Skip to content

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Social care · Children's home inspection (SCCIF)

Children's Home run by Yourcare (Northwest) Limited in Lancashire

Inspected 8 Jul 2026 · published 19 Aug 2026 · URN 2834537

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Original PDF ↗

Summary

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Group verified

    Yourcare (Northwest) Limited

  • Inspection date verified

    8 Jul 2026

  • Inspectors verified

    Nicola Jeffery

  • Helped and protected verified

    Good

  • Leadership and management verified

    Good

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Good

  • Name on report verified

    2834537

  • URN verified

    2834537

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.

Grade profile

Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2025.

  • OverallGood
  • Helped and protectedGood
  • Leadership and managementGood

70% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (12,716 inspections).

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+55Positivemore positive than 71% of reports of this type graded Good
OutstandingGoodRIInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Good.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseeffectiveeffectivelysafeexceptionallyclearpositivestrongimproved
Criticismrisk of harminconsistentcompromisenot consistentlyconcernslimited

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings1164w+59
  • What needs to improve223w+9

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
9
Words of findings
1,386
about usual (typical 1319)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 40, typical 51
Average sentence
17 words
Next steps
7
typical 4
Hedged sentences
2%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 66%What needs to improve 13%About the inspection 21%

Full report text

Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 1 Registered provider: Yourcare (Northwest) Limited. Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This home is run by a private organisation and is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who may experience emotional, behavioural and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered at this home since May 2025.

p.1

Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, there was only one child living in the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 26 November 2025

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 3

p.2

Summary of findings

The child living in the home has made progress with their education and independence skills, and staff are responsive to risk and keeping the child safe. The staff team works well together, and the manager regularly challenges professionals when he feels they are not acting in the child's best interests.

p.3

Summary of findings

Staff take effective action to safeguard children. Risks relating to the child being missing from home, misusing substances and online safety are managed well. Risk assessments and care plans ensure that there is a wraparound approach to supporting the child's progress in line with their individual targets and goal to live semi-independently.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has remained living at the home. Restrictions on their liberty have been removed due to the progress the child has made.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education has been a challenge. Attendance at school was previously inconsistent. However, through effective support from staff and strong partnership working with the school, this has improved significantly and progressed to full-time attendance. Staff consistently promote educational engagement and achievement, enabling the child to complete their education and sit GCSE examinations. This represents a significant achievement for the child and an outcome that would have seemed unthinkable 12 months ago. A place at college has been confirmed for September, where the child will continue their vocational studies. An educational professional said, 'I have rarely encountered a care home that demonstrates such a high level of care for a young person. They are exceptionally responsive and incredibly supportive.'

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child's views and opinions are listened to. Staff adopt a nurturing and trauma- informed approach towards caring for the child. This is supported by external therapeutic practitioners that help staff to understand and respond effectively to child's behaviours and lived experiences. Regular consultation with therapists and other professionals ensures that care is reflective, well informed and centred on the child's individual needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans are comprehensive and provide staff with clear, relevant information to guide practice and support the child effectively. However, discrepancies within the behaviour support plan reduce clarity regarding when updates were made and mean that staff do not have access to up-to-date information.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to develop the skills and confidence needed to improve their future opportunities. Staff help them to build independence skills, understand the importance of maintaining good health and make positive and informed choices. Staff have a good understanding of the challenges the child experiences when attending Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 4 health appointments and provide appropriate support to maximise engagement, including the use of telephone consultations when this is more effective. Staff advocate strongly on the child's behalf and appropriately challenge the local authority when they believe decisions are not in the child's best interests or may compromise their safety and wellbeing.

p.3

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

The child feels safe in the home and identifies staff as trusted adults. Positive relationships enable staff to have good, reflective and open conversations with the child about how to keep themselves safe.

p.4

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

Medication is stored securely and appropriately. Prescribed medication is administered and recorded by 2 members of staff. However, some records do not include information when medication has not been administered. In addition, the rationale for administering non-prescribed medication is not consistently recorded, and, on some occasions, medication records have been signed by only one member of staff following administration.

p.4

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

Staff work effectively alongside relevant professionals to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to safeguarding and risk management. Risk assessments are tailored to the child's individual needs and vulnerabilities. These provide clear guidance for staff on the actions required to mitigate identified risks and promote the child's safety. Documentation is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains up to date and accurate.

p.4

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

Room searches are undertaken only when necessary and are carried out by 2 members of staff. Wherever appropriate, the child is offered the opportunity to be present. Searches are conducted in a respectful manner that promotes the child's privacy and dignity while supporting their safety and wellbeing. Staff also undertake regular checks of the child's mobile phone, in line with assessed risks, to promote online safety, identify potential concerns relating to child sexual exploitation and enable timely action to reduce the risk of harm. Staff seek police involvement only when necessary, ensuring a proportionate approach to behaviour management and safeguarding.

p.4

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

Staff respond effectively when the child goes missing from home. Staff take suitable action to find them and return them home, attempting to keep in contact with them for the duration. Reports are well recorded and detailed and chronologically written with precise details of all the actions taken and who is informed.

p.4

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

Staff are recruited safely, and processes are in place to ensure that the right staff are employed to keep children safe. Leaders and managers are confident that staff are suitable to work with children. Agency staff are not used in this home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 5 The home is managed by an experienced manager. He is supported by an equally qualified and experienced deputy manager.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains effective oversight of the home through well-developed monitoring systems. Innovative use of visual aids and graphical data allows staff to access information about the child's experiences, incidents and staff development quickly and effectively. These tools provide clear comparisons over time and support the evaluation of progress and the impact of interventions.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A key strength of the home is its commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. The manager has created a culture in which individual differences are valued, and staff are aware of the assumptions and barriers that can negatively affect looked- after children. There is a clear focus on improving outcomes for the child, supported by training that is regularly reviewed and tailored to their specific needs, ensuring that staff have the knowledge and skills required to provide effective care and support.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported and empowered in their roles and speak highly of leaders and managers. They say that they feel valued and that their wellbeing is prioritised.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is reflective and focused on practice. Sessions consider the child's individual needs, experiences and behaviours and provide valuable support for staff development. The manager recognises opportunities to further strengthen supervision by incorporating relevant theoretical models and research- informed practice, encouraging staff to reflect more deeply on the reasons behind the child's behaviours and how best to meet their needs. Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children's home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, records of prescribed medication administration should clearly identify any occasions when medication has not been given to a child and document the reasons for this. Records should be maintained in a format that enables managers and leaders to monitor and evaluate medication practice.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Additionally, the rationale for administering non-prescribed medication to a child should be clearly documented. 31 August 2026

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Reviewed documents should include accurate and up- to-date information about children's behaviour support plans. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.6

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 Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 7 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: 2834537 8

p.6

Children's home details

Registered provider: Yourcare (Northwest) Limited

p.8

Children's home details

Registered provider address: 64 St. Georges Park, Kirkham, Preston PR4 2DZ

p.8

Inspector

Nicola Jeffery, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2834537 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9

Discuss this inspection

Members compare notes on inspectors and inspections here. Join free to read and post.

Join the discussion