Children's Home run by Associated Wellbeing Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2823949 1 Registered provider: Associated Wellbeing 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

The home is operated by a private company and provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since registration in March 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living in the home. The inspector spoke with both children.

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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 outstanding

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2823949 2

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Summary of findings

Since the registration, 2 children have moved into the home. Leaders, managers and staff have built positive relationships with children, which supports their emotional wellbeing and sense of security.

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Summary of findings

Children are treated as individuals and the care provided is specific to them and their emerging needs and behaviours. The manager and staff team are strong advocates for the children in their care, ensuring that they get the relevant support from external services. The home provides children with space to socialise and relax, and the children have personalised their bedrooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff team are strong advocates for children. They speak about each child with warmth, affection and pride, celebrating the progress children have made from their individual starting points. Staff ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are clearly reflected throughout their care-planning documentation, keeping children’s views at the centre of the care and support they provide. The manager ensures that staff understand the importance of writing records sensitively and directly for children. As a result, staff produce personalised, age-appropriate documentation that encourages children to engage with their plans and work alongside staff to achieve their individual goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children experience difficulties with their culture and identity, staff respond sensitively to their views and feelings. They help children and understand their culture and their individual needs, enabling children to develop a safe understanding of their identity at a pace that suits them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are varied. One child moved into the home in an emergency, while another experienced a well-planned transition. Although both children have had a positive impact on one another and they live together harmoniously, the records do not show this level of detail. Furthermore, staff did not discuss the impact of the living arrangement with all relevant professionals involved in the children’s care, including social workers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a high value on education and consistently promote school attendance. They ensure that both children attend school, despite the distance between the home and the education provision. Staff maintain effective communication with each child’s school. When concerns arise about a child’s presentation or safety, staff work with education providers to implement appropriate plans and strategies, which support the children effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s health needs and work proactively to ensure that these are met. For one child, there had been delays in previous placements Inspection report for children’s home: 2823949 3 accessing the support they required. Leaders and managers have taken swift action to progress assessments and secure appropriate services, enabling staff to better understand and respond to the child’s needs and support continued progress. Staff have also completed specialist training to develop their knowledge and understanding of the child’s specific needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively promote children’s interests, aspirations and personal development. Children are encouraged and supported to explore new opportunities and experiences. This has included assistance with applying for part-time employment, participating in horse riding and boat trips, and competing in track running events at competition level.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their individual tastes, interests and identities. Rooms include meaningful items such as family photographs, games and personal belongings, helping children to feel comfortable and secure. The home is warm, welcoming and well maintained, with photographs of the children displayed throughout, creating a homely environment that reflects a strong sense of belonging.

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

Staff work hard to understand children’s risk and vulnerabilities. Children have risk assessments that are individualised to their specific needs. Risk assessments include strategies for staff to follow to reduce risks. Risk assessments are updated regularly to include new behaviours and any changes in risk levels for children.

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

Staff regularly reflect on incidents and work collaboratively to review and adapt strategies to support children when they experience difficulties managing their emotions. They place a strong emphasis on validating children’s feelings and seeking to understand the underlying reasons for their behaviours. This understanding is shared with relevant professionals and specialist services to ensure that responses remain appropriate, consistent and tailored to each child’s evolving and often complex needs.

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

Staff demonstrate strong skills in de-escalating situations when children are in crisis, helping to reduce risk and support children to regain emotional regulation. Physical intervention is only used as a last resort, when necessary to safeguard the child. Following any incident involving a physical hold, staff take time to speak with the child to help them understand why the intervention was necessary, and to explore whether there are alternative approaches that could support them more effectively in the future.

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

On the few occasions when children have gone missing from home, staff know what to do. They follow the children’s individual missing-from-home protocols to ensure that children are located and returned home quickly and safely. Staff speak to children to understand their reasons for going missing, so that they can work with children to find ways to prevent this happening again in the future.

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

When there are known or emerging risks for children, managers and staff develop bespoke resources tailored to each child’s age, understanding and developmental needs. These personalised tools help children to recognise, understand and manage specific Inspection report for children’s home: 2823949 4 risks in a meaningful and accessible way. Staff use these resources alongside direct work and ongoing support to promote children’s awareness, resilience and ability to make safer choices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an aspirational and highly effective leader who consistently promotes and delivers high-quality care for children. He has created a positive, child-centred culture that is fully embraced by the staff team, ensuring that children’s needs, wishes and outcomes remain at the heart of all decision-making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high expectations of staff and is unwavering in his commitment to improving the lives of the children in his care. He leads by example and continually seeks innovative and creative ways to enhance practice and sustain excellent standards of care. This strong leadership is reflected in the positive progress and achievements of children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff speak highly of the manager’s leadership, describing him as supportive, approachable and committed to both children and staff. Staff feel valued, well supported and empowered to carry out their roles with confidence. As a result, staff morale is high, and there is a strong sense of teamwork and shared purpose in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals are equally complimentary of the manager’s leadership and the quality of care provided by the staff team. One professional described the home as being ‘pivotal in the turning point for [child’s name]’, recognising the significant and positive impact of the support provided. Professionals also highlighted the manager and staff as strong advocates for children, consistently challenging other agencies and working tirelessly to ensure that children receive the care, support and services to which they are entitled. This advocacy helps to secure better outcomes for children and demonstrates the home’s commitment to promoting their welfare and future success.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders, managers and staff promote equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the home. This creates a culture where children feel valued, respected and free from judgement. As a result, children are confident in discussing matters that are important to them and know that their views, wishes and feelings will be listened to and supported by staff and the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has a comprehensive training programme, which staff complete in a timely manner. All staff are up to date with mandatory training and have also undertaken specialist training to meet the individual and often complex needs of the children living in the home. This ensures that staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence required to provide high-quality care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Although not all staff have achieved their required qualification within the prescribed timescales, this has not impacted on the quality of care provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2823949 5

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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 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

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").

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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. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant qualification to work in the children’s home, by the relevant date. 13 October 2026

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2823949 6 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: 2823949 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Associated Wellbeing Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Prudential Building, 50 Manchester Road, Burnley BB11 1HJ

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Inspector

Nicola Rutherford, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2823949 8 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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