Children's Home run by Orchard Adolescent Care Group in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 1 Registered provider: Orchard Adolescent Care Group

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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 offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is vacant.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as ‘inadequate’ at a full inspection carried out on 12 and 13 May 2026. The inspector identified significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice, as well as weaknesses in the home’s leadership and management.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection, 3 compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and Regulation 32 (fitness of workers) of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 17 June 2026. Following this visit, a case review was held. It was agreed that the provider had not taken sufficient action to meet the requirements of the compliance notices. The compliance notices issued under Regulations 12, 13 and 32 were restated.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the actions taken by the provider in response to the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

One child continues to live in the home and is making progress. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 2 The registered manager has now resigned from the role, and an interim manager continues to support the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, staff have received training on whistleblowing and professional boundaries, safeguarding and sexually harmful behaviour to support their practice and inform the care of the child. Further training specific to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and foetal alcohol syndrome has been arranged for staff to attend.

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This monitoring visit

Support plans relating to personal care have now been reviewed. The plans are factually accurate and tailored to the child’s individual support needs, and they provide staff with clear guidance to follow.

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This monitoring visit

Some staff members have now received supervision and attended a team meeting. These sessions have provided opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and the findings from recent Ofsted inspections to support continuous improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Safer recruitment has been strengthened to ensure that only suitable individuals are employed to work with the child.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, a case review took place where it was agreed that the provider had taken sufficient action to meet the steps in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the full inspection were outside the scope of this visit. Progress against these requirements will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/05/2026 Full Inadequate 17/06/2025 Full Good 11/02/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(a)(b)) 4 July 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.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a) (2)(vii)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that the home is maintained to a good standard. Specifically, they must ensure that rubbish is removed, damaged items are replaced, and furnishings are clean and of good quality. 4 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; 4 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 5 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that all staff receive regular, effective supervision and annual appraisals.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that all up-to-date statutory documents are received for the child. 4 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered 4 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 6 person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that any consequences implemented to keep children safe or in response to their behaviour are clearly evaluated for their effectiveness.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 4 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that significant incidents are reported to Ofsted. 4 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 7 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(b) (4)(a)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that the independent person scrutinises the quality of care and records a clear and factual account of their findings. The registered provider must also ensure that reports are consistently shared with Ofsted. 4 July 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.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that rotas include the full names of all staff working in the home and the actual hours they have worked. 4 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— 4 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 8 seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that all key documents are obtained in a timely manner and that appropriate escalation takes place when there are delays in receiving them.

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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: 2794973 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Orchard Adolescent Care Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 16 Holroyd Business Centre, Carr Bottom Road, Bradford BD5 9BP

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2794973 10 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 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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