Children's Home run by Residential Child Care Community (Town Hall) Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 1 Registered provider: Residential Child Care Community (Town Hall) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a small private provider. It offers care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home and were spoken to by the inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

The provider and manager re-registered the home under a new limited company in April 2025. The home was previously registered under the same leadership and management in November 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 9 September 2025

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/09/2025 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 3

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Summary of findings

Safeguarding practice is inconsistent, and leaders have not effectively identified or addressed poor practice that impacts children’s safety and wellbeing. Staff do not consistently follow risk assessments when concerns about children’s welfare are identified. Medication administration is ineffective, with inaccuracies in recording and management. Children are not consistently encouraged or supported to make healthy lifestyle choices. Although children achieve some positive outcomes in their education and engage in activities that reflect their interests, weaknesses in safeguarding practice and management oversight mean that children are not consistently protected, and their overall wellbeing is not promoted to a sufficiently high standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home are poor. Although children have experienced some positive outcomes and say that they are ‘happy’ living at the home, these shortfalls have had an adverse impact on children’s safety and wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Despite identified concerns relating to dental health, access to sugary snacks and food has not been consistently managed in the home. Staff have been proactive in supporting dental appointments and encouraging healthier lifestyle choices. However, these efforts have been undermined by the continued availability of high-sugar foods. As a result, there remains a risk that dental health outcomes may deteriorate despite the positive interventions and support provided by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Due to current arrangements relating to the home’s alarm system, access to part of the home is restricted during overnight hours. This includes an area that is intended to support a child’s independence and daily living skills. Although staff have helped the child to understand the reasons for this restriction, the arrangement limits opportunities to promote and develop independence. Leaders and managers have not sufficiently explored alternative solutions that would maintain the home’s security while ensuring children can access all appropriate areas of the home, in line with their assessed needs and plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child’s bedroom was very untidy, and their en-suite toilet was unhygienic. This is despite the rest of the home being maintained to a good standard. This demonstrates that staff have not supported the child effectively to maintain their room to an acceptable standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When barriers to children attending education are identified, the manager works with professionals to find effective solutions. All 4 children are engaged in education that Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 4 meets their individual needs. One child, who has been out of education for some time, has taken their GCSEs since moving into the home, and has secured a place at college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s relationships with their families and friends are actively encouraged by staff. Staff recognise and understand the importance of children spending time with people who are important to them.

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

Staff do not consistently recognise, assess or respond to risks to children’s safety and wellbeing. The registered manager has not ensured that staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, resulting in inconsistent practice and a failure to provide safe and effective care. Weaknesses in oversight and management challenge have not secured improvements in practice, which undermines the promotion of children’s welfare and protection.

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

Staff do not consistently administer or record medication in line with the home’s procedures. Poor recording by staff has prevented the manager from maintaining effective oversight of medication practice. Staff recording has been inaccurate, which means the manager has been unable to identify errors or implement learning to reduce risk. As a result, one child has not been consistently offered prescribed medication.

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

Staff do not consistently follow children’s risk assessments when concerns arise that children may be under the influence of alcohol or substances. On at least 3 occasions, staff have failed to seek appropriate medical advice or carry out effective welfare checks in response to indicators of possible intoxication. This demonstrates a lack of professional curiosity and risk awareness and has the potential to compromise children’s safety and wellbeing. As a result, children are exposed to avoidable risks, and appropriate safeguarding measures are not consistently implemented.

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

Staff record incidents across a range of different recording systems, which reduces the effectiveness of management oversight and limits the manager’s ability to evaluate the quality and consistency of staff responses. Although the manager has appropriately challenged practice when shortfalls have been identified, this is not undertaken consistently. As a result, opportunities to identify patterns, address poor practice and drive sustained improvements are not always maximised.

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

On one occasion, a child who had been reported missing returned to the home, but staff were unaware of their return for approximately 12 hours. As a result, opportunities to assess the child's welfare and identify any risks they may have experienced in the community were significantly delayed. Staff demonstrated limited learning from a previous incident when a child left the home unnoticed during the early hours of the morning and without staff awareness. On both occasions, staff received alerts from the child's bedroom door alarm; however, these alerts were not routinely monitored or acted on. This delayed appropriate safeguarding responses and increased the potential risk of harm to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are significant concerns about the leadership and management oversight of the home. The shortfalls identified have a direct impact on the staff team’s ability to safeguard children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers had not identified all of the significant shortfalls found during this inspection. The manager and responsible individual have recognised the issues raised and have taken immediate action to strengthen practice. This includes providing individual supervision sessions for staff to review children’s risk assessments. The manager has arranged an urgent team meeting to reinforce expectations regarding staff responses to incidents. In addition, leaders and managers have arranged for all staff to complete refresher training on the administration and recording of medication.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some staff have not completed the required residential childcare qualification within timescales. Although children continue to receive care from experienced staff, delays in achieving the required qualification increase the risk of inconsistent practice. This identifies shortfalls in the manager’s oversight of workforce development and does not promote continuous improvement in the quality of care provided by staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Shortfalls in the quality of staff recording were identified throughout the inspection. The manager has not consistently identified discrepancies in the recording of incidents and concerns, resulting in inconsistent responses and reduced management oversight. Although monitoring activities are carried out regularly, the manager’s quality assurance systems have not been effective in identifying weaknesses in practice or driving improvement. As a result, some shortfalls in staff practice have not been recognised or addressed in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager completes annual appraisals for staff, and new staff members receive probation reviews. However, where shortfalls in practice have been identified, these are not always accurately reflected within supervision and appraisal records. As a result, records do not consistently demonstrate how staff are supported, challenged and developed to improve their practice and professional growth.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Feedback from external professionals is generally positive. An independent reviewing officer praised staff’s ‘excellent’ communication and ‘commitment’ to meeting children’s needs. One social worker described their experience of working with staff as ‘very positive’ overall, although they identified some recent challenges in the relationship between a child and a staff member, which had since been appropriately addressed and repaired. Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant knowledge, skills and training to recognise and respond appropriately to children’s alcohol and substance misuse. 27 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 7 In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff seek appropriate medical advice and take appropriate safeguarding action when children are under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that effective plans, communication and monitoring arrangements are in place to reduce risks and safeguard children when they are away from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are aware of and follow children’s individual missing-from-home procedure. This includes making consistent checks of the door alarm system.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities and take appropriate action to care for children safely and effectively.

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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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ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

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— 27 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 8 research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(b)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that monitoring and review systems are used effectively to identify weaknesses, take timely action to address shortfalls and improve the quality of care provided to children.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that reports and records accurately identify concerns, demonstrate management oversight, and evidence any actions taken and their impact.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that learning from incidents is used to prevent future occurrences.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff administer medication to all children effectively in line with their prescription.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff administer medication in accordance with prescribed instructions and accurately record all medication administration and associated checks. 27 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 9 The registered person must ensure that effective monitoring and auditing systems are in place to regularly review medication administration records, identify errors promptly, and take appropriate action to address and prevent recurrence.

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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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use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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

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enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children and effectively supported to maintain their bedrooms to an acceptable and hygienic standard. 27 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and 27 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 10 well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe.

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(Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s access to all areas of the home is not unnecessarily restricted. 27 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 27 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 11 For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2819379 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Residential Child Care Community (Town Hall) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 843 Finchley Road, London NW11 8NA

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Inspectors

Carrie Mayes, Social Care Inspector Kitty Wiper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2819379 13 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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