Children's Home run by Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care & Support Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 1 Registered provider: Acorns to Oaks Children's Care and Support 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 operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to 4 children who may have emotional and social difficulties or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/08/2025 Full Good 09/05/2024 Full Good 18/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/06/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 3

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Summary of findings

Children living in the home have complex needs. They are settled and have positive relationships with staff. Children are making progress in all areas of their lives. Staff are providing a good standard of care to the children, and children's day-to-day experiences are positive. Children are kept safe and secure; however, the recording of some injuries is insufficient, and the manager has missed opportunities to share, monitor and analyse information.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a strong sense of belonging in the home. One child has lived at the home for over 3 years, and another for a year. They receive consistent, nurturing and loving care from a committed staff team. Staff speak about the children with warmth, pride and enthusiasm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff focus on meeting the needs of the children and have built positive and trusted relationships with them. Staff effectively use alternative communication techniques to support children's ability to participate in decision-making about their daily lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's health and emotional wellbeing are promoted by staff. Staff support and encourage children to make progress with their education, and children routinely attend school. The manager is a strong advocate for children and works effectively with other agencies to help secure appropriate health services and education provisions to meet the children's needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are offered a variety of fun activities both inside and away from the home. The home is full of sensory toys and games, which both children enjoy. Staff regularly take children out on day trips to the seaside, play centres, farms and local parks. Photographs of fun times are displayed around the home and kept in colourful memory journals for each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff develop positive working relationships with children's family members for the benefit of children. They keep in regular contact with them and provide effective help and support. One parent described staff as going 'above and beyond' and said staff are providing their child with 'a lovely life'.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a spacious, modern and well-maintained home. Their bedrooms are personalised and furnished to meet their needs. Communal areas are homely and there is a large garden for children to play and relax in. Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 4

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

Children's risks and vulnerabilities are known and understood. Their risk and behaviour management plans are personalised and provide clear information to staff about what to do if risks arise.

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

Staff consistently instil a structured routine with clear rules and boundaries, which children respond well to. Children live in a stable and calm environment. Staff use pictures, symbols and social stories to help children understand and manage their feelings and behaviours safely.

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

Staff are trained in a therapeutic parenting model, which is embedded in their day-to-day practice. Staff routinely encourage positive behaviour and children's achievements are celebrated and well documented.

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

There have been no significant safeguarding incidents since the last inspection. Children do not go missing from the home and do not need to be held to keep them or others safe. This indicates that children feel settled, safe and secure. However, not all injuries are reported in a timely manner to the child's social worker and records lack sufficient detail, management oversight and analysis.

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is caring and child focused. She knows the children well and is fully involved in their lives. The manager is well supported by the deputy, who is also actively involved in the day-to-day running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff enjoy working at the home and feel valued by the manager. They described her as supportive, understanding and approachable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff team work well together. Most staff members are experienced and suitably qualified. They receive regular supervision; however, not all staff have had their performance appraised annually.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff attend regular team meetings, which provide them with opportunities to discuss the needs of the children. However, research and development to inform how to improve practice are rarely discussed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home's statement of purpose does not accurately reflect the practice carried out in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 5 The manager and staff work proactively and effectively with other agencies and professionals. One professional described the staff team as 'really positive' and communication as being 'really good'. Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 6

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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

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

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 13 (1) (a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any injuries are fully reported and reviewed. In addition, that research and development are explored and documented. 15 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have an appraisal at least once a year. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards' page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose is kept up to date and contains accurate information. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards' page 14, paragraph 3.5)

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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: 2718813 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Acorns to Oaks Children's Care & Support Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Acorns to Oaks Children's Care & Support Limited, Suite 3, 125-129 Witton Street, Northwich CW9 5DY

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Inspector

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 9 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 10 Inspection report for children's home: 2718813 11

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