical intervention. When children are held, this is reasonable and proportionate. Children’s risk assessments now reflect their individual needs, and staff follow the guidance in place. However, some risk assessments do not provide sufficiently clear steps for staff to follow when children experience distress.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have reflected on the culture within the leadership team. Senior leaders commissioned an independent review of the home’s safeguarding culture and have used the findings to develop an improvement action plan. Managers and staff understand the action plan and contribute to making practice improvements. Information-sharing with others has significantly improved. This demonstrates increased transparency and accountability and a commitment to strengthening safeguarding practice.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have strengthened their oversight of incidents. Staff and leaders have refreshed their safeguarding knowledge, while senior leaders now conduct additional reviews of incidents in the home. This increased and improved scrutiny provides additional safeguards and enables the manager to learn from senior leaders’ experience and expertise.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have reviewed the service and safeguarding processes. They have used learning from recent events to improve governance and taken steps designed to improve oversight across the wider organisation.

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This monitoring visit

A new independent person now conducts regular visits to the home, providing a fresh view. They make appropriate recommendations to support improvement. They spend meaningful time with children, including accompanying them on activities. This increased engagement provides greater insight into the children’s experiences and strengthens independent oversight of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now provide children with appropriate support and information about their health. Children’s health plans contain clear guidance and staff understand and follow this. Staff seek advice from health professionals and access local health services to meet children’s individual health needs. This support is helping children Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032838 3 who are approaching adolescence to understand the physical and emotional changes associated with their development.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now use more nurturing and considerate language in children’s records. This improvement highlights a more child-centred approach and ensures children are described with greater sensitivity and respect. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032838 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/05/2026 Full Inadequate 17/03/2026 Full Inadequate 20/08/2024 Full Good 19/07/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032838 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure staff continually and actively assess the risk to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: SC032838 6

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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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, Gange-over-Sands, Cumbria LA11 6RF

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Inspector

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC032838 7 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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